Sunday night hacks

1. Meal prep

Meal prep (preparation) has become quite a thing in recent months. While it can take several solid hours on the front end, it can make dinner time a lot less hectic and a lot more healthy if done right.

Now I’ll admit, I’m just starting to get my feet wet with this idea. My health coach friend, Tiffanie Hage (over at Moms Can Be Fit) is a pro and has a number of videos and recipes for beginners like me.

It can be as simple as always doubling your recipes to save/freeze half for a later date. Or it can be as detailed as planning every meal for the week and taking the better part of an afternoon to prep.

For me it usually looks like this.

I try to prepare mix-and-match options. Taco meat and chicken can be used for tacos, on top of salad or as part of a burrito bowl over rice. Raw pre-chopped veggies can be thrown together for a quick salad. A meat, a starch and a veggie can be a full meal ready to eat after a minute or two in the microwave.

I also like to label the container with a dry erase marker so when other family members open the fridge, they know what their options are.

2. Sunday afternoon strategy session

Take a few minutes on Sunday afternoon and review the calendar for the coming week. Make sure you’ve already sent RSVPs to formal events and send a quick confirmation text or email for casual meet ups.

If you’re married, talk through the logistics with your spouse. Make sure they’re aware of any late meetings and who they need to pick up from where on which day so you can head off any miscommunications.

If you have kids, it’s not a bad idea to talk through the schedule briefly with them too so they can plan time to study for tests and get homework done around various activities.

3. Family calendar

I started doing this several years ago so everyone has a general idea of what’s going on for the month.

Each entry is color coded by person. I download the school calendar and make sure all days off or testing days are noted.

Also, I can never remember which kid I’ve told about upcoming events. I inevitably forget to tell someone about something. So if they’re paying any attention at all (and no guarantees there), they can check the family calendar.

4. Groceryx app

My teenage daughter found this app that seems to have solved most of our grocery list issues. It’s an app that lets you share lists (Publix, Target, whatever) so that an item can be added to a list as soon as it’s thought of, instead of trying to remember to write it down someplace next time you’re home.

This is also helpful for us as we’re a blended family and our kids aren’t always with us. If they think of something they need/want at THIS house when they’re with their OTHER parents, they can still add it to the list and the next time anyone goes to the store, we can pick up what they ask for.

Head back to the Facebook page and tell us YOUR favorite Sunday night hack!