Hello and welcome to your first lesson!  As promised, this week we're taking a baby step toward learning to Meal Plan.  Specifically, it will help you learn what you and your family are eating.  After all, knowing what you ARE eating is an important step toward planning what you WANT to be eating J.    

Lesson One:  Track What You Serve and Make Notes

 

First, you'll need to print out the Blank Meal Plan attached to this email or one of the online versions.  All are in PDF format which means you need to have Adobe Acrobat to see it.  If you don't have Adobe, click here to download it – it's fast and free.

 

The Blank Meal Plan comes in two sizes:

 

1. Letter paper size, which prints Mon-Fri on one page and Sat. and Sun on another. You can either cut the left margin off the weekend sheet and tape them together, or leave it as is and enjoy the extra margin space for any weekend reminders.  You'll find this version  online here.
   
    
2. Legal paper size, which prints all seven days on one page.  I find this the most convenient but not everyone has legal-sized paper on hand.  You'll find this version online here.

Now that you've got a copy of the Blank Meal Plan, all I'd like you to do is keep track of what you serve your family (and their reactions to it) each day this week.  This is not as easy as planning ahead but it's well worth it to give you a starting place for next week.

 

If you get take out or go to a restaurant, make a note of that in the appropriate space as well.  As a money-saving note, go ahead and briefly write down why you didn't eat at home and what the meal's cost was.  Over the weeks, this can be quite eye-opening.

 

The idea here is that you will have a meal plan to refer to next week and you'll also be able to visually see who's eating what.  So, after each meal and snack (or at the end of each day), jot down what you served; what you put on the table or highchair, and any notes for next time.  If someone didn't eat something, make a note of that, if you'd have liked less sauce etc., make a note of that.  These notes will all serve as reminders to you the next times you are planning meals.

 

Learning to plan meals will have great rewards for you and your family – both financially and healthfully!  Go ahead, grab a pen, start your notes and get ready to enjoy a happier, more relaxed and healthier you!

 

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P.S.  For those of you who are disappointed that Lesson One wasn't about actually creating a meal plan this week – please be patient – there's a method to my madness.  After all, if it was that easy, you'd already be Meal Planning right?  Just take this step-by-step and you'll create a habit you can keep.  "See" you next Wednesday J

Crystal

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If you haven't already,
Signup for your Meal Planning 101 eCourse & Reminders here: