Ideas and rituals to ease the enormity of family meals.

Do you know the source of your food? Where does your food come from? Do you prepare your meals with love and focus and attention? How do you set your table? What does your environment feel like as you chew your food?

Many years ago, actually, before I came a Mum, food shopping became all too consuming for me. To go to a supermarket, the lights, the enormity, the packaging, the choice, it all felt too much. Initially I was consumed by this until I started to explore other ways of sourcing my food. It then led to shopping in about 10 different stores to get what I wanted. This of course, was equally unsustainable!

Cue motherhood, food. Meals. Snacks. Wow. It took on a whole new meaning. I’ve always been interested in nutrition and what I put into my body. I enjoy exploring how food makes me feel. What foods can easily be digestible in my system and what takes a bit longer or even, what does my body really not enjoy? Now, I needed to do this for my children. The food that would nourish their being, that will develop their cells and support their growth into adulthood. Honestly, at times, this pressure has felt so heavy. I know when it feels too much. When it feels too much, I forget to eat. As I prepare the most loving meals for my children, I forget to ask my body what it needs.

Does that sound familiar to you? Do you run around all day forgetting or maybe choosing not to stop and eat and then binge eat on whatever you can get your hands on once your children are asleep? If this is true for you. I get it. You know what I realised? That is the most peaceful time of day to eat! But then, your body is going to bed with a large amount of undigested food that likely contribute to feelings of sluggishness in the morning.

I am very much still on this journey, I’m not writing this because I have the answers, I’m writing this to share what I have done so far and how I make sure I am consuming the most nourishing food, in that moment. Meal by meal.

I had this sense of mealtime and food needing to be a family affair. I had no idea how to create that with ease and flow but through trial and error I’ve got some ideas for you.

So, firstly, my biggest non negotiable of the week is the farmers markets. Sunday mornings are dedicated to food shopping. We use cash so my children can grasp the idea of money. They adore chatting to each stall holders about the produce. They get to try things they wouldn’t have before. They get to see their friends and run around. They get to order their own morning tea with their own money. They get to dance to live music. My son is at an age where he helps me write the list. We talk weekly food budget and we discuss our favourite foods and what we would like to eat that week. My body feels relaxed here (mostly).

All pantry goods I shop locally. From a small business who not only deliver your goods to your door but insert little love notes into each order. The inspiration that I have got from these deliveries is next level. I get to ponder a quote or a message as I pop away our goods into the pantry, just infusing that beautiful energy into the whole pantry.

For anything that I cannot get from either of these two places comes from a monthly super market shop which more often than not we will get delivered.

When it comes to in home preparation, mealtime etc, I involve my children as much as I possibly can inline with age appropriateness and their interests. We have child friendly knives that allow my children to chop fruit and veggies with me. We bake together weighing out all ingredients and their most favourite thing of all is setting the table. They head out into the garden and collect as many colours as they can to create a centrepiece. When we’re all ready to sit down we light a candle. At some point during the meal we chat about all the steps it took us to get the meal to the table and ponder where the food was before we choose it at the farmers markets or before it was delivered. My favourite part is admiring the beauty of their creativity that exists on our table.

I hope these ideas support you in the enormity that is family meal planning, that in turn, will allow you to chew and digest each meal with a little more ease and enjoyment. If you have any of your own ideas that support you and your family, I’d love to hear from you as we all navigate this journey together.

With love, on this incredible New Moon,

Amie