Making Dinner Plans

Turning into a mermaid at Trader Joe's

While I started with the best intentions, dinner planning has become quite a lame effort for me. I make sure to have a meat for the hubby and the main dish and something else that I know my two younger ones will eat, like pasta and nuggets. My plans to eat only healthy, unprocessed foods quickly gave way to timesavers that I knew my kids would eat instead, even if they were not the most nutritious fare.

Here's a conversation I had today with the girl (4yo), while we were out running errands:
(I'm calling her Perry, because lately, she insists that she is Perry the Pet Platypus)

Perry: Mami, can we have macaroni and cheese?

Me: Oooh, yeah, that sounds like a great idea for dinner.

Perry: Yeah, and everybody can eat it. {Instead of the separate things the kids eat vs the grownups}

Me: We could have fish sticks to go with it {since I didn't make enough yesterday and she really wanted some.}

Perry: Oooh yeah, and can I have broccoli too?

Me: Oooh, that's a perfect dinner. A veggie, a carb and a protein. That's a great idea, girlie!

Perry: That's what I'm talking 'bout!

I cracked up at the last statement, said with perfect timing and inflection. My little mini me is becoming adventurous. To actually dream that she'd eat three DIFFERENT foods at one sitting is borderline miraculous.

Making dinner plans like these sure lightens my load.