Do you have an efficient breakfast, lunch, and chore routine?
Not having a set routine for meals can steal a huge amount of teaching time from your day! If meal time is always a big production, and it comes around three times a day…think how much valuable teaching time is lost while preparing meals! It is equally easy to have your time, focus, and joy stolen by a messy house and half-done chores. So, let’s talk about ways to conquer these time stealers. (You may also want to check out my previous post on Keeping a Similar Routine Each Day.)
As you ponder an efficient breakfast and lunch routine, I will share some examples of what we’ve done in the past. Hopefully that will get you thinking of possibilities that might work at your house!
Having a set breakfast and lunch routine saves you time!
Through the years, we have changed what we eat for breakfast and lunch. One thing that has remained the same is to have a set breakfast and lunch routine Monday – Friday. I write the routine on paper and post it on our refrigerator in a magnetized plastic page protector. That way I can change the menu easily whenever I feel we need a change.
Having a posted breakfast and lunch menu helps you plan ahead.
You can easily use any rotation you desire for breakfast and lunch, but having the routine written and posted helps you plan ahead. It also means you have a routine shopping list for the bulk of your meals each week. Keeping the rotation the same each week allows you to become efficient at preparing those particular meals. As your children get used to the routine, they can look ahead and help you prepare the meals.
Our Breakfast Routine as of 2018:
Monday: Pumpkin Pancakes (with cinnamon/sugar/Reddi-Wip) and Eggs
Tuesday: Yogurt Parfait (yogurt with granola, honey, berries) Toasted English Muffin (with butter and jelly)
Wednesday: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Hashbrowns
Thursday: Whole Grain Eggo Waffles (spread with Nutella/cut up bananas/Reddi-Wip) and Applesauce
Friday: Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie and Toast with Peanut Butter
Our Lunch Routine as of 2018:
Monday: Tortilla Chips, Shredded Cheese, Ground Beef, Salsa, Sour Cream, Corn, and Grapes
Tuesday: Ham n’ Cheese Croissants, Carrot Slices, Blackberries, and Gold Fish Crackers
Wednesday: Bagged Caesar Salad, Shredded Rotisserie Chicken, Apples (cut up with peanut butter), and Yogurt
Thursday: Tuna (open-faced on toast), Cheese Slices with Wheat Crackers, Craisins/Almonds, Grapes
Friday: Rotation of Frozen Pizza, Salmon, Pot Pies, Mac n’ cheese, Soup and Toast, Hot Dogs with Pears or Peaches and Go-gurt
Basic menus become an efficient part of your daily routine.
As you can see, our menus are pretty basic. Yet, we typically keep the same menu for quite awhile, because it has become an efficient part of our daily routine. Our boys actually look forward to certain days based on the menu. They go to bed at night saying, “Tomorrow we have pancakes for breakfast. I love Mondays!” Or, “Tomorrow is my favorite lunch!” Try developing your own rotation for breakfast and lunch and see what you think!
Blessings,
Carrie
This Post Has 2 Comments
Great idea!
Having a menu planned out!
I read this tip a few years back and it has been a joy saver, for sure! We have created a list of our favorite lunches and have added to it over the years. I then let my kids (14, 12, 10, 6) fill in the weekdays of a blank calendar each month with the approved lunch list. Since they do it together, there is no grumbling when one of their not-so-favorite lunches come up during the week. I love having it all planned out for grocery shopping! Thanks so much for motivating us to do a little planning ahead. It really makes the homeschool day go so much smoother!