I’m here to make sure that come rain or shine, you stick to meal planning this year. Before we dive in, I want to remind you that not managing to come up with a meal plan on any given week does not equal failure. That simply means that something tripped you up. Which brings me to my first point…

1. Why is it not working?

One simple way to stick to your meal plan is to figure out what’s going wrong when you don’t. The next time you do not manage to meal plan, ask yourself why. Maybe you were too busy and the weekend flew by before you had time to sit down. Or, you simply forgot. Or else, you’re stuck for ideas. Or you over-planned. Whatever the case, finding the real reason it’s not happening will help you to work on that.

2. Start slow

Don’t get overly excited or ambitious and plan a full week’s worth of dinners. Or 3 meals a day. One great way to stick to meal planning long term is to start slow. Begin by meal planning just 2-3 meals a week. See how great it feels on those days when you know what’s for dinner, and have all the ingredients at home, ready to be cooked. Assess. You may only need 3 dinners per week, because you don’t cook during the weekend, and you eat at your parents and in-laws twice a week. Or else, you know you need 1 more meal and that is it. Take my advice and start slow here.

3. Set reminders

Life gets busy, I get it. That’s why setting reminders is your secret weapon when it comes to making sure you stick to meal planning. Schedule your meal planning sessions, shopping list prep, shopping…you get it. Consistency is the name of the game, and reminders will keep you on the ball. Think about the best days and times to get everything done, and get everything scheduled (as a recurring task, so you only need to do this once).

4. Stay consistent

Consistency breeds success. Keep up your meal planning routine, and it’ll become second nature. That said, we are all mums and I get that sometimes life gets in the way. But make it your utmost effort to keep it up. Consistency turns meal planning from a task on your to-do list into a seamless part of your routine. I’m not saying it will happen overnight, but it will happen. Take it from someone who’s gone from being stressed out trying to figure out what to make for dinner everyday to being calm and in control with a plan, every week of the year.

5. Turn it into me-time

Make meal planning your me-time. Hand off childcare to your better half, light a candle, put on your favourite tunes, and turn it into a relaxing ritual. When it feels less like a chore and more like a self-care moment, you’re more likely to stick with it.

6. Pay to play

Have you ever heard of this term? When you pay to do something, you’re far more likely to do it. Think about the last time you signed up for a free class vs that time you paid for one. Most likely, you showed up for the latter, even if you paid something silly for it.
Did you know that we have a fun, easy, quick, and effective 3 day challenge coming up? It’s for busy working mamas who want to feed their family good food, no matter their schedule.
If this sounds like you, and you want to make 2024 the year you finally take control of being happy with what you’re putting on the dinnertable (even when you’re busy), then join us! All you need is 20 minutes a day for 3 days from Monday January 29th till Wednesday January 31st. Recordings are available too. Go sign up NOW before life gets in the way and say YES to transforming family dinners. I’m very excited to do this with you! Go here to sign up: https://nakita-attard-vassallo.mykajabi.com/easy-home-cooked-dinners

There you have it. 6 effective ways to stick to meal planning this year. I’m rooting for you!

Love,

Nakita xxx