Meal planning is daunting for a single parent or a busy mom. I’ve been trying to provide sit-down dinners every evening for years, and it finally dawned on me: This isn’t working.
It isn’t working because my circumstances are different now.
Now, I’m a single mom, working from home and homeschooling. That alone is exhausting, but planning a dinner and cleaning up every night hasn’t been sustainable.
By 6:00 p.m., I am completely worn out. Investing the extra energy in dinner and cleanup hasn’t been working.
I’ve decided to change the way I handle family meals.
Accept that you are a single parent. Meal times and planning will look different.
That is okay. We get to do different.
I’m not sure why I didn’t figure this out until recently. It would have saved years of frustration.
But maybe this will save a newly single parent from making the same mistake.
We are going to need to plan our meals differently.
In acceptence, lieth peace.
Amy Charmichael
Meal times as a family are essential. Children learn the art of conversation, table manners, and togetherness at the meal table.
Families that eat together gain a feeling of acceptance and love.
Meal times are so important.
But there is no set rule on how this can be accomplished.
Accepting that you are a single parent is vital.
Accepting your natural limitations is important as well.
I’m exhausted by evening. I’ll own that! And work around it!
When meal planning, consider your reality and your options.
I balanced my desire for family meals with my reality. And accepting my new reality gave me some options.
And as a single mom, I love options!
I realized that I had more energy in the morning, which inspired me to plan a more extensive sit-down family breakfast.
Meal planning became more realistic and functional, and the kids loved a big breakfast.
It has been a win-win. But that wouldn’t have been possible if I had not balanced my desires for a family meal with the limitations of a single parent.
By looking closely at your situation and routines, you will find a mealtime that works for your family!
Then, begin by writing down meals that fit for that time.
Here is a link for meal planning calendars:
https://www.101planners.com/meal-plan-template/
Consider simple meal options.
Eating together is important, but you don’t always need a 3-course meal. What you do need is happy, full kids.
I have a hearty sit-down breakfast, but I’m more easygoing about the other meals.
We need to consider our options and give ourselves some margin in life. Allow for some meals to be simple with less cleanup.
Let go of perfection; it’s unattainable and unhealthy!
Check out the cheeseboard!
Maybe it’s because it’s a little out of my social circle, but I had not looked carefully at cheeseboards before.
Here, these beautiful things are! They have cheese, meat, fruit, and crackers. You can plan them on a Sunday and prepare them for snacks and a simple evening meal.
Here is a Pinterest post from A Hundred Affections. She has some great ideas!
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/68745471636/
There are also simple recipes that kids will love.
This is a Pinterest post from The Lazy Dish.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/78953799710528923/
Being successful as a single parent means thinking outside the box often.
This includes meal planning.
As parents, we must balance our children’s needs with what we can provide.
Admitting where we are isn’t a sign of weakness but a place to start!
Meal planning as a single parent may look different, but the goal of a happy and loved family is the same!
To help with feelings of being overwhelmed, I have added a link to a practical house cleaning schedule for single moms can be found here:
