5 Ways to lead a more organised, healthy family life

Staying on top of family life can be tricky – especially when it comes to our current way of life of facing a pandemic and needing to maintain a healthier lifestyle for all family members. As parents, we are often tempted to make life easier especially when it comes to our family’s meals – which, unfortunately, can mean too many processed foods, takeaways and treats that should be allowed!

However, ensuring optimal health and nutrition for your family needn’t be a stretch. We’ve put together a cheat sheet of 5 tips to help you steer the course.

 

1. Ditch the “easy” microwave meals and do meal prep instead

Often, those microwave meals that are conveniently ready in a couple of minutes are packed with fats and high-calorie sauces. As convenient as these meals are to prepare, it is far better to rather do meal prep yourself so that you know what you are really getting from your meals.

Simply preparing a meal for four, for instance, and then freezing each portion for use for later will ensure that you have more control over the ingredients you and your family consume.

Meal prep needn’t be a drag, either – get the kids involved and let them assist in creating meals too! Not only will they learn about nutrition, but they will also enjoy this fun family activity!

2. Cut calories like a pro

Cutting out excess calories can ensure optimal health for you and your family. Simply making small changes, such as switching flavoured yoghurt for plain, changing the cut of meats you prepare by choosing less fatty portions and having lots of fruit available for snacking all will make a difference. Using lighter calorie oils when cooking can also save on hundreds of calories, literally hundreds!

3. Don’t have meal times in front of the TV

Eating while watching a favourite TV show can easily distract you from noticing your body’s cues that you are full and should stop eating. Rather unplug, set the dinner table and connect as a family as you discuss the day that was while enjoying healthy meals. Top tip, lighting a candle can help set the atmosphere at meal times and has in some studies shown to improve family interaction and mood during a meal.

4. Seek out activities that the whole family can enjoy

Although lockdown might have limited opportunities for us to exercise outside, there are still ways to get active. Treasure hunts for little ones in the garden, or mini- softball games with older kids can all be part of the fun of staying active and enjoy family time together. Try to organise and dedicate an evening each week for a games night where everyone can get involved, each week let someone pick the game you'll be playing to keep it fun and fresh, bingo is always a great one! You could also incorporate home made cooking into family fun nights - try family pizza making from scratch and see who designs the best pizza, we'll let you decide on the pineapple! 

 

5. Keep a calendar of important days and events

Staying on top of family life more often than not means also keeping track of important dates, such as birthdays, meetings, doctor appointments, virtual playdates and more. So, make it as easy on yourself as possible to keep track of these events. Whether you maintain a digital calendar or go the old-school route of sticking a printed out calendar on the fridge, this will take a lot of the stress out of keeping up to date with important dates and means you won't miss a single thing.

Stay organised and enjoy a stress-free family life

The world as we know it has changed so much in the past year – yet, through careful planning, we can ensure that we stay on top of family life and that our families are happy, healthy and enjoy the best nutrition possible. It is so easy to start this healthy way of living – so, why not start today? Having a plan in place to manage your health will brush off on your family and will give you the health, through optimal nutrition you need to keep in your highest spirts.

*Did you enjoy our blog? Be sure to check out our next edition, where we will cover another important family life essential: breakfast!