Fight Back With A Plan

If you haven't figured out by now that planning has real value, then hear it today. Planning ahead cuts down on waste, cuts the grocery bill, and cuts time. While reading a brief article about toddlers snacking, I was surprised by one sentence. "If you're headed to the market with your child in tow, be prepared to buy an on-the-spot snack, but make it something reasonably healthy." Though I believe they mean well- try to make it healthy-but really?... should my toddler really expect me to buy a snack each time we shop somewhere? And should I really compromise my grocery list and budget each time my toddler wants something? I would much rather spend a couple minutes before we leave to pack a snack that I know I've chosen carefully on a previous shopping trip, probably got on sale and used a coupon, and can even consider what else my toddler has already eaten that day, helping to perhaps fill a gap in her diet with my choice. All I have to do is think about it before we leave and bring it along.


Now, don't get stuck on the "toddler" talk. I'm referring to toddlers because that's the sentence topic I chose to quote, and because that's who I'm planning for, BUT you can enter your child here (at any age) or even... yourself. No maybe you don't have a small tantrum if you don't get a candy bar, but don't we even as adults give in to those very abrupt "cravings"? We have to have it, only because we've allowed ourselves to justify any reason whatsoever. So what if we had instead, had a small, well-thought-out treat on the drive over, or had it waiting in the car for after? Most of us don't need animal crackers to get us through grocery shopping, but if you know you may submit to some bad choices because of lack of planning, then consider combatting that with... a plan!

I use this planning tool for nearly any outing- especially with my child. We bring drinks along for being out-and-about all day, bring a couple snacks when we don't know where we'll end up and when, and even keep items in the diaper bag for unexpected moments of snacking necessity. By expecting the unexpected, we can save money on impromptu moments of weakness, and make better choices on what we eat by not limiting our choices to what's available at the time.