What We Spent on Groceries the Weekend of 2.7.26 (With Receipts)

What We Spent on Groceries the Weekend of 2.7.26 (With Receipts)

This post documents exactly what we spent on groceries the weekend of February 7, 2026 for our family of five. I’m sharing real totals, store breakdowns, and receipts for transparency, along with context around seasonal and one-time purchases. This week serves as the baseline for an ongoing, real-life grocery budget series—no smoothing, no skipping uncomfortable numbers.

Read More
Our December 2025 Meal Plan (How I Meal Planned for a Family of 5 Without Losing My Mind)

Our December 2025 Meal Plan (How I Meal Planned for a Family of 5 Without Losing My Mind)

A real look at how I meal planned in December for a family of five, handwritten pages, repeated dinners, crossed-out grocery lists, and all. This is what a flexible, real-life monthly meal plan actually looks like when you’re feeding kids, juggling work, and keeping decision fatigue low.

Read More
How I’m Tracking Macros in Lose It Without Burning Out

How I’m Tracking Macros in Lose It Without Burning Out

I’m tracking macros in Lose It without overthinking food or chasing perfection. After 21 days of consistent tracking — through holidays, travel, and real life — I’ve learned that simple, repeatable meals and low-stress systems matter more than variety or motivation.

Read More
How I Meal Plan for a Family of 5 (Without Strict Recipes or Schedules)

How I Meal Plan for a Family of 5 (Without Strict Recipes or Schedules)

I don’t meal plan with strict recipes or rigid schedules. I plan in a way that leaves room for real life. In this post, I share exactly how I meal plan for a family of five using a flexible system that keeps us fed, reduces decision fatigue, and actually works during busy weeks.

Read More
ChatGPT Is My Trainer: How I’m Using AI to Build a Sustainable Fitness Routine

ChatGPT Is My Trainer: How I’m Using AI to Build a Sustainable Fitness Routine

I didn’t set out to make ChatGPT my personal trainer. I was looking for a way to stay consistent with training without burning out, overthinking, or restarting every few weeks. This post explains why I’m using ChatGPT as my trainer, how I set it up, and how it fits into the flexible systems I already use for meal planning, groceries, and tracking progress.

Read More
What We Cooked in November 2025 (How I Meal Planned for a Family of 5 Without Losing My Mind)
meal planning, meal prep, Family & Lifestyle Sarah Hanford meal planning, meal prep, Family & Lifestyle Sarah Hanford

What We Cooked in November 2025 (How I Meal Planned for a Family of 5 Without Losing My Mind)

In November 2025, I meal planned for a family of five during one of the busiest months we’ve had all year. Between school changes, sports, family visits, and work commitments, this post breaks down what we actually cooked, how I planned meals without strict schedules, and why flexible meal planning mattered more than perfection.

Read More
Simple High-Protein Snacks for Busy Moms (Quick, Cheap, and Kid-Friendly)

Simple High-Protein Snacks for Busy Moms (Quick, Cheap, and Kid-Friendly)

This guide breaks down the simplest high-protein snacks busy moms can actually stick to — no cooking, no complicated prep, just real grab-and-go options that keep you full and energized on chaotic days. If you want quick, cheap, kid-friendly protein ideas you can use this week, start here.

Read More
Cheap High-Protein Lunch Ideas for Busy Weeks

Cheap High-Protein Lunch Ideas for Busy Weeks

Trying to stay full, eat high-protein, and stick to a grocery budget? These are the five cheap, high-protein lunches I rotate every week as a busy mom of four. Simple ingredients, fast prep, and no overthinking — just real meals that actually keep you going.

Read More
High-Protein Meal Prep for the Week (Beginner-Friendly Guide)
Sarah Hanford Sarah Hanford

High-Protein Meal Prep for the Week (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Learn how to make high-protein meal prep simple, affordable, and beginner-friendly. This guide walks you step-by-step through choosing proteins, prepping fast meals, and building a weekly plan you can actually stick to — plus easy recipes, meal prep must-haves, and a free printable to help you stay consistent.

Read More
My Over-40 Garage Gym Strength Routine: Building Muscle at 47 as a Mom of 4
Sarah Hanford Sarah Hanford

My Over-40 Garage Gym Strength Routine: Building Muscle at 47 as a Mom of 4

Building muscle in your 40s doesn’t require a fancy home gym or complicated routines. In this post, I’m sharing my exact over-40 garage gym strength routine as a 47-year-old mom of four — the workouts I do each week, the simple equipment I rely on, and how I pair everything with high-protein meals to actually see results. If you want a realistic, sustainable way to get stronger in the middle of real mom-life chaos, this guide breaks it all down.

Read More
Budget-Friendly High-Protein Meal Prep to Build Muscle (Real Mom Edition)
Sarah Hanford Sarah Hanford

Budget-Friendly High-Protein Meal Prep to Build Muscle (Real Mom Edition)

Building muscle at home doesn’t require a pricey gym membership — it starts with simple, budget-friendly high-protein meal prep you can actually stick to. As a mom of four in my late forties, these realistic weekly recipes and easy prep strategies are what keep me fueled, consistent, and getting stronger right from my garage gym.

Read More