I am here tot tell you that yes, you should meal plan, even if you have picky eaters. There is a wide spread misconception that mums who have picky eaters should not be meal planning. Thankfully, this thought never crossed my mind, or I’d never have started to meal plan myself.

My son, who is now 14, was a picky eater up will about age 10. Now he rarely refuses a meal and eats even when something is not his favourite. I wonder what the outcome would have been if I gave up on meal planning all those years ago.

My 5 year old is a picky eater too. But I don’t waver. I meal plan consistently. And here is why.

1. We still need to eat

Picky eating or no picky eating, we all still need to eat. So why leave it till the last minute?

2. It won’t change a thing (for now)

Not meal planning won’t have my kid magically gobble up her food. Unless I opt for something I am absolutely sure she will eat. Which I can totally meal plan for!

3. My sanity is important

I just cannot take not knowing what’s for dinner, stressing myself out with trying to decide last minute, rushing to get groceries, and cooking everyday (and have it stretch later than I’d like it to), only to still sit down and possibly be greeted by a ‘yuk’.

4. It takes around 8-10 tries for a new food to be liked

Studies show that kids need to try a new food around 8-10 times before they like it. It’s often a struggle to even get my daughter to try something, let alone like it. But this ain’t gonna happen if I do not meal plan and present the darn food will it?

5. I can plan to be flexible

My tactic is to try and offer at least one item my daughter will eat. Or offer a plainer version. Let’s say I make pasta. I’ll at least ask my daughter to taste ours, no pressure, but hers is with cheese and olive oil. Chicken with rice? I coax her to try it, but she’ll have the rice if she doesn’t like it. ‘Not exactly the way I want my kids to eat’; you might be saying. Well, yeah — but do your picky eaters eat better if you don’t meal plan? If they do, then meal plan using those foods. If not, you need to find a solution. My tactic is to make it a point that Nina eats nutrition-dense foods throughout the day. Foods such as peanut butter, yoghurt, fruit, seeds, whole grains, and eggs are eaten daily. We still struggle with vegetables, although she will eat raw cucumber and carrots, as well as potatoes. I’m not saying my way is the right way, but it works for us. If you want to read about Anabel Karmel’s take on this, go here.

6. I don’t want to cook everyday

I just have to batch cook. I’d never have time for anything else if I didn’t. Batch cooking does require meal planning, especially when done consistently.

7. It’s a life skill I want them to learn

Meal planning is step 1 in a series of steps that have led to me being more joyful and present, because meals have been taken care of. We eat better because I meal plan. I spend less time in the kitchen. I have more time for them. There’s less mess to clean up. I can be flexible. I’m more present. I want my children to grow in an environment where batch cooking is simply another thing that needs to be done consistently – just like we clean, make the beds, shower and so on.

8. I don’t want to be running around the shops

Whether you enjoy grocery shopping or not, you have to admit, it’s not fun to be stopping daily for ingredients to make up that day’s dinner, or worse — running out of the house at the last minute again to buy that one item you thought you had but you didn’t. Imagine shopping once a week (some people do it even less) instead. Even better, imagine having your groceries delivered. This is what I do. I don’t even think about shopping for a full week. And I always have what I need right here, in my kitchen.

9. I want to automate my cooking

Say what? YES! My slow cooker pretty much cooks on it’s own. It requires little prep work and I can then set and forget. No hovering around the oven to peek, no changing shelves, no stirring, no having to be home. On the contrary, it is ideal for busy mums who are out all day and want to come home to a freshly cooked dinner that tastes divine.
But, there is no slow cooking without meal planning. Typically, slow cookers cook for 6-10 hours, so you need to plan in advance. Ah, and I also LOVE to batch cook in my slow cooker. Saves me hours. I’m not kidding.

10. Our routines are important

Meal planning allows me to have full control over our meal routine so I have time for the rest of the things that are important to me, and us as a family. I can play with my little one after school (🤞). Dinnertime is at a decent hour. Bedtime too. If something comes up and I have to be somewhere, or my kids need me, and my plans need to be adjusted, it’s not a problem in the least. I simply open up my calendar and switch meals around with another day. My groceries are home anyway. If I have something in the fridge it’s fine there for a day longer.

The flexibility and peace of mind meal planning gives me is phenomenal.

Picky eaters or no picky eaters, meal planning is a must. To be very honest, I think meal planning is even more important if your kids are picky eaters, for all of the above reasons.

Don’t let picky eating be your excuse. Let it be your why. You having control over something that is so important for you and your loved ones will give you confidence, stability and the patience you need to kindly (but firmly) tell your kids to ‘try this before eating’. You never know, they might surprise you!

PS: Our virtual, totally free, ‘5 days to quicker meals’ challenge kicks off on Sunday night with a live sesh all about meal planning. If you want to give this a shot, this is the opportunity for you. Go here to register and get in before we start!