Laura Eckert, MA, RDN, LD, clinical nutrition supervisor, Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute, discusses the value of sitting down and planning out a menu that works for everyone.
Watch the video: Nourishing Knowledge: Weekend Meal Prep
By the end of the week, life feels full. Schedules are packed, and dinner can feel like one more thing to figure out. But what if the weekend could be more than just catching up? What if it could be your reset and your chance to reconnect?
Weekend meal planning doesn't have to be a chore. It can be a family moment. Start by bringing everyone together. Pull up the calendar and look at the week ahead. Who has late practice, late meetings, busy nights? That is where the magic begins, deciding together what meals need to look like. Let the kids have a voice. Ask them what meals they're excited about. Maybe it's taco night, homemade pizza or a simple pasta dinner. When kids help choose, they are more likely to enjoy what's on their plate and feel part of the process.
Match your meals to your schedule. Busy nights call for quick, easy dinners. Think slow cooker meals, sheet pan recipes, or leftovers made new. And on slower evenings, that's your chance to sit down, unplug, and enjoy a meal together as a family.
Once your plan is set, make shopping simple. Use online grocery ordering to save time. Avoid impulse buys and stick to your list. Apps like AnyList make it easy to build so nothing gets missed, even when life is busy. Then spend a little time prepping together, washing veggies, portioning ingredients, getting ahead for the week.
It's not just about saving time. It's about creating moments, because when you reset on the weekend, you reconnect throughout the week, and dinner becomes more than just food. It becomes time well spent. Reset, reconnect, simplify your week starting this weekend.
