If there is something that I’m learning about myself over time is that I am a creature of habit and routine. Routine brings me comfort and a sense of balance I guess you can say, as well as sanity. During seasons of transition, like a new school year or after a holiday, I don’t feel “right” until I’ve established some sort of schedule aka routine aka positive habits. (It is all relative in my book.)

January felt a bit like a season of change for me. Our holiday break lingered, we went through some family surgeries and recovery, and it was the start of new year in general. In all honestly, I was feeling a bit of a funk. My work at home schedule has been all over the place for a couple of months now, as well as my gym schedule. Let’s just say, I do not function well with “all over the place”. So here’s to February and reestablishing routines, ok?

How am I reestablishing routines? Well, to start, I’m getting myself back in the gym at 5am. I started early morning workouts 2 years ago and I have to say, they have been life changing for me. Over the last 6 months I’ve found myself waking up later and later and not getting myself to the gym in the mornings (telling myself I’ll work out later). As painful as it is to hear my alarm go off at 4:15am, the feeling of satisfaction and well being I have when I’m driving home before sunrise is like no other. I need that feeling bottled up as a reminder for those mornings when I just want to snooze.

Other ways I’m working on my positive habits and routine is regularly writing and checking my calendar /planner, putting together loose meal plans, making sure I’m getting enough sleep (as well as self care in general), decluttering a few times a week and practicing yoga once a week. These are all actions that put me in a better place and help me become a better mom/wife/person in general.

Meal planning has never been my strong suit, but I try to write out 3 or 4 dinner ideas before I go grocery shopping after looking at what our schedule is for the week. What I’ve found that I do well with is having several go-to “recipes” that I know I can pull together without a ton of effort each week with our regular pantry, refrigerator and freezer items. For the most part most of these recipes can easily handle a seasonal produce swap so they are more like a formula to follow, and one that works because I already know (most) of my family will like what I’m making for dinner.

Here are 10 dinner recipes I make over and over for my family, my “old reliables” I like to call them – I’d love to hear about yours!