Paradox of Choice and the Free Weekly Menu and Shopping List from Home Ec 101 #12

Why Do Cuffs and Pocket Flaps Bunch a...

Paradox of Choice and the Free Weekly Menu and Shopping List from Home Ec 101 #12

Heather says:

Here we are, another week, tomorrow's Fat Tuesday party will colorfully mark the passing of time, as on Wednesday we, and at least a billion others, solemnly begin the season of Lent. I know most of you don't come here for reasons related to religion, just tell me how to get the mustard out of my shirt already, but tradition and history are a big part of our personal culture. Sometimes paying attention to those cultural cues can make life a little easier. What on earth are you babbling on about, Heather?

Many of our problems stem from having too much choice, at least for those of us in developed countries.

That's crazy talk, Heather, choice is what gives us freedom.

Well yes, but only to a point.

We live in a weird, often wonderful, place where having too much much choice is actually a detriment to our ability to function. There is a name for this term, coined by Barry Schwartz author of The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less. If you have fifteen minutes, head over to TED and check out Barry Schwartz's talk. His talk may help you understand why sometimes simple chores like buying clothes or even making a grocery list can become these overwhelming tasks. There's just to much worry about what we might be missing when we choose one thing over another. To counter this, I suggest you:

Shift your mindset.

Set some parameters.

Enjoy less complicated choices.

This brings me back to menu planning and tradition. In our church, during the Lenten season we abstain from meat on Fridays. This is one less choice I have to make. It's Friday, so we're choosing fish. I don't have to find a fancy fish dish, either as that would totally miss the point. Well, think about it, dining on lobster isn't exactly a sacrifice. You get the point now, right?

If you are just starting to menu plan, I suggest you use parameters to make the task manageable. We are told to eat fish at least once a week, but what night? Fish on Fridays, boom, one less choice to make. Reduce your intake of animal protein, both for health reasons and as a means to cut your budget. Yes, but what night? Meatless Mondays, check and done. In our world, as strange as it is, you just might find placing parameters on your planning freeing.

Do you use parameters to menu plan?

Here's the printable shopping list for this week's menu courtesy of SayMmm.com.