February can be a tough time of the year. The holidays are over, winter is in full force, and resolutions are starting to…break.
I don’t know about you, but I am struggling with being creative in the kitchen, even though one of my resolutions was to get back to meal planning. We all have BIG LOFTY goals at the start of the year, but let’s be honest–most of them aren’t as realistic and long-lasting as we hope. I’m the first to admit this!
So… what should you do?!
It’s easy to get in a food rut. We’ve all been there! Having the same few meals on repeat week after week can feel boring and repetitive. Not to mention a lack of variety can mean you are loading up on some nutrients while missing others. But how do we get out of it? Hiring a personal chef is out of the question (for me at least), so I’ve come up with five ways to help you reboot your meals.
Treat yourself–buy a new cookbook
A cookbook is a lot less expensive than a personal chef, so treat yourself and go splurge on a new cookbook. Choose one that’s pretty and appealing and will get you inspired to cook again. But make sure that it’s realistic and simple too though–that’s key. Some of my new favourites are my friend Abbey Sharp’s new cookbook, Mindful Glow, The Sweet Potato Chronicles ladies newest book The School Year Survival Cookbook and my colleague Toby Amidor, RD’s newest The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook. The library has tonnes of great recipe books too. I recently flipped through a library cookbook and found another reader’s post-it-note flagging a recipe as being delicious. It warmed my heart and was an easy first recipe to try.
Check out online flyers (game changer)
You may not get a paper copy these days, but all the grocery store flyers are online! If your grocery store has a sale on ground turkey and sweet potatoes go for it. Plug in your ingredients to Google and you’ll find a recipe!
Get out of your comfort zone (even a bit)
Too often I serve raw vegetables–the same three (carrots, cucumber and snap peas). It’s easy and I’m often in a rush to get food on the table. But it also gets boring and repetitive. Switch up your usual but cooking the same foods a different way. So instead of raw carrots try roasting a huge batch of assorted veggies and reheating throughout the week.
Spice it up!
There are so many different spices out there other than oregano. I’m just sayin’. It’s easy to rely on the same few. So why not add some different flavours and literally spice up your life! Turmeric or curry powder on roasted cauliflower is a great start.
Don’t beat yourself for ordering in.
An easy way to get out of a food rut is to try something new. And that doesn’t mean you have to make it. I’ve often ordered in and thought that I could recreate the recipe at home. You can too! So, order in Greek food and then add feta cheese and olives to your grocery list next week.
If you’re looking for more inspiration check out some of the delicious recipes listed below.
3 Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes for Busy Weekdays
14 Slow Cooker Recipes for Busy Parents
My Top Ten Easy Weeknight Dinners
If you’d like to reboot your family meal plan, and would like some extra help with meal prep and planning why not book an appointment with a Registered Dietitian! Check what we offer at The Centre for Family Nutrition.
![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
Comments
Joe Hall says
I love your idea to look online for the grocery store ads and coupons so that you can save some money. My brother is thinking about getting meals prepped ahead of time so that he doesn’t have to cook so much throughout the week. I think it’s a great idea to have some of these meals delivered when he can’t find the time to cook at all.
Sarah Remmer says
Sounds like a great solution!