How do you get dinner on the table every night without losing your mind? Melissa Griffiths shares her monthly meal planning system, how to get kids helping in the kitchen, and how to lighten the mental load around food.

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Pro tip from Melissa: Add "-AI" to your recipe searches to filter out AI-generated recipes!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Melissa Griffiths:

⁠Melissa's Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

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What if meal planning didn't have to feel like another thing on your endless to-do list?

Melissa Griffiths is the founder of Bless This Mess, a food blog she has been growing for over 13 years to help busy moms put simple, nourishing meals on the table. As a mom of five who recently moved her family from Utah to Vermont, Melissa knows what it takes to feed a family through every season of chaos.

In this conversation, Melissa shares her monthly meal planning system, including the master list method and how theme nights can take the decision fatigue out of dinner. We dive into getting kids involved in the kitchen and her "launch list" concept for life skills she wants her kids to have before they leave home.

Then the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Melissa opens up about her family's cross-country move after losing a family business, what it was like to downsize by two-thirds, and how to ask your partner for real help with the mental load.

Whether you are drowning in dinnertime decisions or just want a simpler approach to feeding your family, this episode will leave you with practical strategies and a fresh perspective.

In this episode, you will learn:

The master list method for monthly meal planning
How to get kids involved without it becoming a chore for mom
How to handle picky eaters without shame or food battles
Why smaller spaces can actually simplify your life
How to ask for help and share the mental load

Time Stamps:

0:00 Introduction 1:54 Meet Melissa Griffiths 6:23 The monthly meal planning system and master list method 9:12 Theme nights and delegating meal choices to kids 15:49 Getting kids involved in the kitchen without the guilt 20:03 The "launch list" of life skills for kids 23:43 Moving from Utah to Vermont after heartbreak 26:12 Downsizing by two-thirds and why smaller is simpler 35:35 The mental load and sharing invisible labor 42:25 Handling picky eaters with grace

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Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.silvermansound.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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We’d love to hear how you’re applying the strategies discussed in this episode. Share your stories and tips with us on social media (@wannabeclutterfree). Don’t forget to subscribe for more insightful episodes designed to make your busy life a bit easier.

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