just me, living here

It’s funny how some of the best gifts are the ones you never asked for.

Two years ago, tucked under the Christmas tree, I opened a weekly meal planning schedule. Honestly, I probably gave a polite “oh, thanks, cool” while secretly saying, “I’m never going to use this“.

Well, the universe clearly knew better than I did. Because now? This little schedule is one of my all-time favorite gifts.

At the time, I was deep in the trenches of trying to lose weight, counting every last calorie and keeping myself around 1700 a day. The schedule turned into my secret weapon. Instead of spending hours in the “My Fitness Pal” app logging every crumb like a crazy person, I could map out my day at a glance. It saved me from overeating at lunch when I’d otherwise just grab whatever random thing was in the fridge.

But the real magic? It solved the great “what’s for dinner?” debate. You know the one. You’re asked what you’re making, and no matter what you say, someone groans, “Ew.” Cue the eye rolls, the whining, and the dramatic sighs. No more, I tell you!

With my trusty schedule, I sit down on the weekend, plan it all out, and put it in stone. Everyone knows what’s coming, so there are no daily surprise reveals (or fights). I even sneak in family favorites, my daughter’s parmesan pasta with broccoli, my husband’s pork tenderloin so there’s always something on the horizon to look forward to. The rest of the dinners get filled in based on what’s hanging around in the fridge, what’s on sale at Kroger or Aldi’s, or what desperately needs to be used up before it grows legs and walks away.

The result? Less stress, fewer arguments, and way less “what’s for dinner?” interrogation. My daughter can glance at the menu and go her separate way without a battle, and I get to enjoy a little peace in the kitchen.

I didn’t realize a simple meal planning schedule could change the vibe of the whole week but it did. And now, I can honestly say: that unassuming little Christmas gift has become one of my favorite gifts ever. It really, truly helps.

It just goes to show you that sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never saw coming.

What about you? What’s a gift you received that you didn’t know you needed?

Share in the comments!

Here is a link to the exact meal planner I have from Amazon if you want to purchase one yourself:

Weekly Magnetic Meal Planner & Tear Off Grocery List : https://amzn.to/3UJTsaD

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