Kristin from Live Simply wants to help us simplify meal planning

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photo courtesy of Live Simply

Today I have a very special guest, Kristin from Live Simply. Kristin is a mom of two who shares simple real food recipes, natural DIY projects, and tips for simplifying the time spent in the kitchen and around the home, over on her blog, Live Simply.

Beyond her beautiful photographs are simple, healthy recipes for families. I recently reached out to Kristin to give us some tips on meal planning, because we could all use a little help simplifying our time in the kitchen.

How do you take the stress out of meal planning as a busy mom?

I use a rotational meal plan system–repeating the same meals over and over again. To do this, I keep a list of family favorite meals. Check out how I do it here.

Any tips for simplifying meal planning even more as we are heading back to school?

Stick to meals that are made up of meal components: quinoa, rice, veggies, a dressing, greens, and a meat (such as shredded chicken). These ingredients can be prepped in advance and combined together to create various meals throughout the week: bowls, salads, sandwiches, burritos, etc.

How can we get kids involved in meal planning?

Ask your family to help you choose meals for the week based on the family favorite meals list. Ask your family to choose new meals to try–flip through cookbooks together or look through favorite blogs online, or even Pinterest. Post the family-decided meal plan somewhere visible so the kids know what to expect that week.