The last couple months or so has been life-changing, to say the least. Lots of events have happened, but one of the seemingly simple and yet biggest changes have resulted from a more nailed down meal plan that includes a homemade breakfast every morning- that we eat as a family.

This is something that does not come natural to me. I’m not a big fan of getting up in the morning… just ask my husband ;). And growing up, breakfast wasn’t a big deal. My mom was an excellent cook, but all the special breakfast food we had was either for dinner or on special occasions like Christmas or birthdays. Day to day, it was cold cereal, toast, or whatever you were willing to make for yourself. Being the oldest of 10, I was used to my mom still sleeping while we were getting ready to go to school, because she had usually been up all night with a baby or child (or two...or three… you get the idea) :).

Fast forward a few years- my husband has been gently begging me to make breakfast pretty much our whole marriage. With so many pregnancies and late nights, I’ve not been very good… or have done it at all...haha :). Well, this recently changed. With our kids getting older, and with our family wanting to establish better habits (regular family scripture study that isn’t just a few verses before bed, an early start to the day, exercising, etc), I decided it was time to get my butt in gear and fulfill my homemaking duties by making my family breakfast, and gathering them so we are all eating together! (It’s not like my kids sleep in anyways ;) ).

When I have created meal plans in the past, they have always been dinners only, and I’ve just made sure I have enough eggs, bread, lunchmeat, etc on hand to get by with breakfasts and lunchs. Well, about 1 ½ months ago, I decided to meal plan every single meal- I mean, with Cook’n, it should be a breeze, right? The hard part would be getting up in the morning before everyone else to get a head start on my day, and make sure that breakfast was prepared early enough that we could all sit down together before my hubby takes off for work.

And you know what? It’s been completely and totally worth it. I have noticed a huge difference in my family. My husband has been so much more cheerful- because he’s starting the day with his family rather than to a quiet, sleepy house. I have felt more at peace with myself, knowing I’m providing this service to my family, and increasing my recipe repertoire and honing my kitchen skills. Everyone is well-fed in the morning, so my children are generally happier and everyone eats smaller portions at lunch and dinner. And we have been able to study our scriptures as a family every day (including weekends, which has always been a struggle for us;) ), and that alone has probably had the biggest impact. We have been closer as a family and there has been more peace in our home. It’s something that has definitely confirmed to me that I made the right choice.

Now, we haven’t been perfect. I’ve had sick days or there’s been days we’ve had to take off early in the morning, but having a few homemade frozen breakfast burritos in the freezer has helped with that. The biggest thing is that we have been more consistent in planning our breakfasts and sticking to them, and it has resulted in saving money, increasing my cooking skills, and most importantly- my family has definitely grown closer together and are happier. And that is priceless.

So I’m curious- how many of you eat breakfast together as a family? I’m sure it gets harder the older your kids get! If you don’t eat breakfast as a family, is it something you’d be willing to give a try? I’d love to hear your thoughts!