This past month ½ has been rough for my family! I have not been feeling well and I’ve had a lot of down days. I definitely take my health for granted; it’s so much harder to be on top of a meal plan and actually make dinner when you are always feeling sick! I think this is something many people struggle with, for various reasons. Sometimes it’s a chronic condition (my mother-in-law as arthritis and scleroderma, my cousin with Lyme disease, my neighbor has MS), and other times it’s a temporary thing (e.g. a surgery, pregnancy). Whatever the cause, when one parent isn’t up to their normal health (especially the one that usually does the cooking), it can really make regular meals a challenge! So what can you do to combat this?

Plan ahead! This can’t be the case all the time, but if you know you’ll be going in for major surgery that will prevent you from cooking for a few weeks, prepare several freezer meals ahead of time so that you can still have home-cooked food without the intense work that often goes into it! Even if you’re not able to put a freezer meal in a crock pot, surely a spouse or older child can do that ;). This is easier said than done when dealing with a chronic illness, but it’s still a good idea to plan as much as you can; if you’re having a good week with your MS or arthritis, utilize that phase of good health by preparing meals and freezing the leftovers so that you have some meals ready for those days when you aren’t doing so well.

Going along these lines, think simple when planning meals! If your budget allows, don’t hesitate to invest in a few frozen dinners or simple frozen foods (e.g. burritos, chicken nuggets) for those days when you’re really struggling. Your family will be understanding, and they’ll just be grateful that they have something to eat! You can also have a few cheaper simple meals on hand- (boxed pastas, canned soups, etc) so that you can still have simple meals on hand without breaking the bank!

When planning meals, don’t plan anything crazy and intricate- go with simple salads, smoothies, crock pot meals- foods that just require you to put it all together. If you’re having a better day and want to make something more gourmet, go for it! But overall, it’s better to plan out simple, easy-to-prepare meals, especially if you can’t predict which days will be better or worse!

Don’t be afraid to let your family members step up too! Sometimes all it takes is asking your spouse or an older child you trust to make dinner, and you’d be surprised what they come up with! Chances are, they’d love to have the opportunity to serve and show off their cooking skills. If you’re dealing with a more inexperienced cook, maybe spend some time looking through a cookbook with them so you can help them with ideas ;).

Along those same lines- don’t be afraid to ask for help. During times of hardship, our family, neighbors and friends are often more than willing to lend a hand. Don’t turn down genuine offers of help! If a neighbor offers to bring in dinner, don’t feel bad for saying “Yes! That would be wonderful!” Giving service to others often blesses the giver as much as the receiver- and you can always take a turn when your health is doing better ;).

Don’t be hard on yourself! Often when we are struggling with health, we start to struggle with our mental health, our self-esteem. Cut yourself some slack! If you know you are doing your best, then don’t compare yourself with others who are in a different health condition than you! Just keep taking steps forward (no matter how small ;) ), and don’t beat yourself up when you have to take a step back!

What have you done in the past to make sure your family is fed during times of chronic illness or hardship? I’d love to hear your ideas! Share in the comments below :).