baked cherry vanilla almond oatmeal

There are a lot of things about being a parent that I couldn’t have predicted, but one of the most unexpected was how my eating would change.

It hasn’t changed in the way that I structure my meals (for those unfamiliar, read my food philosophy here!) but it’s definitely changed in that I have A LOT less time to put things together.

For those of you that have followed me for a while now, you know that I’ve never been super into meal prep.  Inevitably if I prepped something, I would no longer feel like it by the time the week rolled around.  I’ve just always done much better when I can eat whatever I happen to be craving in the moment.

That said, since having Owen that has had to change.  I no longer have the luxury of time to think about what I want, make it and eat it.  Meals are usually eaten quickly in between caring for him so meal prep has become much more important.

Each week I try to make at least something that I know I can heat and eat for a quick and easy meal and this week it was this baked cherry vanilla almond oatmeal.

This not only tastes delicious but it made the entire house smell so good while it was cooking.  It’s also super easy to take a piece in the morning, heat it, top with a little nut butter, yogurt and some more fresh fruit and viola – I’ve eaten and can move on with my morning!  I’m slowly adjusting to meal prepping simply because it makes my life so much easier – and when it’s between going without a meal until I have time to make one and eating something that has already been prepped, it’s a no brainer!