In today's episode, I share a real + raw recap of why I have chosen to pause the Veggies & Virtue podcast.

To all of those who have supported this show, thank you. It has been a joy connecting with you in this way. I look forward to continuing to support you on:

• my social @veggiesandvirtue
• my site Veggies & Virtue
• and through my one-on-one services

• How do we meal plan when our child has such few preferred (love it) foods?
• If we change from red apples to another kind, does it still work as a love it food?
• Does milk count as a love it food?

• Sign up for my free weekly meal plan.
• Work through my five-step process for meal planning with my Meal Planning Playbook.
• Looking for added support to your family's unique situation? Sign up for a free, 30-minute strategy session with Ashley to get started.

On today's episode, I am telling you the meal planning mistake I made last week!

I use my own free weekly meal plan for simple, healthy meal ideas for my family. But what I failed to do was actually work through step one from my Meal Planning Playbook.

The good news is, as I share on today's episode, we can always course correct midweek and learn from our mistakes next week. And I am thankful for the permission to grow in this area I have learned to give myself instead of setting unrealistically high ideals that exhaust me to try to carry out.

It's really, really hard to be consistent with those kinds of self-imposed demands amidst all the real-life demands we as moms carry.

So, take your meal plan this week and run it through a real run through, like that outlined in my Meal Planning Playbook. Doing so will help you identify ways that you can make your family's meal plan work smarter for you...so you don't find yourself needing to work harder than you already do!

Need one on one help with this? Schedule a free 30-minute strategy session!

On today's episode, I am sharing with you three of the steps outlined in my Meal Planning Playbook.

You can use these three things to take my free weekly meal plan, or whatever meal plan you choose, and make it work better for your family.

The key is to remember that a meal plan is only a useful tool if it works for you (not the other way around). So, learn how to meal plan smarter (and not find yourself working harder) with the three tips we talk about in today's episode.

For more help personalizing your family's meal plan, feeding picky eaters, or coordinating a menu that offers something for everyone, be sure you follow the Veggies & Virtue podcast, so you are notified each time a new episode drops.

Or you can reach out to schedule a free 30-minute strategy session so we can chat through your struggles with feeding picky eaters and raising healthy kids and together come up with a doable action plan.

Welcome to this episode where we dive deep into the common challenges parents face when their children want more food before finishing what's on their plate. Today, we're going to explore real-life scenarios shared by parents, starting with Erica's experience.

Erica opens up about her two-and-a-half-year-old, who insists on more bites even before completing a favorite love it food. On the episode (or in the transcript), we unravel the complexities of family-style meals and the introduction of new rules to minimize pushback and promote peace.

As we navigate through these scenarios, I want to highlight the importance of consistency, especially when there are recent changes in mealtime routines. Join me as we delve into practical insights on handling boundary testing and setting expectations, including portion sizes and addressing common concerns about children favoring specific foods.

Stick around to discover practical approaches and effective strategies to navigate these mealtime struggles with our little ones. Let's jump right in!

Ready to work together? Sign up for a free 30-min strategy session here!

For this week's free, family friendly meal plan, we are talking about how to take any meal idea and make it healthy, a fan favorite, and full of the foods you already have on hand (or actually want to be buying)!

You can use my free meal planner and grocery list to get started here.

Or you can purchase my Meal Planning Playbook for a 20-page guide that is complete with the 5-step process we discuss on today's episode plus all the templates and printables that you could need for a rinse and repeat meal planning process as a busy mom.

• If you 1-on-1 support or want to book a free 30-minute strategy session for the new year, secure a spot on my calendar here.
• If you are not yet signed up for my free weekly meal plans, make sure to do so here!