Family Meal Plan – when a 9 year old takes charge

Last week my 9 year old complained about her dinner which was baked chicken breast, vegetables and pasta.

MISS 9 : “Mum, you know I HATE chicken, why do we eat SO MUCH chicken?”

ME: “We eat chicken about twice a week and as you know it is basically impossible for me to cook a meal that all three of you actually like. So yes, some nights you need to have chicken even when you don’t like it.”

MISS 9: “We eat chicken ALL THE TIME”

ME: “Here’s an idea. Why don’t you sit down and plan the dinners for the next week? As long as they are healthy meals I will choose which night I can cook them on depending on what else I am juggling.”

And so she did …

Here is our family meal plan as created by my 9 year old daughter.

Monday – Grandpa Casserole (this is a tomato and chicken based casserole my Dad makes when he visits. Apparently THIS chicken is OK because it has tomato with it)

Tuesday – Pizza (which can be eaten in lunchbox next day). Adults had left over Grandpa Casserole.

Wednesday – Fish Burgers (luck for us my husband went out fishing Tuesday morning so we had fresh snapper for these)

Thursday – Beef worms with Garlic bread (beef worms are just stir fry beef strips marinated in oil and garlic)

Friday – Bacon France Pasta (Friday my girls eat pasta in a thermos on the ferry on the way home from swim lessons in town)

My daughter acknowledged it was really hard to think up a whole week’s worth of meals. I think she did a pretty good job!

Perhaps I will let ask one of the other kids to be in charge next week?

Perhaps I never have to do the meal planning again??