Ever since I started practicing mindfulness, I noticed how it can make every part of life more enjoyable. Even the things that feel like chores – like meal prep and cooking.
While I love to cook, there are times when I simply don’t have the time or inspiration to put together healthy and wholesome meals.
To get ahead of this, I try to plan meals ahead of time whenever I can.
Wondering how to make meal planning a fun and mindful experience to enjoy with your family? Here are some ideas to try this month!
Create a wish-list of favorite recipes
When you see a great recipe online, add it to a folder on your computer, save it on Pinterest, or print and add to a binder. Once a week, set aside 30 minutes to go through these recipe ideas with your family and pick 7 things that everyone would enjoy for dinner in the week ahead.
Recreate delicious restaurant meals at home
Any time that your family enjoys a delicious meal when dining out, write it down. Feel gratitude for this meal being cooked for you! And then try to find a recipe to make it at home together. Have fun with it! You can even see if you can substitute ingredients for healthier options when possible.
Turn grocery shopping into a gratitude practice
If you go grocery shopping with your little ones, make it a game of mindfulness. As you pick out veggies or fruits, share with your children where this vegetable or fruit came from so you can practice gratitude for the plant that grew it and all the people involved in getting it to the store. Or have your little one pick the best looking piece of fruit to buy so they feel excited about contributing to the grocery shopping trip too!
Have a slow weekly meal prep night
Schedule a certain night of the week to prepare meals for the next week. Slow everything down instead of trying to rush it and get it done. Set aside plenty of time and get your little ones involved. Have them take each ingredient out of the fridge or pantry. Have them describe the colors and textures of each ingredient. Let them do tasks that are simple and safe based on their age.
Then, when you sit down to enjoy your meal, express gratitude. Gratitude for the time spent together, for the love you put in, and for the delicious food that’ll nourish your body, mind, and soul!
SAVE THE DATE: Mindfulness Summer Series for Kids
Wondering how to entertain AND educate your little ones over the summer? With something that’ll actually help them grow into happy healthy humans?
The Mindfulness Summer Series is the perfect experience they can use to learn more about themselves, their minds, and their emotions while building important social emotional skills.
This 6-week Mindfulness Summer Series for Kids starts on July 11, 2023!
These are classes delivered online in groups based on three age ranges:
- Kids ages 5 to 7
- Kids ages 8 to 11
- Teens ages 12-17
Learning mindfulness while young helps your little ones build the skills of resilience, patience, kindness, and self-compassion to go through life with less stress, anxiety, and more confidence!
Click here to learn more and reserve a spot for your little one before July 11, 2023!