I stopped cooking for my family. And it's cool.

I have 4 sons. And they all eat. And so does my husband. The nerve.

Every day - "what's for dinner?"

This drove me nuts. And this is pretty sad because for years food was my jam. I have loved cooking some pretty amazing stuff. I even started a supper club at our farm. I still love food and cooking for fun.

But cooking for a small army every day for 14 years takes the joy out the 'joy of cooking.'

So I stopped. And before you assume that my husband is now the chef du jour- he's not. We stopped cooking meals altogether. We collaborated on a choice for our family.

Here's what we have done for the past 6 months.

It's lazy food prep. I cook about 5lbs of protein on the grill (easier clean up). And I buy vegetables, fruit, and cereal. Thanks to our farm chickens, we always have eggs.

When you are hungry- it's your job to put together a balanced meal with what's available.

Something magical happened as a result. I have ZERO STRESS OVER MEAL TIMES. My kids and husband are more independent. And my husband (Steve) and I have lost a combined 30+ lbs and reduced our body fat % significantly.

We all know the benefits of meal prepping. But I used to prep like real dishes. Casseroles and such. It was just too much. It wasn't much healthier and 'dishes' like that often don't age well in the fridge. Most got tossed.

This far more simple method has resulted in us eating more protein (100+ grams a day), feeling more satiated, and has mostly removed my emotional relationship with food. I can honestly say that food is fuel now. I eat to solve for hunger. A chicken breast isn't very comforting. But it sure is filling.

And guess what. My kids did not even notice. Seriously. They don't care at all. We still spend as much time together and we do usually eat together. But it's with less stress and is better for us.

A win for the Bauer household.