We can avoid laundry for awhile. We can put off cleaning. We can let those dishes pile up, but if the kids are hungry they are going to let us know! If meal planning feels more like an unceasing punishment and less like a picnic, listen in as Jen and Steph talk about ways to reduce decisions to make this unavoidable, repetitive task feel less overwhelming!

Recipe Links coming in Part 2!

They're the joyful agains our children shout on the swings, the

2

exhausting agains of cooking and laundry,

and the difficult agains of discipline.

3

So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

4

So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

5

to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

6

We believe God's Word is

the key to untangle from the

7

confusion and overwhelm we feel.

8

Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

9

As we kick off this new series

on our every day against.

10

How could we not begin with meal planning?

11

You can avoid the laundry.

12

You can put off the cleaning.

13

You can let those dishes

pile up in the sink.

14

But those kids need food and

they're going to let you know.

15

This is again podcast.

16

And I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

17

And if you are wanting to redeem the

mundane, repetitive tasks of motherhood.

18

You are in the right place.

19

We believe that what you do over

and over truly matters to God.

20

And the more that you know, that the

more joy and freedom you have in your

21

motherhood today, Jen Frackman joins me.

22

And we're going to talk about the

tools that we've learned and the tips

23

that have saved our sanity in this

unceasing task of meal preparation.

24

Today, you'll just hear

part one of the episode.

25

Because there is so much to tackle

with meal planning, and we want

26

to make sure that we give you time

to apply the wisdom that you hear.

27

We know that there are so many tips

that we don't talk about, and there's

28

so much information out there.

29

So hopefully this inspires you to

develop a system that works in your home.

30

Keep coming back because part two is

coming next week and then we'll have

31

all those tips on cleaning and laundry.

32

And so many against coming

to you later this summer.

33

In an earlier episode, we set the mindset

already for the heart that we want to

34

have behind bringing order in our homes.

35

We don't want it to be just

routines for routine's sake.

36

We want to be fully surrendered

to the Lord and ordered by Him.

37

If you haven't listened to

that, please go back and listen.

38

And now we're going to give you some

practical Meal planning tips that

39

we've developed over the years, what

we found works and what doesn't, You

40

will cook for your children if you

calculate three meals a day for 18

41

years, it equals about 19, 000 meals.

42

So just give yourself permission

to say, that is a lot.

43

And there's a reason that

this is overwhelming.

44

There's a reason that we just

don't know what to make anymore.

45

Then sometimes you add in food allergies

or food sensitivities or diets or things

46

you feel called to by wisdom you've

encountered and it gets very tricky to

47

meal plan and we are so blessed in our

day and age to have so many options

48

and so many resources and yet it's very

overwhelming decision fatigue is a real

49

thing and I feel that as a mother a lot

with the amount of decisions we make.

50

So Jen and I strongly feel that it's

hard to be so intentional in your home

51

if you don't have a plan for this thing

that comes up three plus times a day.

52

So if you know you're going to be

encountering meal planning and people

53

are going to need to eat every day in

your home, let's have a system for it.

54

Let's

55

not have it take us off guard constantly.

56

And then you will find, oh, all

of a sudden there's a piece.

57

I can conquer something else.

58

I can think a little bit more

intentionally about other areas of

59

my life because that is covered.

60

And as with all systems, you develop a

little bit of a routine and then you know

61

where you can flex and where you can give.

62

We do want to say a very surprising

fact that we just learned.

63

Betsy's not on this episode because

she is cleaning up our lovely lunch

64

that we just had, but she said that

she would go to the grocery store and

65

she would just buy things and Then in

the morning, she would just think, what

66

do I want to make for dinner today?

67

Betsy is a picture of

hospitality and intentionality.

68

And that might be a little bit freeing

for you to realize that even with her

69

orderly personality, she chose a lot of

spontaneity, and that worked for her.

70

Jen and I homeschool, and I think we

don't have as much freedom at dinner time

71

to all of a sudden pull together that

we need a little bit more of order and,

72

Jen: yeah,

73

Stephanie: jen, Tell us about your

meal planning routine currently.

74

Jen: Sure.

75

I used to be surprised every day

around four o'clock when the children

76

were asking what was for dinner.

77

I was like, Oh, that's right.

78

I need to

79

feed you again.

80

Shoot.

81

Stephanie: question.

82

Jen: I have no idea what sounds good.

83

And then I'd try to figure that out.

84

And as the children started getting

older, where they were, needing more

85

of a meal, you know, when they're

little and they eat what you're

86

eating and you just share your plate.

87

I used to call it the mommy diet because

88

everything I was

89

eating was cut in half because

the kid was going to eat it.

90

But once they got past that, where

I was making separate, soft foods

91

for them, that type of thing, I

started to do more meal planning.

92

As I mentioned in a different episode

about how we plan our week, I do

93

the meal planning on Saturdays.

94

And so I'll sit down with our calendar and

I'll decide what days I have the time to

95

be able to make a from scratch meal or a

halfway from scratch meal, whatnot, where

96

something that would require more chopping

and more sautéing and just as a longer.

97

Um, And so I'll put those meals on those

days where I have more time and the

98

times when I don't have as much time,

then I will go to a freezer meal that

99

I've made before and I can talk about

how I do that, but, or I'll do something

100

like frozen pizza, but very rarely do

we eat out or to get taken just with

101

food allergies and just the cost of it.

102

It just, it's hard.

103

We end up eating at home so much more.

104

But so what I do for making ahead and

freezing, what I do is if I am making

105

a meal and it's going to be like a from

scratch meal, I will double the recipe.

106

Sometimes I'll triple it, dependent.

107

We will eat as much as we can that

evening and all of the leftovers I

108

take and I put into these wonderful

things that I found on Amazon.

109

called super cubes and,

but it's S O U P E R, like

110

Stephanie: oh

111

Jen: cubes.

112

They come in one or two cup

cubes and they're silicone, but

113

they're like food grade silicone.

114

So

115

you

116

put your soup or you put your

leftover food in that and it

117

freezes them into these nice little.

118

Cubes.

119

And then I take those frozen cubes.

120

So I freeze them in that for a couple

hours or a day, and then I'll take

121

them out of the freezer and take

them and I'll put them either in our

122

glass jars or in our, if a baggie or

something to keep them in the freezer.

123

But I have them all labeled and it, I

know that this portion feeds one person.

124

Then I try to put, if I have

Doubled or tripled the recipe.

125

I'll try to put it as we have

six people in our family.

126

So I'll put the six in one

bag so I can pull that out.

127

And here's a full meal.

128

All I need is a side.

129

And sometimes I'll put on there

pair with rice, pair with a sweet

130

potato, something like that.

131

So that I can give me an idea

quickly to be like, Oh, I have that.

132

I could pair that with this.

133

Stephanie: So

134

Jen: that's been super helpful.

135

Really handy for those nights

when you want a home cooked

136

meal, but you don't have time.

137

Stephanie: Yes, several similarities.

138

We rarely eat out or order

takeout I do the Cook once,

139

eat twice, I think it's called.

140

Also where you're just doubling something.

141

So if I'm ever doing something

like making a chicken pot pie,

142

I double that and freeze one.

143

And it does take longer,

but not double, right?

144

Yes.

145

It's longer, but not double.

146

I found.

147

Especially when the kids were

little, that was just great.

148

, I'm cooking every other day, basically.

149

Or often I'd make a double portion.

150

That helped really a lot when they were

younger because they didn't eat as much.

151

So I would just double the recipe and

we would eat it two nights back to back.

152

And financially That works out

well because, maybe you're buying

153

cilantro for a recipe, but you're not

using the whole thing of cilantro.

154

But if you double the recipe, now you are.

155

And just, it, so that helps financially,

but also it helps with my time a lot.

156

And it's okay, now I have so much more

time to push you on the swings tonight

157

because the leftovers are in the fridge.

158

And maybe remake rice fresh, but you

have the stir fries already made.

159

Meal planning is one of those things

where we have had a lot of food

160

allergies and food sensitivities

to work around over the years.

161

And I felt like every time I would

curate my list of recipes that worked

162

well, something else would happen.

163

It was every couple years, or

every year and a half, and you're

164

like, Oh my goodness okay now

we're dairy gluten and egg free.

165

Now we're this, now we're that, now

we're And it's okay, everybody except my

166

husband can have cashews, that's great.

167

So let's have some recipes, with cashews.

168

And then all of a sudden my

daughter was allergic to cashews.

169

That's been, a huge barrier to

creating consistency for us.

170

But I did eventually, I made some

Pinterest boards, and I created

171

one called Recipes to Try, and

then one called Tried It, Loved It.

172

So

173

once I tried a recipe and everybody

liked it, I would move it to

174

the Tried It, Loved It board.

175

And eventually I had this list

that was quite comprehensive and

176

one night I decided, okay, fine, I

am finally going to get this done.

177

And I printed out a ton of recipes,

put them in page protectors

178

and put them in a binder.

179

My goal was to have a hundred

recipes, but once I started, it's

180

maybe it's only 60 or something, but.

181

I have a good chunk of recipes

and different seasonal ones in

182

there that it's like everybody

in our family can eat these.

183

I can make adaptations if I need to.

184

And just having that physical binder in my

kitchen, then if I want to go meal plan,

185

I just pull it down and I page through and

say, Oh, we haven't had this in a while.

186

Let's make that this week.

187

And so I'd put it on a

list for our meal plan.

188

I do have a list in the front of

really simple things you know, maybe

189

sourdough grilled cheese and tomato

soup, or something that's so simple.

190

And when you look at a week and you're

thinking, I don't have time to make those

191

fresh from scratch meals all week, I will

put a couple of those easy ones on every

192

week and then a couple of harder ones.

193

For me, it does work well

to not assign the day.

194

Usually.

195

I don't always assign the day.

196

I feel like things come up with work

often and I don't know is this going

197

to be the night where I can make that.

198

And so sometimes it's okay I thought

I was going to make a harder dinner

199

tonight, but it's going to be simple.

200

But then towards the end

of the week, you're like I

201

bought all those ingredients.

202

I've got to make that, make

the longer ones at some point.

203

Jen: some

204

Currently, we

205

Stephanie: currently we are part of

a food share, which is an incredible

206

blessing, but requires a lot of

flexibility and a lot of creativity.

207

Every Sunday one of four families

will go to this wonderful, healthy

208

food store and they give us everything

that's about to expire, or maybe it

209

was discontinuing tons of produce that

just has a bump or a bruise on it.

210

And we fill our van to the brim.

211

Bring it, and the four families divide

it up, and it is an incredible blessing.

212

But I never know what I'm getting,

and so I'm pretty intentional that

213

by Sunday morning I want very little

in my fridge, because I want to be

214

able, to steward what's coming to

me, I'm really careful about that.

215

Let's use up what we have, while just

making sure that I always have a ton

216

of eggs on hand, things like that

don't usually come from the food chair.

217

But there are times where you're

just filled with overflowing.

218

You're like, oh my goodness,

so much manna this week.

219

And then there are times where

I'm thinking, I don't know what

220

I'm going to make for dinner

tonight because it wasn't as much.

221

So I do have to have

backups in the freezer.

222

And I find that, just having frozen

chicken and frozen ground beef That I

223

can pull out and, make and of course,

always have rice on hand and some of

224

those staples to supplement that I

could always pull something together.

225

That really helps, but I would say I

pray a lot as I'm food planning and I

226

just, as I'm getting the things, I'm

like, Lord, what could I make with this?

227

And it's almost a fun thing of what

can we make and we have such a creative

228

God so I feel I'm trying to embrace the

joy of that and then to be stretched

229

too and sometimes we get things like

artichokes and I'm, Googling recipes

230

and I'm like, this is way too much work.

231

I'm sorry, Lord.

232

I can't steward the artichokes, but

those five bags of Brussels sprouts,

233

like great, let's do something with them.

234

Or those hundred bananas, let's

freeze a ton for smoothies, so it's a

235

stewardship process, but such a blessing.

236

But I just want to be honest that my

meal planning looks a lot different now.

237

So with that, Jen, I wanted to know, what

are a couple easy dinners that you have?

238

Jen: So we have a little system where

I don't want to be a short order cook.

239

I,

240

Stephanie: Amen.

241

Jen: and

242

so what I do is I'll make a meal, I'll

243

print out a recipe, and I will try it.

244

And then after everybody has tried

it and we have eaten the meal, I will

245

say to everybody, I will go around the

table and I'll say, what did you think?

246

Would you put it in the rotation?

247

And they'll say, yes.

248

Loved it.

249

Let's put it in the rotation.

250

And so I'll make a note on that.

251

Everyone liked it.

252

If somebody didn't like it,

but the majority did, I'll say,

253

it wasn't Josiah's favorite.

254

That type of thing.

255

That way I'm a little bit more

mindful not to always have that meal

256

if he really just doesn't like it.

257

But I, Find ones where everybody likes it.

258

And I always have those types of.

259

Things in the pantry so

that I can make it quickly.

260

We have a stroganoff meal.

261

We have a bolognese that's

an easy one to make.

262

I have a chicken and

rice meal that's easy.

263

I often keep Costco's rotisserie chicken.

264

They have it like in a package where

they've done all the work of pulling it.

265

And it's just the meat in

a package and it's frozen.

266

I keep that in my freezer.

267

And if for some reason I'm having

more people coming or I have something

268

where I just need more protein in it,

I'll quickly thaw that and add it to

269

pasta or to something that I'm making

so that it just extends my life.

270

The quantity.

271

Stephanie: Sure.

272

Jen: So those little staples help a lot

or having the Costco has grilled chicken

273

breasts that they come already in like

a chicken sandwich and we have those on

274

hand and so if for some reason it's a

busy night and I couldn't get to the meal

275

that I thought I was going to get to.

276

I can easily grill those on the stovetop

and add an egg to it or, something,

277

and we've got a chicken sandwich.

278

Always trying to have

those things on hand.

279

But one of my favorite tips for this

is as the kids get older is to teach

280

each of them a meal that they can make.

281

We did this a while back

with each of the kids.

282

Olivia picked a meal.

283

She could pick any meal she wanted.

284

And she made it for the whole family.

285

I provided all of the ingredients.

286

She had to tell me ahead

of time and she made it.

287

And the beauty of it was

one, she got to understand.

288

How long it takes to cook a meal

289

and all the

290

effort that goes into it.

291

Josiah did the same thing.

292

He got to pick a meal and he

did a wonderful job, but he

293

also learned how long it takes.

294

It's not an easy thing to just come

up with a meal and you're planning it.

295

You're going to the store, you're

getting the ingredients, you're spending

296

your money on it, you're chopping

the vegetables, you're spending time

297

doing this and then you're waiting

for it to cook and then you sit down

298

and if you sit down at the table

and someone is being a picky eater

299

or is just being rude and saying, I

don't want to try it, that's hurtful.

300

So

301

we've, we have talked about table manners

of how In our family, they're not allowed

302

to say, I'm not going to eat that.

303

Or I don't like that.

304

They have to at least try it.

305

You have to swallow one bite.

306

Like

307

you may not

308

make a decision and judge this meal

before you've swallowed one bite.

309

But when I go do ask them

what do you think about this?

310

Do you want it in the rotation?

311

They're allowed to say,

thank you for making it.

312

It's not my favorite yet.

313

And

314

that's my clue that yeah,

mom this was not good.

315

I don't like it, but it respects me

316

for all

317

the time and effort that was put into it.

318

But

319

also the beauty of having them do

that is they understand how hurtful

320

it is and how disappointing it is.

321

And.

322

I pray as I'm making the meals, I pray

that everyone would enjoy it, that it

323

would nourish us well, that it would

fill our love bank to know that I made

324

this meal for them, that they would

feel loved and cherished by this.

325

And then having them have a

meal that they know how to make.

326

If I'm in a pinch, I can call

them up and say, Hey, I can't make

327

it home in time to make dinner.

328

Will you please make your meal?

329

And they have the ingredients

at home and they can make it.

330

The other thing that we do is

as they're older, around 10, 11

331

years old, I give them a snack.

332

Side that they can make.

333

And Olivia, she knows how

to do the sweet potatoes.

334

She knows exactly how I like them

done, how we make it, everything on it.

335

And whenever we have a meal and the

side is the sweet potatoes, she helps.

336

Josiah's side is rice.

337

Whenever the meal is being made and

the side is rice, I'll be like, Hey,

338

Josiah, we're making rice tonight.

339

You got to come make it.

340

While I'm in the kitchen cooking,

Josiah's He's with me and it's so fun.

341

I have a buddy in the kitchen and we get

to talk and it's his goes much quicker

342

because it's just rice boiling on the

pot, but he's in the kitchen with me.

343

So

344

it's

345

been really sweet and it's also

been super helpful and it gives

346

them ownership in the meal as well.

347

Stephanie: Yes.

348

Oh, that's phenomenal.

349

I remember you talking about

them each making a meal and

350

I definitely want to do that.

351

I love what it produces in them

as well as it being super helpful.

352

I think my favorite thing that

I've ever done, too, with cooking

353

is having my kids cook with me.

354

Betsy talks about the 15 minutes a

day with your children, and I think

355

that's so important, but we homeschool.

356

And you're like, all right

357

Jen: 24 hours.

358

Like, how do

359

Stephanie: how do we count our minutes?

360

And I think just adjusting the mindset of.

361

That can be minutes where they're

helping me with something.

362

It doesn't have to be me sitting

down, going into their world or

363

playing Legos with them every day.

364

It can be them helping make the meal.

365

And so we have, I've done it

before where they each had a

366

different night to help me cook.

367

Jen: Oh, I like that.

368

Stephanie: And it, I think this is

best maybe in winter seasons where

369

it's cold outside, because I feel

when it's warmer outside, of course I

370

want them playing as much as possible.

371

So it was more of a winter or fall idea.

372

They would each have a night

to help me make things.

373

And we did do a brief

stint with a meal service.

374

And I'm trying to remember the name

of the one we used because it really

375

wasn't It wasn't as expensive.

376

It was a pretty reasonable one.

377

Especially if you did like

the introductory deal.

378

So we didn't do it for that long, but

it was neat because the directions were

379

nicely printed out about everything.

380

And I was learning something

new too, so it was like we're

381

learning a recipe together.

382

Yeah.

383

And then I would let them even help

pick out the meals that were coming.

384

That was fun and it just was a sweet time

to talk and to teach them those skills.

385

One on one.

386

Jen: Mm hmm.

387

Stephanie: often we're one on four, right?

388

Yeah.

389

So I like teaching them to

grate the cheese and yeah.

390

Everything together.

391

And that's cool.

392

Right now what I'm doing is my oldest,

one of his roles is to help cook.

393

He's my assistant chef for the summer.

394

I feel like I'm wanting to train him.

395

That by the end of the summer, he

would know how to make a lot of things.

396

This doesn't mean that he has to do things

every day, but it means often I'm going

397

to pull him in if it's a great time.

398

I'm also trying to pull him into the

meal planning and the grocery shopping

399

of it, and starting to trying to teach

him a little bit about even the budget,

400

like that we've got to

make this last all month.

401

And we can't just have filet every night

in week one or And it that's been such

402

a blessing really that he's starting to

make these sourdough grilled cheeses And

403

he adds different things for texture and

he loves that so he's becoming famous

404

in our home for that and I mean, I

think it's going to be such a blessing

405

if my boys do get married someday that

they know how to cook and they've been

406

a part of that, then they'll be more

grateful towards their spouse when

407

they cook, but then also that they're

willing to take on some of that too.

408

Do you have a takeaway?

409

I hope so.

410

If you do write it down.

411

Do you know that you're so much

more likely to accomplish something?

412

When you actually take that

step of writing it down.

413

Maybe you don't have time to develop

a whole new system, but maybe

414

you can just change one thing.

415

To make this area of your life.

416

Simplified.

417

If you found.

418

Hope peace or encouragement

through this podcast.

419

Would you share it with a friend,

either share this episode, share

420

the show or go and write a review.

421

So other moms can find it too.

422

Thanks for listening.

423

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

424

us for this episode of Again.

425

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

426

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

427

EntrustedMinistries.

428

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

429

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

430

world, and we want it for you, too.

431

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

432

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

433

We're rooting for you.

434

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

435

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good and every work of faith by

436

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

437

Him, according to the grace of our God.

438

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

439

Amen.

440

Until we meet again.