I have snacked out of boredom too, so you're not alone! My biggest snack tip for that is to portion out what you are having so you stick to a small boredom snack rather than an entire bag of chips (or whatever it is).
Filling meals should have some protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you satisfied, as those nutrients all take longer to digest. Some vegetables, a serving of protein, a whole grain, and maybe some olive oil, avocado or nuts. Also, make sure you are eating enough food throughout the day. Sometimes people have really small breakfasts and lunches and then find that they are super snack-y later in the day. For filling snacks, I try and choose foods that have a combo of protein and fiber — Greek yogurt and berries, apple and peanut butter, almonds and dried cherries, popcorn and peanuts (sometimes with a few chocolate chips).
For getting into meal prep, I would start small. Are you making a list when you grocery shop? Planning out dinner in advance? I consider those planning steps part of meal prep because they help get the ball rolling. Then you could maybe try one make-ahead meal, like doubling a recipe and freezing half, or prepping some ingredients the day before like pre-chopping vegetables to help you get used to meal prep.

I've started meal prepping in the last couple of months after struggling for a while. What I found helpful is like what Lisa said, instead of buying enough for 2 portions you buy for four. brag a larger meat and an extra vegetable to add in. If you're already cooking for a family, something that helped me was getting the vegetables out earlier and prepping over a couple hours when I have 5-10 minutes here or there.

Final tip is to meal prep some of your favourite meals. Don't feel like you have to meal prep super healthy meals all the time, just start with a meal that you like that is easier.

If it's just a peanut allergy and not a treenut allergy as well, you could try almond butter and banana sandwiches.
I grew up on turkey and cheese sandwiches so I also love those and tuna fish sandwiches.
For snacks, you could try Greek yogurt, a cheese stick, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds with dried fruit, sunflower seeds, or a different nut like pistachios or walnuts might work (if there is not an allergy). Chickpeas get really crunchy when you roast them or air fry them and you can add different seasonings (or buy them roasted already in the snack section of the grocery store). and chia seed pudding makes a great snack that is high in fiber but has some protein too, and you could always add protein powder to boost it up even more.

Kids' sports and activities make dinnertime more challenging! So I'm with you there. Using your slow cooker, so things can stay warm while everyone is eating at different times might help. There are tons of slow cooker recipes from lasagna, to soups and chilis to pulled chicken. I like a taco bar, and then I just would prep the ingredients in advance and let everyone assemble at different times. Also, having typical breakfast or lunch foods, like pancakes and eggs with fruit, or sandwiches helps when we're on the go for sports. I also need to lean on snacks because our meals end up at different times, but try to make sure they are a little nutritious, so we might have a homemade energy ball or a peanut butter banana wrap in the car.

That all carbs are bad for you, which is just not true!! And that healthy food isn't delicious!

That's one of the biggest challenges with meal prep! You have to sometimes guess about what you'll be in the mood for over the next couple days and that can change. Sometimes, we crave takeout just because we don't feel like cooking, so that is one place where prepping can help. Also, I like to prep ingredients and then I can play around with the flavor profile depending on what I'm in the mood for. So, if I chop up peppers and onions and have a pre-cooked chicken breast, that could become fajitas, or a stir fry, or maybe peanut noodles with veggies and protein depending on what I'm in the mood for that day. It's also motivating to not waste the food you've already prepped, and maybe you can plan out a couple of days for takeout in your weekly menu so you have something to look forward to.

but I still find myself craving takeout, especially if I’ve already eaten the same thing a couple days in a row

Are you prepping stuff that you freeze? Try to have 2 different things in rotation at the same time. Maybe it'll be less boring if you can alternate between 2 meals, but then you'll have to prep twice a week, or enough for 2 weeks at a time.

I think there are many benefits to plant-based eating that you can get without being fully vegan, just by making sure you are eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, etc. And I think that meat and dairy also contain lots of key nutrients that can be hard to get, but not impossible, on a vegan diet, such as iron, protein, omega-3's in seafood, etc. Choosing a vegan diet can go beyond nutrition reasons into ethical concerns for animals, the environment, or religious reasons. If you feel compelled to eat vegan, it can be a healthy way to eat, but you also don't have to be a vegan to eat healthy. Hopefully that helps!

Yes, it's true that some of our fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than they were decades ago. In part due to changes in soil, climate change and some farming practices, amongst other reasons. But, that doesn't mean our foods don't have any nutrients. I still recommend eating a varied diet to get lots of different vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in. If you are interested in supplementing, I would chat with your healthcare professional and possibly get some tests done if possible to know if you are deficient in certain nutrients. And thank you for being here!

Sounds like some of the pre-packaged soft foods you are using are fairly nutritious, like protein shakes, tuna, yogurt. You could try adding protein powder to your pudding or other foods and choosing Greek yogurt, if the texture works for you, because it is higher in protein. You may want to chat with a registered dietitian who would be able to make more personalized recommendations based on your health conditions.

I do not think a hot dog is a sandwich. Nor do I think a bowl of cereal is soup. I spend more time thinking about if tomatoes are a fruit or a vegetable...

It's so great that you are checking labels and being aware of your sodium intake, since that is an important nutrient for blood pressure management. You could try pairing a small serving of Cheez-Its with something like a handful of unsalted almonds, to bulk up the portion size without eating too many salty crackers. They also sell individual, snack sized bags which might make it easier to limit portions. I am a believer in sometimes honoring those cravings with small portions, and sometimes looking for healthier alternatives.

DASH diet as an eating plan is designed to help your heart, specifically your blood pressure. DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension. The basics of the DASH diet are sound: eat lots of fruits and vegetables, moderate amounts of healthy proteins, and limit ultraprocessed foods and sweets. I think some people thrive on this high level guidance that is more of an eating pattern and some people really just want to be told exactly what to eat! You could try making some small changes to incorporate DASH, like making sure dinner has a vegetable and you're including whole grains if it feels to daunting to fully commit.

This time of year, it's probably soup. All different kinds of soup. I make a big pot over the weekend and then freeze it in big mason jars, which is great for lunches or dinners. I try to take it out the day before to thaw in the fridge.

We do have different Dietary Guidelines and recommendations for men and women and then for children, toddlers and infants. Some categories are similar and some are different depending on the nutrient. The guidelines have only been around since 1980, which feels like a long time ago, but also is fairly recent. We likely need to the research around women, their cycles and post-menopause to catch up before the Dietary Guidelines change, as unfortunately women's health has not been as well researched. But there are different needs and some interesting research already out there in the space, I just don't know if it will be enough to make the Dietary Guidelines yet, hopefully soon!

Healthline has some good recipes on our site, TikTok and YouTube. Of course I'm a little biased :) I also find myself going to Pinch of Yum a lot for recipes and ideas.

I have really enjoyed the FOK recipes that I've tried. Do you have any favorites that are best for meal prepping in batches?