I started to read through Proverbs 31 one morning last week. It has been 5 days and I’m still not finished!
Each time I re-read it, I am learning something new, so I’ve decided to stay in it a little longer.
Something that stood out to me was food being mentioned repeatedly:
“She brings her [household’s] food from far away. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household” Proverbs 31:14b-15a (AMP)
Food is a practical way to love and serve the people in our household.
This emphasis in Proverbs 31 makes sense to me because my husband lovingly jokes good food and drink is his love language. Because it communicates love to him, I have delighted in preparing a variety of foods over the years.
Our family dinners are a highlight of the day and meals shared with others are a highlight of our week. The biblical reasons for the power in sharing a meal was beautifully explained in The Supernatural Power Present While Gathering at a the Table.
On a similar topic, I also recommend Relationships and Opportunities that Arise from Using Your Gifts.
For inspiration how to actually begin making this goal a reality, check out Practical Tips to Eating Dinner Together as a Family or find popular recipes from Story of Six Sisters’ Stuff. You can gain motivation to live out a healthier lifestyle by listening to Sustainable Health and Nutrition.
Also, if you are a Patron for The Savvy Sauce Podcast, you will be very inspired by this message: Making Your Home a Place of Love and Peace. (To gain access to this message, you can join The Savvy Sauce Patron Group by signing up here.)
And if you don’t know what it means to “Eat Your Pro’s” then you have to listen to Pursuing Health, Not Vanity for this simple, life-changing tip!!!
Some seasons it has been a challenge to serve home-cooked meals, but I believe it is usually possible! Here’s how:
Forethought: intentionality precedes joy and possibility!
- Meal Plan: Once a week, Mark and I plan the upcoming week and then sync up on ideas for dinner. First, we look at the upcoming calendar and see which nights we will all be home to enjoy dinner together. Also, I like to get his input on the week’s menu, such as when he’s in the mood for soup, red meat, or chicken. (If you know us, you know we are always in the mood for chicken
). You could try this with members of your own family or your roommate. New ideas surface when we collaborate . . . and it is just more fun to do this work together!
Next step = add items to the grocery list. My favorite way to do this is through online grocery pick up. It costs nothing extra, but I can add all the ingredients anytime, wherever I am. And when we just planned the week, I can strategically add grocery pick-up during a slot that makes the most sense. I set a reminder on my phone for the date and time of grocery pick up and meal planning is done for the week! This typically takes less than 20 minutes on the front end and saves us the agony of blankly staring inside our refrigerator after the kids are home from school and everyone is tired and hungry!
- Freezer Meals: When I was in the nesting phase of being pregnant with our youngest daughter, Kessler, I set a goal to not cook for a year after she arrived . . . and it worked! (I will share that journey at a later date.) We have tried swapping freezer meals, cooking together, doubling recipes ourselves, and purchasing from local catering businesses who offer this option.
- Repeatable Menus: I keep a list on my phone of our family’s favorites. Pinterest or marking up your favorite cookbook works too (I love: Renee’s Cookbook. Reach out to me if you want to purchase a copy!)
- Get help: depending on your budget, this could include going out to eat or just relying on other people you live with to rotate taking turns preparing the meals. For us, another family tradition is Saturday morning Chicken Minis from Chick-fil-A East Peoria. It gives me one morning off cooking and it is the way our entire family enjoys starting off our Saturday!
When we had three daughters 4 and under with another on the way, I was having a really difficult time finding a moment to proactively plan ahead for meals. I gladly chose not to purchase coffee out or shop and did not pay for cable or Netflix . . . instead, Mark and I chose to hire a babysitter for about 2 hours once a week.
During those two hours, I accomplished all my meal planning and grocery list making and sometimes even grocery shopping.
Like my dad says, in relation to kids, “An hour without them is like a day with them.”
(My dad is hilarious, so if you want to learn more from his wit and wisdom, check out Life Lessons with My Dad.)
I was able to be so productive during that time that I also had time to get caught up on other household tasks, such as cleaning, organizing, and photos. These are all important areas to me, so I was thrilled when a mere two hours helped me accomplish so much. I was then able to be more present with the girls during the other 166 hours of the week! I wasn’t carrying the mental load of meals and priorities.
I know finances may be a limiting factor here, but I believe where there is a will, there is a way! If you truly want to make this happen, I believe you can creatively find the solution. Start by taking inventory of your budget and see if you can cut expenses or add income through creative ways to add margin to hire help. If you need any financial wisdom, I highly recommend: How to Align Your Values with Your Finances.
I’m sharing this from a place of still actively and repeatedly learning this lesson: receive help.
It actually benefits everyone involved!!!
Your turn! What is your current, favorite recipe?!
Love to you,
Laura
P.S. Shout out to my favorite human: Happy Birthday, Mark Dugger!!! You are the most loving husband, devoted father, humble leader, genuine encourager, and hilarious friend! I LOVE getting to enjoy life with you and I hope you have the Happiest Birthday 🙂 You have all my love and admiration!!!
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