I’ve been trying to cook more to keep both my bank account and scale down, and let me tell you, it’s harder than I thought. It’s strange because I love to cook. I enjoy trying new recipes, foods and cuisine, and more than anything I like cooking for the people I love.

I thought it would be easy. My mindset was to go to work, get groceries after, and go home and make dinner. Simple, right? Wrong! There have been days where I got off early and going to the store afterwards was a breeze. But mostly there have been days when I get off later than usual, get stuck in traffic, weasel my way through the massive crowd at the grocery store, get stuck in more traffic, and by the time I get home am too tired to even lift a fork.

So how are we supposed to stay healthy by not eating out, and have enough strength and motivation to make dinner each night after a long day of work? I realized I had to strategize and come up with a plan. After much thought and take out (oops), I figured out what works best for me.

Sundays I plan my meals with my family or boyfriend (whoever) and come up with what we want to eat. If you’ve reached your halfway point with Jenny or have just met your goal and are starting to make more of your own meals, this is a great plan! You can get everything you need for a week’s worth of dinners in advance.

When I watched Nicole Sullivan’s recent video blog on Jenny Craig’s website I thought, “Wow, I know exactly how you feel! I’m excited about sitting as a family and eating together too!” It’s amazing how many families (whether it’s a couple or a family of eight) go through these same dilemmas. All it takes is sitting down and deciding that dinner time is family time and you can make it happen!

This can also be a fun way to interact with your family when deciding what meals you want during the week. If you’re on Jenny Craig you can make meals exciting by making a homemade version of what you’ll be having for dinner for the rest of your family! That way you are all eating the same kind of meal!

It’s also a great way to teach children good eating habits. By showing your children sitting at the table as a family is important, it builds a healthy habit. Children also learn the importance of eating healthy and nutritious food when they see you are making healthy choices with your Jenny meals, when you go to the grocery store together, help in the kitchen, and enjoy meals as a family!

So what’s on your plate tonight?

So as I previously pledged, I’m going to participate in the local St. Patrick’s Day race. I officially signed up this morning (eek!), and now I have to stick with it! I’m going to have to figure out a good routine to either get up early or run after work to train. I have a little less than a month so wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted! If you’re interested in finding a local race or marathon check out Cool Running’s website and find what’s coming up in your area!

In the meantime, since today starts my “no eating after dinner” vow for the next 46 days (April 3^rd seems so far away!) I’ve been trying to think of other ways I can get excited and enthusiastic besides late-night snacking while watching the Olympics.

I’ve decided I’m going to replace a bad habit with a good one. I absolutely LOVE to cook, although I do prefer baking! Since I can’t (correction, won’t) eat late at night, I’m going to make phenomenal dinners so I won’t have the desire or the stomach space to eat late.

Rather than just going to the grocery store and roaming the aisles for inspiration I decided visiting local farmers’ markets would be more fun! Not only are there awesome fruits and veggies that you can sample, but some of the stands offer free recipes as well! It’s a great way to get out with friends or family, and be a part of the community and get fresh produce. I found a great website where you can look up your local farmers’ markets, so rather than lounge around all weekend I’m going to hit up my local farmers’ markets! I’m excited to see what I can find, taste, and take back to create my next masterpiece! Who needs late-night snacks now?!

In honor of Mardi Gras starting tomorrow I thought I’d look into cooking a classic Cajun style dinner. Cajun food is absolutely delicious, but can pack on calories with butter and starch.

Thus I went on a mission to find a healthy dish. I finally came across a Cooking Light recipe that looks out of this world. The best part is not only is it healthy, but other New Orleans recipes are included as well!

So what the heck, lets try out a few! My top picks to make are the Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage, and for my sweet tooth I’ll make the Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. Both recipes are under 500 calories a serving, which is awesome! This may seem like a splurge, but if you plan ahead you can enjoy a special meal and keep on track.

Speaking of Mardi Gras, is anyone giving something up for Lent this year? I decided to challenge myself. After going back and forth trying to figure out whether or not I actually wanted to commit, I’ve decided no more eating after dinner. I’m going WAY out of my comfort zone. It will most definitely be hard to give up late night chips, popcorn, and dessert, but I think I can do it!

If anyone has advice besides locking my cabinets and refrigerator or placing an alarm system in my kitchen to keep me away from snacking, I’m all ears! For those of you who are also going to give something up this week, good luck! I’ll let you know how it went in April (eek that sounds far away); I should probably pick up a late-night hobby for the next 46 days!