Losing weight has always been hard in my family. Besides that though, I have tried to focus on the inside person by focusing on my health. Not that I don’t try to lose weight, but a 31 day menu planner makes you a healthier, better and smarter homeschool mom for several reasons.
Take Back Your Family
Look at this list of why a 31 day menu plan is vital for busy homeschool moms.
Coping like career moms.
Whether you are new to homeschooling or not, it doesn’t take long to figure out that you have a career.
It’s true. We are working moms because a career is something that is our first importance and progress is our focus. And we have made our decision. Our family, our home and Educating the WholeHearted Child becomes our career.
It almost seems like a contradiction to think we would glance at tips for career moms since we are stay at home moms, but we do need to steal a few tips from working moms.
Working moms have to plan if they don’t want to compromise the health of their families and we need to also.
Planning meals becomes essential to success as homeschooling moms.
Eases stress.
Stress is one of the biggest reasons homeschoolers quit.
Don’t underestimate the weight of stress and not to mention guilt as moms when we just wing a dinner that is not particular tasty, let alone healthy.
Knowing just one trick like taking about 30 minutes to plan for the whole month not only lightens your load considerably, but it eases day to day stress.
For me 31 day menu planning eases evening stress.
For example, I had to take a honest examination to see where my struggle was on meal planning and find a solution to fix it.
Breakfast is easy for us. We love smoothies, oatmeal, cereal and waffles. It is not a stressful time in my household.
Lunch is the same way. My children love leftovers, sandwiches, soups and other options.
Dinner or supper, however, is quite another story.
I am tired by the end of the day. On top of that, there is not a worse feeling than to start a meal and to be shy one key ingredient on hand to finish it and get my meal on the table. Tell me that I am not the only one that has done that?
The point here is to use 31 day menu planning as a stress reliever not stress inducer. If you think you struggle with all the meals, then start there by planning all of your meals.
I know there are homeschoolers who plan every meal, but for us it just makes no sense because we basically like the same things for breakfast and lunch.
The bottom line is that 31 day menu planning should be about what your family needs. Find your weak point and fix it.
It means flexibility, saving money and being healthier. That equals smarter.
I am all about following budgets, being healthier and working smarter.
A 31 day menu plan has saved me thousands, yes thousands of dollars through the many years of homeschooling because I don’t overbuy and have things in my pantry for years that are not used.
It saves me money because I don’t throw away food in my refrigerator that does not get used up.
And meals are healthier because I have a plan before I go into the grocery and choose healthier ingredients.
Being tied to a menu planner is not my style either. But with a 31 menu planner, it’s easier to switch around my meals as life happens instead of trying to wing dinner. Give me flexibility anytime with my 31 day menu planner.
I don’t think it’s wrong to want to have it all when it comes to the health and education of our family.
Though it’s hard to lose weight in my family, I never want to use that as an excuse to stop trying. On top of that, I want to model for my sons the example of making healthy food choices.
I don’t like complicating healthy choices or taking an all or nothing approach to food.
We love ice cream in our family and swing by and grab ice cream sometimes in our family outings.
Knowing that our evening meals are stress free, relaxing and that I have healthy options with organic ingredients has only added to the fulfilling career I have chosen as a homeschool mom.
For You – Free 31 Day Menu Planner & Editable – To Ease Your Stress!
Grab my free 31 day menu planner.
I have made it editable for you. I used it when I started homeschooling. I made it editable too since you’re planning several meals.
DOWNLOAD HERE FREE 31 DAY MENU PLANNER . To plan 3 meals a day and it is editable!
Now, I have created a second one, which is for dinners only because that is the area I want help with the most.
Download here Free 31 Day Menu Planner for Dinners Only.
Plan just what you need and don’t organize something you don’t struggle with. Save time and plan the meals you need help with the most. If it’s breakfast, plan only for breakfast.
If you struggle with all meals, then be determined to make your homeschool journey less stressful by planning all the meals. I promise planning doesn’t take as long as you may think.
Let me help you. Grab my 31 day dinner only plan for January.
Grab my 31 days of dinners for this month.
My 31 day dinner plan reflects my family’s like and dislikes.
Where possible, I linked to recipes for you that can be found on the internet and the other recipes are ones I have cooked for years.
I included this picture below so that you can see how I organized the planner. Use it over and over each month.
Fill in the month, add the week day and the grocery list right sidebar coordinates to that week’s list of items needed for those 7 days.
I will continue to struggle with the rotundness that runs in my family, but I am celebrating the fact that for many years I have been limiting as many unhealthy ingredients as possible.
What do you struggle with most when it comes to menu planning? And what are you celebrating?
Hugs and love ya,
Guess what? I don’t have enough to do, so I have a SECOND Pinterest Account. It too is full of organizational Pins. Follow Me!
Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.
For more tips that work, look at Homeschool Organization: Are you Collecting Recipes or Cook Books?
Courtney says
oh I’m impressed you can plan the whole month. I’m good if I get the week done each week. But a plan is definitely better. Love the printable!
Courtney recently posted…Teaching Together Blog Hop #4
Tina Robertson says
Hi Courntney,
It takes just about 30 minute to an hour once you get the hang of it, but WOW so much time for the whole month……
Melissa says
We always seem to eat the same old things for dinner every night, mostly by the time evening rolls around I’m to exhausted to be to creative in what to cook. I love this planner, maybe it can help get us out of our dinner rut.
Tina Robertson says
Then I hope, Melissa, by sharing my plan each month, I can uplift and encourage you to get out that rut….simple and easy dinners are fine because the spice (corny pun..lol) is in the variety….
Jennifer @ All-In-One-Mom says
What a great tool you’ve made! Awesome! I love menu planning and it definitely makes our life easier!
Tina Robertson says
Thanks Jennifer and I agree, life is so much more easier..