Feeding the Family: Real-Life Meal Planning Tips from a Mom in the Trenches

Let’s be honest—nobody warned us that being an adult meant feeding people every. single. day. And not just any people—tiny, opinionated, sometimes-picky eaters. Keeping everyone fed and happy is no small task, but over time, I’ve figured out a few things that work for our crew. Some wins, some fails, but all real-life-tested.

I’m sharing what’s worked for our family in the hopes it’ll spark some new ideas (or at least make your next grocery run a little less painful!).

Note: I’ve recently started following a primarily carnivore diet, and I’m slowly transitioning my family toward more animal-based meals—but these tips are from years of trial, error, and real mom life.

Plan Ahead (When You Can)

I’ve found that one of the biggest keys to my sanity is planning ahead and doing a little prep work. Does it happen every week? Nope. But when it does—game changer.

"When I plan ahead, even just a little, the whole week runs smoother."

On the weeks I don’t have time to plan every single meal, I’ve found it really helpful to at least plan out our proteins. I’ll grab a big bowl and head out to the freezer to pull out a variety of meats for the week. The kids affectionately call it “the meat bowl.”

Having the main ingredients thawed ahead of time makes dinner so much easier—sometimes it’s as simple as throwing together a plate with a protein, a microwave steamer bag of veggies (need I say more?!), some toast, and fruit. Not fancy, but it gets the job done without the stress.

Theme Nights

Growing up, Friday was always pizza night. Today, we put our own spin on theme nights to keep dinner interesting without reinventing the wheel.

Italian Night: spaghetti, pizza soup, or “pizza hotdish” (if you’re from the Midwest, you know!)
Mexican Night: tacos, nachos, or taco soup
Breakfast Night: pancakes, bacon, eggs—whatever gets the kids excited

You don’t need gourmet—just a theme and food your people will actually eat.

Crockpot = Mom’s Best Friend

I love my crockpot. From roasts to soups and even breakfast bakes, it’s saved many evenings. I also love it because my 16 year old claims to hate crockpot meals, so I love to use it and prove him wrong!

I recently upgraded to one with a delayed start timer and stovetop-safe insert—which means I can sear meat and then slow cook it all in one pot. And that delayed start? Total game changer. It keeps the veggies from turning into mush after 10 hours.

Less dishes and better flavor? Yes, please!

Freezer-Friendly Favorites

Don’t have time for a full prep day? Me either. Instead, I double whatever I’m making—eat one now, freeze the other for later.

Perfect for:

Lasagnas
Taco meat
Soups or stews
Hotdishes (aka casseroles !)

Cook once, eat twice. Your future self will thank you.

Build-Your-Own Dinners

Kids love anything they can customize—and it gets them more excited about eating.

Try these:

Taco bar
Mini pizzas
Sandwich or burger station
Baked potato bar

When they make it, they’re more likely to eat it—with fewer complaints.

Breakfast for Dinner

This is always a winner at our house. It’s fast, fun, and full of options.

Ideas:

Pancakes or waffles
Scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon
Crockpot breakfast casserole (make the night before!)

It’s easy, comforting, and the kids think it’s a treat.

Let the Kids Help

Here’s something that made a huge difference at our house: I ask the kids to help pick the meals for the week. I give them 7–8 ideas and let them choose what we eat.

Sometimes they help with the prep too, which makes them more invested in eating what’s on their plate.

When they choose the meals, they’re more likely to actually eat them.

Repeat What Works

I used to stress about serving the same meals every couple of weeks. Not anymore. Turns out, my family doesn’t care—they just want food they like.

So if something works, I keep it in rotation. Less stress for me, more full bellies for them.

They don’t need variety. They need food they like and a mom who’s not losing her mind.

Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection

Mealtime doesn’t have to be a struggle. With a few simple systems, a short list of go-to meals, and a little help from the family, dinner can actually become one of the best parts of your day.

Sometimes we eat together, sometimes it’s in shifts, and sometimes it’s cereal and eggs—and that’s okay.

“You don’t have to serve a gourmet meal to make dinner time meaningful.”