Stop Meal Planning! Have Your Kids Do It Instead

Meal planning is indeed a never-ending cycle for parents. You might spend hours of your day buying groceries, prepping up the list, and preparing the recipe, only to end up hearing, ‘Mama! You made this again!’

We understand your situation. In fact, most parents out there struggle with the same concern almost every day at the dining table. So, is there any way to make meal planning easier?

Of course, there is! It’s probably time for you to sit back and let your child take on the responsibility of meal planning.

While it may seem weird at first, it’s a big step you can take to ward off that extra burden off your shoulders while inculcating healthy eating habits in your child.

Yes, according to a recent study, kids who help with meal planning are likely to develop better and healthier eating habits. Moreover, another survey stated that almost 92 percent of kids who helped in cooking showed an eagerness to try new foods. This is when we can say that there are reasons enough to encourage your child to take over the meal planning responsibility. 

Effective ways of making kids do the Meal Planning

Read below to learn some effective ways that can help you encourage your little one to take the reins.

A Learning Experience

Meal planning is not just about handing over all the responsibilities to your child. Rather, it’s more than just this; it’s a learning experience and a way to understand nutrition, time management, and important budgeting concepts.

Simply give them a few vegetables, like carrots and cabbage, and give them the opportunity to explore their favorite recipe books and search for recipes to try.

Surprisingly, they’ll be much more excited to know that there’s much more to food than just pizzas or chicken nuggets.

Budding Creators

Cooking is an effective way of letting your child explore their creativity. Let them come up with weird and unique combinations, some of which might turn out to be surprisingly delicious.

Other things might just be a one-time try. In fact, you will watch them argue about whether carrots or bell peppers should be served on the plate.

Whatever the choice, involving your child in meal planning is a great way to enhance the skills of your young little creators. 

Dealing with Picky Eating

Picky eating is one of the most common concerns faced by parents. But do you know that children who are involved in cooking from a young age are less likely to show this habit of picky eating?

Encouraging your child in meal planning can certainly reduce the risks of “picky eating syndrome.”

This is because when they’ve prepared something on their own, they will proudly consume all the veggies put into it without giving a second thought to their fear of trying new green veggies.

Overall, it’s a win-win for both.

Accepting Mistakes Are A Part Too

Every meal cannot be a masterpiece and certainly doesn’t have to be. There will be mistakes and misses.

After all, you cannot expect your five-year-old child to realize that chocolate won’t go together with ketchup.

However, making mistakes is the real beauty of learning and gaining new experiences. Therefore, with each little step your kid takes, you must accept his mistakes too in their journey of learning.

Quality Time And Messes

The main reason behind encouraging meal planning in your kids is not just to save your time and hard work. Instead, it’s an opportunity to spend some quality time with your child amidst all the messes.

Just make sure you’re ready to clean up all the kitchen messes once your child’s cooking sessions are over. 

In the end, meal planning is not just mama’s or dad’s responsibility; rather, it’s a moment where the entire family can come together and enjoy along the way.

You can also read about the dos and don’ts of family meal planning for some effective insights.