Use this action plan to help prepare and ask questions kids are more likely to answer. Avoiding open-ended questions like, “What do you want for lunch?” is the key to success.

Look at your week ahead and think about which main meal you’d be willing to have your children help plan and/or prep. After you pick the meal, narrow down the options.

Step 1: Choose two options for each part of the meal. 

Step 2: If you have more than one child, decide which part of the meal each child will get to choose. 

Step 3: Present the options to each child and let everyone help meal plan!

Example: “Riley, we are having chicken and roasted broccoli tonight. Do you want rice or pasta with the meal?”

Note: If your children are very young, consider using pictures or real foods to help them choose. 

Use this same idea to divide meal prep jobs.  Looking at the meal you’ve planned, see if there are age appropriate jobs for each child. If there’s more than one, let each child choose between the jobs. 

SAVE And Print

Click here to download a printable version of this action plan.