Strategy Drives Operations… at Home Too
We’ve both heard this phrase countless times in the workplace: “Strategy drives operations.”
But here’s the truth: it applies just as much at home! Especially when you’re raising two young kids, balancing full-time jobs, and trying to stay healthy as a family.
Food is one of those areas where having a clear strategy makes all the difference. Without it, the wheels come off fast: meals get skipped, snacks become the default, and suddenly the day has gone by without real nutrition.
In our house, we’ve found a few guiding principles that keep us on track, even when time is short:
Minimal processed foods, no dyes, low-inflammatory, whole grains
Fruits and/or vegetables with every meal we eat together
Food prep that takes as little time away from our kids as possible
Supporting local whenever we can
This is Part One of a two-part blog series on feeding our family under a time crunch. Today’s focus is on how we execute our strategy, and next time we’ll share more about specific food choices and go-to meals.
And just like we talked about in this blog on staying organized, strategy is what helps keep the daily chaos from winning.
Grocery Shopping: Making Time Work for Us
Weis Markets is our go-to for weekly groceries. Their “shop-for-you” service costs just $5, and as far as we know, there’s no mark-up on the food.
For us, this is a no-brainer. We save hours each week, which we’d rather spend with our boys.
We also make a point to support our local farmers’ markets and farms whenever possible. It’s fresh, it’s local, and we get to know the people who grow the food that fuels our family. And when schedules get especially tight, ALDI USA has become a lifesaver — great produce, much of it pre-cut and pre-washed, at a fraction of the cost.
Keeping Meals Simple
We’ll admit it - we don’t cook nearly as much as we used to. And that’s okay.
Sometimes we order catering trays of healthy food and stretch them into several meals. Other times, we lean on simple recipes using ingredients we already have on hand.
A few favorites:
EatingWell.com and their daily recipe emails
And whenever possible, we let the kids “help.” Sure, it takes longer, but they feel included — and we’ve found it keeps them from competing for attention while we’re cooking.
Why It Works for Us
At first glance, it might seem like too much planning. But for us, strategy means freedom.
We don’t waste energy figuring out dinner at the last minute. We don’t default to takeout when the day gets hectic. And by staying consistent, we keep ourselves and our kids energized for work, school, play, and everything else in between.
As we wrote about in our blog on handling life’s surprises, preparation isn’t about perfection - it’s about building systems that make room for joy.
What’s Next
In Part Two, we’ll share the specific foods we rely on - our everyday staples, go-to snacks, and the little hacks that help us maximize nutrition in minimal time.
Because when it comes to the Modern Parent Juggle, the goal isn’t just surviving dinner, it’s feeling good enough to enjoy it together.
We’d love to hear from you: what’s your favorite way to save time and eat healthy during a busy week?