Back in the day, my day of the early 1980’s, when my own kids were diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and learning disabilities, I instinctively knew that turning to nutrition and good food was critical in helping my kids (and me) cope with the health and learning issues they faced.
THE ‘OLDEN’ DAYS
In those days, you took your kids off milk/dairy, wheat, and sugar. Two kids, two separate food sensitivities/allergies, two separate ‘menus’ and a lack of any store that carried gluten-free or dairy-free—and the stores that did carry products were outrageously expensive.
Thankfully my mom was incredibly supportive, but for the most part in the early 80’s, you were pretty weird if you stepped outside the ‘norm’ of Kraft dinner, Ichiban noodles, sugar-laced packaged cereals, microwaved foods, Slurpees, and McDonald’s burgers with fries. Sigh. I can’t believe it now as I write this!
Buying food and making food became time consuming and expensive…and usually unappreciated! The boys’ health did improve, but it was a heck of a lot of work.
Again, thankfully, I was able to turn to my mom who was—and continues to be—a wizard in the kitchen. Without knowing that she was showing me some tried and true ‘old ways’ of cooking, that’s exactly what we were doing. Cooking from scratch, rather than convenience.
THE MODERN KITCHEN MEETS WITH TRADITIONAL WISDOM
In 2013 you met Adrienne Percy through one of the newsletter shout-outs, and now, great news! Adrienne is offering an amazing menu planning/food course called Menu Planning Maven. Here is what I wish I had in my early parenting days! Whatever the state of health of your children, we can all benefit from this course.
Here is a quote from her website that pretty much sums up her love of her work and how you can benefit:
“I love teaching moms everything they need to know so they don’t have to a) spend every waking moment in the kitchen, b) break the bank to feed their families really nourishing food and/or c) quit their jobs to decipher today’s food lingo (grass-fed, free range, expeller, cold pressed, natural, organic…). I believe that good food can save the world.”
You might have a lot of questions about the upcoming course, so here you go… Adrienne’s answers for all your concerns. How great that you have this resource in this decade!
Donna: Tell us more about your new course, Menu Planning Maven—what inspired you to create this course?
Adrienne: I love that you used the word ‘inspired’ because that’s exactly how this course feels! I created Menu Planning Maven because when I implemented this method in my home, it changed our world! Life just felt so much more manageable and, well, lighter! I wanted other mamas to experience that as well.
D: What are some of the biggest changes you’ve experienced in your own home with the addition of menu planning?
A: There have been so many, but I would say that I went from scrambling to get a good meal on the table on most days to mealtimes that were totally chill. You know those times where you connect as a family and where everyone pitches in?
I went from being totally burned out by midweek (and feeling like I would scream if I had to cook supper one more time…) to coasting into the weekend…
As a mom, I think we often aspire to these Leave it to Beaver mealtimes, but no one showed us how to do it sustainably- not with all that women have on their plates today! This class helps connect with all the things mamas of yesterday knew about how to get a meal on the table night after night without losing their minds!
D: To many of us, menu planning sounds overwhelming in and of itself—especially when it’s hard enough to find the time (or the energy…) to prepare dinner at the end of a busy day. Do you have any advice on how to integrate menu planning, so it isn’t just another item on our growing to-do list?
A: This is really all about rhythm and ‘going with the flow.’ About streamlining to make life easier. We talk a lot about that in the course because it is so, so, important—and many of these principles can be applied to other areas of your life as well!
As one mama told me, this method is so easy, that it is easier to do it than not to! She literally spends 10 minutes a week slotting in healthy, nutritious meals for her family using this framework. It really lightens the load.
D: Have you noticed any ancillary or side benefits we wouldn’t think of from your experience with menu planning?
A: Yes! There are all the obvious things- like the fact you will cut down on food waste and save money, but it also helps conscious moms stay committed to good food- because it’s manageable!
Here’s where it gets interesting (and slightly paradoxical): I have heard so many moms say that having the plan has inspired them to try new things.
The way I lay out menu planning in the course frees up so much extra time and energy that participants say they feel inspired to try stepping outside of the usual routine—in and out of the kitchen—because they have this safety net. How fun is that?
D: You draw a connection between sugar cravings, fussy eaters and allergies. I’m sure many of us can relate to that… How do they tie into menu planning, though?
A: I am sure every mother has had that experience of caving into their child’s demands for a less-than-desirable snack because you don’t have a plan. This puts you in a position of feeling much more able to cope and handle those situations.
In my mind, though, the real connection between all of those things is your inner ecosystem. In the course we talk about how to nourish the gut for optimal health and healing. Gut health is a special interest of mine and I will be sharing some of what we did in our own home to deal with all of those issues!
D: In the spirit of resolutions, some of us start out strong and gradually lose our resolve…. Have you found any tips or tricks to help stay the course and continue menu planning even when we start to lose motivation and momentum?
A: There are a few things to take into consideration when we think about commitment to our goals. Often we need to realize that it takes a certain amount of time to change old habits and patterns, and since this class is 6 weeks, you will have accountability during the implementation period—until menu planning becomes your new habit!
And secondly, we take into consideration what will work in YOUR home. With *your* family’s rhythm. And that’s so important, isn’t it? None of us have a cookie cutter life, so let’s recognize that and go with the flow!
TRANSPARENCY
Just so you know, this link is an affiliate link. That being said, I would only recommend this course if I knew that you would get enormous value from learning with Adrienne. Sign up and you will be glad you did!
Also, by being an affiliate for a course I believe in, it’s important for me to give back by offering scholarships to the Vaccine Free: Now What? e-course. In particular, supporting those who have children diagnosed on the autism spectrum gives me tremendous satisfaction. I all too easily remember the days of little money, expensive alternative therapies, and expensive dietary needs. Parents and families of children diagnosed on the spectrum in this decade face far more than I ever did as a 1980’s parent, and if a financial break can be given, we can share the wealth!
You can read more about Adrienne’s Menu Planning Maven course here. I know we can all learn a lot from her!
