(Almost) a Year of Meal Planning

 

Last November, I thought it would be a good idea to start planning our dinners each week.  When I started, I really wasn't sure how long I would be able to keep up with it.  I knew that if I could plan ahead, we would likely end up with more hot meals on the dinner table.  And with Ben starting to eat solid foods around that time, my goal was to try to incorporate a wide range of ingredients in order to stimulate his little taste buds.

 

My innate desire to make and keep lists drove this for awhile.  Our obsessive Top Chef watching propelled the mission along even further.  Finding recipes that Greg and Ben liked (and began to request) is what really motivates me today.

 

Over the past 11 or so months doing this, I have learned SO many little things about cooking that I had previously written off as "too hard" or just hadn't made a priority to learn.  I have become more confident in following a recipe.  I am starting to learn a bit about substituting ingredients.  I am more comfortable cooking meat (although I still tend to ask Greg to handle that part).  As a family, I feel like we are learning a lot more about what we like and don't like, so it's easier to target recipes that will taste good to us.  I'm learning to shop and menu plan around items we have in the fridge.  My cooking/time management has become a lot better.  (Read: take a few hours to wash/chop fruit and vegetables for the week instead of doing it every.single.time you are making something).

 

I still have a ton to learn.  What has surprised me most is how satisfying making a meal for my family has become.  While I'm clearly no Martha Stewart, hearing Greg tell me "you can DEFINITELY make this one again" or hearing Ben say "Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" and watching him devour a plate of food feels worth it.