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! They will also discuss what to do about picky eaters, and list lots of their favorite meal options to keep it simple!

Books, Recipes, and Resources:

Nourished

Deceptively Delicious

Yummy Crate (Kiwi Crate Cooking Kits)

Souper Cubes

Cook the Seasons

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

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

Welcome back to the again, podcast.

10

I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

11

And this is brought to you

by entrusted ministries.

12

If you are looking to redeem

those mundane, repetitive tasks of

13

motherhood, You are in the right place.

14

And we believe that the meals

that you cook over and over for

15

your children truly matter to God.

16

And the more, you know, that

the more joy and freedom

17

you'll have in your motherhood.

18

We are continuing our

series on our every day.

19

Again.

20

And how could we not

begin with meal planning?

21

You can avoid the laundry, you can

put off the cleaning and you can let

22

your dishes pile up in the sink, but

those kids are going to get hungry

23

and they're going to let you know.

24

For part two of our conversation, Jen

Frackman and I continue to talk about.

25

The meal, planning, ideas and

tips we have for picky eaters,

26

our most common meal ideas.

27

And why we continue.

28

To contend

29

For mealtime being.

30

An important part of family time.

31

Keep listening to hear how you

can break bread as a family in

32

a way that doesn't break you.

33

Jen: It's interesting because we have

a youth group that meets in our home

34

and one of the main things that we

do is we make a meal together and it

35

was very intentional in doing that.

36

But the beauty that I have found is that

when you get boys hands busy, they will

37

talk.

38

And so as

39

they're chopping vegetables

or cutting up those fruit.

40

Pieces.

41

They're discussing things and

we're talking and they have not

42

stopped talking the whole time.

43

And I just love that.

44

Sometimes it's a little hectic in my

kitchen as we have 12 children cooking

45

but

46

it's been very sweet to stand

back sometimes and listen to

47

the conversations that happen.

48

And there's just such a beauty around it.

49

I love that, God.

50

Mealtime, he didn't need to

51

do that, but he,

52

there is

53

something so holy about taking a meal and

making a meal together and sitting down

54

and having quiet time together to eat.

55

And sometimes it's not quiet.

56

Sometimes it's a very talkative meal, but

57

I love that.

58

I love

59

mealtime, even

60

the

61

preparation of it.

62

It just is such a extension of a way to

show someone love and care And even when

63

someone is sick, to be able to bring

a home cooked meal just means so much.

64

And not that it has to be,

65

but when those

66

times come up and you have a freezer

meal already in the freezer that you can

67

bring to someone, it's such a blessing.

68

Stephanie: For sure.

69

you talked about the idea of pickiness,

and we do want to teach our children

70

to be grateful and With all of those

options today, sometimes we think

71

it is just about what we like, and

that does make it hard as a mom.

72

Sometimes, gonna not let

my kids listen to this

73

Jen: listen to this episode.

74

Stephanie: Sometimes what I do is if

I know I'm serving a vegetable that

75

they really don't like, I will make two

vegetables and maybe neither of them are

76

really their favorite, but Sometimes I

will say, I want you to eat a vegetable,

77

but which one are you going to pick?

78

If I put Brussels sprouts and cauliflower

in front of them and they have to pick

79

one, it's just helpful to see, because

sometimes it seems they don't like

80

any, and you're, no, actually, you will

eat the cauliflower, it's or you'll

81

eat the Brussels sprouts if I, roast

them really great and they're crispy.

82

But you're not going to eat them if

they're a steamable bag or something, and

83

you learn what really matters to them and

we do try to do the no thank you bites.

84

I will say sometimes I allow them

one substitution meal per week.

85

Jen: Oh,

86

I like this.

87

Stephanie: this.

88

Now, it might seem like a lot to

manage, but I find that for the

89

most part, they don't ask for it.

90

But I say that this is completely on them.

91

It is not my responsibility

to tell you what's for dinner.

92

It's not my responsibility

to ask you if you like it.

93

It is your responsibility to see I'm

in the kitchen and cooking, and to say

94

kindly, Mom, what's for dinner tonight?

95

And if you realize, ooh, I'm going to

have a hard time with this one, then

96

they say, may I have a substitution?

97

And I'll say yes.

98

And then they can go make

themselves a different dinner.

99

I will not make it for

100

Jen: them.

101

Do you have parameters on what

102

they

103

can

104

Stephanie: Yes.

105

Yes.

106

So I mean it, and again, with the food

share, this is going to depend on what

107

they're having or what we have available.

108

But, maybe they're going to

make themselves scrambled eggs.

109

and something.

110

And maybe they want part of the

meal, they're just substituting part.

111

But I found that because I'm putting the

ownership on them, all of a sudden they're

112

like, actually I'd rather keep playing.

113

I don't want to make anything.

114

Thank you for what you're making mom.

115

And it mitigates most of it.

116

My oldest, he likes his substitution

and I'm okay with that because

117

it's also teaching him to

118

Jen: cook.

119

Yeah.

120

We say fasting is a spiritual discipline.

121

You can start early and you can

fast from this meal if you need

122

to, but I'm not making another one.

123

So we're sitting there, but

yeah, I probably won't let

124

my kids hear that option.

125

Stephanie: Yeah.

126

Um, One year for Christmas, I

used the aunt and uncle money,

127

and we got a subscription to,

there's a KiwiCrate cooking

128

Jen: Oh, that's cool.

129

For

130

kids?

131

Stephanie: yes.

132

And it talks about the science of it.

133

We just did it for maybe six months.

134

That's how much, it would purchase.

135

And it was about leavening agents.

136

And another was about like

phytonutrients and how the

137

colors have different nutrients.

138

And it was so cool to see them learning

and baking these recipes together.

139

And they'll give you fun little

kitchen gadgets with it that

140

then help you make the meals.

141

And then, but there are recipes that

you can keep repeating each time.

142

And those have been some of our

funnest memories in the kitchen.

143

And I really like learning the

science behind it, because

144

Jen: that's really cool.

145

Stephanie: these are science experiments.

146

Jen: I like that.

147

Stephanie: And then I was

researching the other day.

148

Honestly, I don't even know how I

came across this, but Leah Huber has

149

something called Cook the Seasons.

150

And I love the idea of cooking seasonally.

151

It's so healthy and makes sense to use

what's going to be at the grocery store

152

or at the farmer's market or And it's

a pretty inexpensive program, but she

153

will let you click on the vegetable.

154

This

155

is if Fresh produce is really

important to you and you want a

156

lot of vegetables on the plate and

then healthy grains and proteins.

157

She says click on the vegetable and

then she provides a bunch of recipes

158

for how to cook those vegetables to

do it well she was a food editor

159

for a pretty big time magazine.

160

And she found that even meal planning when

she had kids was incredibly overwhelming.

161

So I felt so respected by that.

162

I'm like, thank you for sharing that.

163

what her premise is, let She wanted

her daughter and she wanted other kids

164

to be excited about vegetables, and

she wanted us to do them well, and

165

she is a believer, so that's neat.

166

She wrote a book, haven't read

it yet, but it's on my list now,

167

about food, faith, and something.

168

But.

169

So she teaches you, okay, these are

great ways to cook the vegetables so

170

that everyone's liking them, and then

you're going to cook extra of that

171

vegetable, and then you're going to

add part of it to a reinvention recipe,

172

it's called, like later in the week.

173

So it's the idea, cooking more

right now that you'll use later.

174

So I'm going to grill this asparagus,

but later in the week I'm going

175

to add this into this pasta, and I

don't have to start from scratch.

176

And it's pretty reasonable.

177

I'm just going to try

it for a couple months.

178

And she has a meal planning calendar

that you can do, but there's also videos.

179

that come with it about teaching your kids

how to love vegetables and some of her

180

ideas with that and what she's seen work.

181

And she says that the word

ewww actually means new.

182

Jen: Ah!

183

I'm

184

Stephanie: I'm like,

185

that's new and I don't know

what I think of it yet.

186

And To provide not a ton of

pressure, but to realize that

187

children do need a lot of exposure

to certain foods before they like it.

188

And to just try to make it well and

try to have them surrounded by it.

189

And often they will develop

a taste for these things,

190

especially if we start young.

191

Jen: develop a taste for these

things, especially if we start young.

192

Stephanie: Deficiency.

193

Deficiency,

194

Jen: thank you.

195

All I could think of was density.

196

I was like, that's not it.

197

Deficiency.

198

That it can be a nutrient deficiency.

199

And so if some of those nutrients

are put back into the diet,

200

that their picky eating goes

201

away.

202

So there's always

203

something to look into there.

204

Like, why is this child so picky about

205

this?

206

Yes.

207

And

208

is it a way of manipulating

and controlling mom?

209

To get what I want.

210

I just want

211

to eat.

212

What I want to eat, when I want to eat

213

it.

214

Stephanie: I will notice

a huge difference.

215

My child that takes fish oil,

there is a huge difference.

216

If he's been taking fish oil,

he will be a lot less picky.

217

Even about taking the fish oil itself.

218

It's if he takes it regularly,

it's not a big deal.

219

But all of a sudden, if we lax up on that,

it's Oh, do I really have to take this?

220

It's gross.

221

And it's made a huge difference.

222

Have you ever heard of Deceptively

Delicious, that cookbook?

223

That's a fun one written

by Jerry Seinfeld's wife.

224

Jen: I remember that.

225

Stephanie: And just a way that you can

sneak veggies in all sorts of things.

226

Jen: I remember that one.

227

I had it for a while and my husband saw it

228

Stephanie: it and said,

229

Don't do that.

230

If

231

Jen: If you put vegetables

in, just tell me, but don't

232

deceive me and think that I'm

233

Stephanie: eating pasta when

234

Jen: when I'm really just eating

like cauliflower or cucumbers,

235

you I know.

236

Stephanie: It's silly, but one of easy,

go to dinners is scrambled eggs and

237

then just shredded hash browns, like

sauteed in olive oil or smoothie bowls.

238

Jen: yes.

239

Stephanie: These are things

that I have the ingredients on

240

hand for, it's in the freezer.

241

I try to make sure I always have

eggs and in a pinch, If it's just

242

not going to work, I can have

dinner on the table in 15 minutes.

243

And that one works really well for us.

244

Jen: That's great.

245

Yep.

246

Stephanie: Sometimes nachos, which

I had once at your house and, it's

247

gluten free, you just take a bag

of, tortilla chips, put them on a

248

pan, brown some ground beef, put the

seasoning in, and then you scatter

249

that over the nachos, sprinkle cheese.

250

Just bake it for a little bit and then

you can add the toppings, but that

251

one's an easy one that you often have

the ingredients for too, I feel like my

252

perfectionism is the thing that stands

in the way the most of my meal planning.

253

Because I feel like, oh,

it's never good enough.

254

Like here, maybe that fit the

budget and everybody liked it,

255

but it's not the healthiest meal.

256

And just trying to have balance in that.

257

And, you find out new information

all the time of Oh, actually

258

that's not the healthiest thing.

259

Just trying to do the best, but

an absolute crowd favorite at

260

my home is Parmesan chicken.

261

And it's so simple, because I just

take pasta, and then Costco has

262

frozen panko breaded chicken breasts.

263

So I will bake those, and then at

the same time, yeah, doing the pasta,

264

and then also the marinara sauce.

265

And, yeah.

266

At the last couple minutes of the chicken

breast baking, I would just throw some,

267

like a cheese on, some swiss, or some

mozzarella, and then you just cut the

268

chicken breast up, throw them on the

noodles, put broccoli on the side,

269

sprinkle some parmesan, and the marinara

on top, and my family loves that meal.

270

Or a quick stir fry or even a quiche.

271

I found if you know how to make

a quiche, that can be so simple.

272

Again, always trying to have eggs and

then you add some fresh veggies in

273

and you can keep pie crust frozen.

274

So that's when we gravitate towards.

275

Talk about what your breakfast

routine looks like with your kids.

276

Jen: Breakfast tends to

be a battle in our home.

277

I want them to get the protein in,

and so I'm always saying, please

278

have at least an egg or a chicken

sausage or something with protein.

279

My boys love cereal, and I have

tried to dwindle down buying

280

it, but That's just not a

281

hill I'm willing to die on yet.

282

I'm like, that's something that I'm

just gonna deal with later, I think.

283

So I allow them one bowl,

we have like very tiny Ikea

284

bowls,

285

I'm like

286

when

287

they were four.

288

I allow them that one

289

bowl of cereal.

290

And we actually have what

we call Friday cereal.

291

where they're allowed to have sugar cereal

on Fridays and they're allowed one bowl.

292

But the other cereal is very low

sugar, but it is, it's cereal.

293

But I still allow them to have it.

294

And then I just ask them that they

have some type of protein with it.

295

But I often will have sourdough toast

with butter and a couple of eggs

296

and maybe some chicken sausage or

something in it quick ISH type meal.

297

But I try really hard to get

protein in, especially the

298

first, well at, at every meal,

299

Stephanie: Huh, yes, but to

300

Jen: for some reason, breakfast is just, I

don't know, it's just a hard one for them.

301

Stephanie: Sure, if you don't start

out right it's hard to get right

302

on Yeah, I think I shared in that.

303

episode about, being committed to the

word, I had to realize at one point

304

you can give your kids smoothies and

eggs and everything every breakfast

305

or you can have time with the Lord.

306

And I just felt again, that I'm

going to have to give in to the

307

cereal battle for a little while, but

try to make them lower sugar ones.

308

But then maybe instead of.

309

giving a snack at 10 or 1030, I might

scramble some eggs and that's okay.

310

So we're having it then instead and

it just works a little better for us.

311

Jen: a good one.

312

It is interesting though, because

Being a homeschool family we

313

do have the ability to make.

314

Bigger meals.

315

And

316

I said to Eric one time, I

was like, why is our house and

317

our kitchen always the area?

318

Like, why is

319

it always dirty?

320

He's

321

you're eating so many

322

meals at home.

323

that's true.

324

It's breakfast, snacks, lunch,

325

Stephanie: yes.

326

We do eat a lot of oatmeal.

327

And I need to look up the science

again of it, but there's something

328

about sprouting the grain if you soak

it overnight, at least 12 to 24 hours.

329

So you, just like how you would

make normal oatmeal, but you put

330

it in the water overnight and then

that makes it easier to digest.

331

So I will often soak oats and then the

next, morning cook it and add chia seeds

332

and hemp hearts and chocolate chips too.

333

And, yeah, eggs or sourdough toasts.

334

They do like yogurt and

smoothie bowls, I said,

335

Jen: we like the chia pudding where you,

I'll do milkadamia and chia seeds and

336

then some collagen vanilla protein powder

337

Stephanie: Okay.

338

Jen: we let that soak

339

overnight

340

and then in the morning they'll have

that with roasted almonds or dried

341

cherries or cinnamon something on top

342

and that's pretty filling.

343

And good too.

344

So I

345

Stephanie: I heard, I think Josiah

told me you like tapioca pudding.

346

Is that correct?

347

Jen: I do.

348

Yes.

349

Stephanie: I love it too.

350

So I, that made me

351

Jen: think about, that's funny.

352

Stephanie: Some people don't

353

Jen: those

354

Yes, you're right.

355

Stephanie: but I do.

356

Overnight oats too, I

think are a really fun one.

357

And that one, because you're making

it probably in Mason jars, it's

358

really easy to say, okay what

are your mix ins going to be?

359

And baked oatmeal.

360

I can link a great recipe

on there that often I'll try

361

to have a special breakfast.

362

Like maybe on Saturday night I will

make a special breakfast for Sunday.

363

But I try to make a double portion so that

we have enough to eat on Sunday and Monday

364

when we're heading out the door for co op.

365

Jen: that's smart.

366

Stephanie: So baked oatmeal

is a good one for that.

367

Jen: I have a really good

baked French toast that

368

uses

369

all the ends of the bread.

370

My kids don't like the ends.

371

I actually like them.

372

So I will tend to eat them,

but not as many as what we have

373

in

374

the bag.

375

So all the ends that are loosely

in the bag, I will take that out.

376

Put them in the freezer and it and then I

take them and I grind them up and make a

377

baked French toast.

378

It's really good

379

Stephanie: Okay, yum.

380

Yes, we definitely have to link that.

381

And this is it might seem silly, but

at one point I had a snack routine.

382

Because I realized the dinner

question wasn't as stressful

383

as the, Can I have a snack?

384

Can I have a snack?

385

Can I have a snack?

386

Yes, I understand you're hungry, but

I'm wanting them to eat healthy things.

387

And I have a rule you better

have eaten a fruit or a

388

vegetable before you even ask me

389

that question.

390

So if I hear the pantry door open, like

often even one of my kids will yell out,

391

have you had a fruit or vegetable yet?

392

But just assigning okay,

Monday we're going to have.

393

Popcorn and peppers.

394

Tuesday we're gonna have

celery and, and nut butter.

395

And then maybe have pistachios

and carrots another day.

396

Or apples and Swiss cheese,

or just having that assigned.

397

And then also having one of your children

hey, how about you get that ready?

398

It doesn't always have to be on us,

but I try to not do as many packaged

399

things, another easy breakfast one,

which not everyone may love this, but

400

if you have bananas that are going

bad, you can make paleo pancakes.

401

So mash up one banana with two eggs

and then, you know, double that.

402

So if you're doing six

bananas, twelve eggs.

403

So you just really mash

it up well together.

404

Butter your skillet or your griddle.

405

And then you just, take your ladle, pour

on the batter, and then I do add chocolate

406

chips in ours, but that is a really

satisfying, I mean it's high protein,

407

it's gluten free, dairy free, and that

is often one that will have bananas going

408

bad, and I just use them that way, and

then I will make double for the co op too.

409

Jen: I end up taking my bad bananas

and I peel them and put them in a

410

baggie and put them in the freezer for

411

Stephanie: Yes.

412

Jen: But I

413

like this idea.

414

I'm going to try that.

415

You don't put any flour of any sort?

416

What about collagen powder?

417

Stephanie: I haven't tried

that, but that sounds great.

418

Jen: it

419

Stephanie: I think you

could do protein powder too.

420

They are harder to flip.

421

There's an art to it and they're not

going to be your prettiest pancakes.

422

Jen: Are they like a

423

crepe?

424

Stephanie: Almost.

425

It's between a pancake and a crepe, yes.

426

Yeah, they're great.

427

It's funny, my kids have learned

Lincoln will always say, if I'm

428

making pancakes, and what are in these

429

Jen: are in these

430

Stephanie: Like,

431

What's the trick?

432

Jen: These true

433

pancakes, mom.

434

Stephanie: They order pancakes in the

435

Jen: they're like, she's been

436

Stephanie: lying to me!

437

all my kids like pancakes, but, If

you're going to go for straight,

438

just Non healthy regular pancakes,

lemon ricotta pancakes are the most

439

amazing pancakes I've ever made.

440

We had a bunch of ricotta cheese

from the food show once and I was

441

like, what can I make with this?

442

And they said that in magazines when

they photograph pancakes, they're

443

generally ricotta pancakes because

they make them so light and fluffy.

444

You whip the egg whites, you add ricotta

cheese, which adds so much protein.

445

When my son came up, I was like,

what kind of pancakes are these?

446

What are you putting in?

447

I went through all the ingredients, but

then he said, and some extra protein.

448

And I was being honest.

449

And then after he ate it,

I said, did you like it?

450

He said, yes, I did.

451

And I said, okay, that extra protein

was ricotta cheese, just so you know.

452

And then he was like I

knew there was a catch.

453

Jen: That's, so it's

ricotta not cottage cheese.

454

Interesting.

455

Stephanie: I'm not a big

ricotta fan, but the texture of

456

it, they're light and fluffy.

457

I think because of that extra

protein you don't get that tired.

458

Jen: Yeah.

459

Stephanie: as Nate Bargatze

called it, your loaf of bread

460

with syrup feeling afterwards.

461

Jen: syrup feeling.

462

Stephanie: That was a lot of ideas.

463

Yeah.

464

So, Hopefully that was

inspiring and not overwhelming.

465

Hopefully you saw that sometimes we have.

466

a lot of a plan and sometimes we're

winging it and needing to be flexible.

467

We would just encourage you to

start out with a plan and then

468

you know where you can flex.

469

That's really worked for both of us.

470

If you found.

471

Hope peace or encouragement

through this podcast.

472

Would you share it with a friend,

either share this episode, share

473

the show or go and write a review.

474

So other moms can find it too.

475

Thanks for listening.

476

We know you're busy, Mama, so

we are truly grateful you joined

477

us for this episode of Again.

478

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

479

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

480

EntrustedMinistries.

481

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

482

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

483

world, and we want it for you, too.

484

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

485

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

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We're rooting for you.

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To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

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calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good and every work of faith by

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His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

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Him, according to the grace of our God.

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And the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Amen.

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Until we meet again.