What’s for dinner?

What’s for dinner tonight?

The dreaded question that crosses our minds this time of day when our brains get sluggish and we start feeling hungry.

In our family, we meal plan and prep food every Sunday. Okay… admittedly, this does not happen EVERY Sunday. And when it doesn’t happen, we pay the price…. in productivity and stress.

One of the biggest, daily distractions and time consuming tasks that pull our focus and energy away from work is food – what to eat, when to eat, where to get it, when to make it, and so on. Add extra family members and it multiplies the complexity!

Not to mention, food greatly affects our focus, energy and mood.

Food may not seem directly related to increasing productivity at work. However, I’ve found that having a healthy meal plan and meal prep makes a significant impact in your ability to focus and get work done, when you no longer have to stress and worry about what’s for dinner tonight.

Here are some tricks to make it easier:

1. Have a master list of all the meal ideas to choose from that your family enjoys. Don’t forget breakfasts too!
2. Consult your calendar and household to identify what meals are needed and who’s responsible for them.
3. Shop and prep meals on Sundays. Take an inventory of what’s in the fridge, freezer and pantry and shop from there first. Going to the store with a clear list keeps the time short and limits impulse buys. Make dinner prep easy during the week by cooking and prepping as much as possible before hand.
4. Have lots of healthy snacks on hand. Keep your energy high by eating healthy snacks. Waiting until you are famished often results in poor food choices, over eating and feeling hangry. We always have veggie bags and hummus in our fridge.
5. Have healthy take-out and dine-out options for those days you know will be too busy to cook. Our favorites include Thai take-out, Vietnamese take-out, Mongolian grills, and healthy Mexican food.

Set yourself up for a productive, focused week by streamlining and simplifying the “What’s for dinner?” question. A little preparation and you’ll have a less stressed, more focused and healthier week!