In today's episode, I share a real + raw recap of why I have chosen to pause the Veggies & Virtue podcast.

To all of those who have supported this show, thank you. It has been a joy connecting with you in this way. I look forward to continuing to support you on:

• my social @veggiesandvirtue

• How do we meal plan when our child has such few preferred (love it) foods?

• Sign up for my free weekly meal plan.

On today's episode, I am telling you the meal planning mistake I made last week!

I use my own free weekly meal plan for simple, healthy meal ideas for my family. But what I failed to do was actually work through step one from my Meal Planning Playbook.

The good news is, as I share on today's episode, we can always course correct midweek and learn from our mistakes next week. And I am thankful for the permission to grow in this area I have learned to give myself instead of setting unrealistically high ideals that exhaust me to try to carry out.

It's really, really hard to be consistent with those kinds of self-imposed demands amidst all the real-life demands we as moms carry.

So, take your meal plan this week and run it through a real run through, like that outlined in my Meal Planning Playbook. Doing so will help you identify ways that you can make your family's meal plan work smarter for you...so you don't find yourself needing to work harder than you already do!

Need one on one help with this? Schedule a free 30-minute strategy session!

On today's episode, I am sharing with you three of the steps outlined in my Meal Planning Playbook.

You can use these three things to take my free weekly meal plan, or whatever meal plan you choose, and make it work better for your family.

The key is to remember that a meal plan is only a useful tool if it works for you (not the other way around). So, learn how to meal plan smarter (and not find yourself working harder) with the three tips we talk about in today's episode.

For more help personalizing your family's meal plan, feeding picky eaters, or coordinating a menu that offers something for everyone, be sure you follow the Veggies & Virtue podcast, so you are notified each time a new episode drops.

Or you can reach out to schedule a free 30-minute strategy session so we can chat through your struggles with feeding picky eaters and raising healthy kids and together come up with a doable action plan.

Welcome to this episode where we dive deep into the common challenges parents face when their children want more food before finishing what's on their plate. Today, we're going to explore real-life scenarios shared by parents, starting with Erica's experience.

Erica opens up about her two-and-a-half-year-old, who insists on more bites even before completing a favorite love it food. On the episode (or in the transcript), we unravel the complexities of family-style meals and the introduction of new rules to minimize pushback and promote peace.

As we navigate through these scenarios, I want to highlight the importance of consistency, especially when there are recent changes in mealtime routines. Join me as we delve into practical insights on handling boundary testing and setting expectations, including portion sizes and addressing common concerns about children favoring specific foods.

Stick around to discover practical approaches and effective strategies to navigate these mealtime struggles with our little ones. Let's jump right in!

Ready to work together? Sign up for a free 30-min strategy session here!

For this week's free, family friendly meal plan, we are talking about how to take any meal idea and make it healthy, a fan favorite, and full of the foods you already have on hand (or actually want to be buying)!

You can use my free meal planner and grocery list to get started here.

Or you can purchase my Meal Planning Playbook for a 20-page guide that is complete with the 5-step process we discuss on today's episode plus all the templates and printables that you could need for a rinse and repeat meal planning process as a busy mom.

• If you 1-on-1 support or want to book a free 30-minute strategy session for the new year, secure a spot on my calendar here.

Need quick, easy dinner ideas that are nutritious for your whole family?

Look no further!

On today's episode, Ashley is sharing her dietitian mom take for a week's worth of effortless dinner ideas. Use the healthy dinner themes to make your evenings stress-free and full of delicious, nutritious goodness.

Here is what is on the menu this week:

DAY 1: SLOW COOKER THEME

DAY 2: TACO THEME

DAY 3: SEAFOOD THEME

DAY 4: BBQ THEME

SHOWNOTES:

• Want this family-friendly meal plan delivered to your inbox each Friday? Sign up here.

A few years ago, I saw the idea shared to leave simple love notes on each of my kid's bedroom door on the days leading up to Valentine's. Little did I know that this would become one of my kid's most favorite traditions - and something that "sticks" year-round (literally - they leave the little notes up as long as they can!). So, grab your scissors, a writing instrument of choice, and get cutting. You can easily invest the 20 minutes it takes to tune into this episode to cut up 14 hearts (for each kid).

The idea is that for these first two weeks of February, you will use these hearts as a simple way to share 14 reasons why you love and adore your little one.

Using whatever "hearts" you have or create, add words of encouragement that resonate with you and your child. Then, each evening, after tucking your child in, add another heart to their door. They will wake up feeling SO loved for the day!

50 Words of Encouragement for Kids:

1. I love watching you learn new things

SHOWNOTES:

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Work with me 1:1 here.