My family is in the middle of the busy school and sports season.  Most nights at least one kiddo has an activity.  Though I do not believe in over scheduling kids and I want to allow for down time and free play, I am also a big believer in youth sports.    Kids do not get enough physical activity at school.   My kids attend PE class for 1 week every 4 weeks!   Therefore most days, recess would be their only physical activity and with the awful Colorado winter we had, they had ‘indoor recess’ (which really just means watching 20 minutes of a movie) on more days than I can count.   Sigh.  It is a priority for my family to participate in some type of physical activity.   To make it work for our family, I try to find sports and activities that are at least based close to our house.  I know that not everyone has that option, and I am lucky to live in an area with a variety of activities to choose from.   

Family dinners are also a huge priority for my family.  There is so much research on the benefits of family dinners, including lower rates of depression, better academic performance, higher self-esteem and much more. However, as my kids’ sports have become a bit more involved, family dinners have become more difficult.     Some nights might include my daughter and I having dinner together while my son is at soccer with my husband; who will then eat together when they get home.  Other times, one kiddo might need to eat before a weekday practice or game while the others eat later.   Sometimes, 3 of us might be having a picnic on the sidelines while cheering the other kiddo on.  Regardless of our schedule, a combination of us eats a homemade meal together almost every night of the week.

This might sound impossible for many but with a little planning and preparation, putting a healthy and fast meal on the table might be easier than you think.  When I sit down to meal plan on Saturday or Sunday, I always check the schedule to see what we have coming up.  Our schedule is fairy consistent during specific seasons with the exception of a few make-up soccer games or extra dance rehearsals.    The similar schedule obviously makes planning a bit easier. 

Here is a quick snapshot of our what our spring season looks like and how we make it work.    

Mondays:

We eat dinner at 5 PM before activities at 5:30 pm and 6 pm.  This is early for us, and I often am working until 4 PM so this means eating something either that has been in the crockpot that was prepped earlier or something I can literally throw together in 20 minutes.   We eat meatless almost every Monday which makes it a bit easier since meat often takes longer to cook.

IDEAS:  

• Frittata
• Bean and cheese tacos
• Tofu stir-fry
• Soups (literally hundreds of soups with little preparation)
• Veggie and cheese quesadillas
• Breakfast tacos
• Veggie fried rice
• Homemade nachos

Tuesdays:  

I coach my daughter’s soccer at 5 PM which means we eat afterwards.  Though we have more time for this meal, we are all hungry by the time we get home so I do not want something that takes forever either.    We are home by 6:15 and ideally, I want dinner on the table by 6:45 PM.  If I did not put anything in the crockpot, I want something that cooks fairly fast. 

IDEAS: 

• Pre-made sausages, couscous, and a bagged salad  
• Salmon, green beans, bread
• Grilled cheese, salad, fruit 
• Shrimp and veggie stir-fry
• Pork chop, asparagus, rice

Wednesdays:

Back to double activity night so we often divide and conquer.  I drop my daughter off at dance and either sit with my son while he eats or if my husband is home from work, they eat together before heading off to soccer practice.  I then pick up my daughter and her and I eat together.   Of course, I love the entire family eating together but sometimes it is nice to just eat with one kiddo and really spend some quality time with them. 

IDEAS:

• Hamburgers, baked fries, roasted broccoli
• Pasta with veggies and/or meatballs or meat sauce, salad, fruit
• Steak, sweet potato fries, salad
• Fish tacos, peppers and onions, fruit
• Veggie hash with roasted potatoes 
  

Thursdays:

Similar to Tuesdays where we eat after soccer practice. 

MORE IDEAS!

• Lettuce wraps
• Coconut chicken satay
• Red curry shrimp
• Taco soup

Fridays:

We often do not have activities on Friday night and I try my hardest to not schedule anything.  Since COVID, we have done Friday pizza and movie night and this has become somewhat sacred to us.  We all look forward after a busy week to eating all together and spending some downtime together. 

Having a well-stocked pantry, fridge and freezer is really the key to putting meals together.  Check out my previous blog here if you are struggling with this.   Though meal planning and cooking regularly can see intimidating and somewhat exhausting, just like anything, the more you do it, the easier it will become.  It takes a little practice but hopefully it becomes easier with time.   Sitting down together for a meal has so many short and long-term benefits! 

Need help with your family’s nutrition or meal planning?  I would love to chat and help you put fast easy meals on the table. Contact me!