If you find yourself stressed out when dinnertime rolls around, because you don’t know what to make for dinner, it’s time to embrace meal planning in 2024. And, if it’s not worked out for you before, I’m here to help you make it happen this year. Let’s make this your ultimate goal, and let’s make it attainable.

If you didn’t know this about me: meal planning was not my forte since forever. Heck, I didn’t know how to plan at all. So before you put both hands up and give up, keep in mind that I was the mama who was struggling badly with her time, scarily disorganised and didn’t have a clue what she was doing when it came to planning meals. If I can do it, you can too.

Let’s dive into the ways we can make meal planning work for you.

1. Start with a clean slate

Clear your mind, mama. Forget past meal planning mishaps. Take a deep breath, exhale, and let’s hit reset. This clean slate is your ticket to a new beginning. No judgment, just a fresh start. Forget all the reasons why this hasn’t worked for you in the past, and instead focus on all the reasons why it should (let me remind you):
– because it’s worked for others in your exact same position
– because you’re here, right where you need to be
– because you want it to work, and that’s already enough

2. Figure out your family’s needs

Get detective mode on, mama! Investigate what makes your family tick when it comes to meals. Are they adventurous eaters or more on the traditional side? Consider dietary restrictions and preferences. Understanding your family’s needs is like having a personalised roadmap for meal planning success. Don’t let allergies or picky eating hold you back from meal planning. Your goal is to find common ground, and also think of ways to tweak meals so you’re only cooking 1 dinner, but keeping everybody happy and healthy.

3. Become a master-tweaker

“But how do I cook just one single meal, and keep everyone happy?” Let me give you some ideas.
1. You have a gluten-intolerant family member. Making pasta? Boil 2 pasta varieties (unless everyone is happy with gluten free pasta, in which case, go for it!). Making something with breadcrumbs? Use pulverised oats.
2. Your picky eater won’t eat anything that has too many ingredients mixed together. Like that chicken stew you’ve been craving so much. Not to worry. Put aside some chicken and whichever vegetable you are using. Pop them into the oven or airfryer and serve them plain, with a hunk of bread. Offer some stew on the side.

4. Keep yourself accountable

When it comes to meal planning, some are perfectly capable of keeping themselves accountable, but most need someone else’s help. And that’s perfectly okay. Find a buddy—maybe a fellow mama or a friend—and share your meal plans. Knowing you’ve got to report to someone will make you more likely to follow through. You’ll also get an idea or two if you’re stuck. There are only great things to be said about accountability. If you have no one in mind with an active interest in meal planning, consider joining The Dinner Plan. We have a really lovely community of like-minded mums who’s goal is to meal plan consistently, so they’re never stressed with not knowing what to make for dinner.

5. Try digital meal planning

If you’ve ever lost a shopping list, forgotten it at home, or else prepared a meal plan and didn’t have it in hand when you needed it, perhaps it’s time to try digital meal planning. It’s easy. Your meals go into Google calendar. Your shopping list goes into a shopping list app. This way, you have all you need with you at all times.

6. Seek inspiration

I know, one of the reasons you do not stick to meal planning is that you run out ideas. Put this date on your calendar: JANUARY 31ST. This is the day we open doors to our meal planning membership, The Dinner Plan. We have so many success stories of mamas who had had enough of winging dinner daily, and they’ve managed to make it work. So can you! If you would love to be inspired with plenty of easy family-friendly dinners, put yourself on our waitlist. Go here to sign up. Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox on launch day, January 31st, because between us girls we’re going to launch with a really valuable bonus that we’re giving away for free to those that sign up in the first 24 hours. And I want you to be one of them.

My goal for you this year is to help make meal planning work for you, friend. And there are plenty of ways I’m showing up for you to make sure you do. All you need to do is promise yourself you’ll make it happen, and then follow through – I’ll be here to give you not only the step-by-step, but the encouragement and motivation you need. Let’s do this!