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As mentioned in a previous post... I hate making dinner. I think its because I am a poor planner and my family is very picky. So to combat that and because making dinner can't be optional I tried to organize the whole process.
First I sat down with Alan and made a list of dinners (he is picky too).
Then I listed all the things I needed to make them, plus snacks, breakfast and lunch items. Oh and with Christmas around the corner the extra stuff to make and enjoy too.
I then set out to first Target to finish off the Christmas shopping I bragged was done (its never really done).
Then onto the grocery store and finish with Costco. All in one day, mistake #1.
All organized and bought I have tons of food. Fridge needs to be cleaned out etc... The twins were terrors at Costco and the store was a zoo (mistake #2). I put them down for nap time and laid on the couch in defeat. We are going out for dinner tonight.
In seriousness I am putting the list of meals down (ingredients are bought for all) as they are used they will be crossed out. This way for the next 8 days I will have meals already purchased ready to prepare. I can just choose which one for which day as needed. It should work, in theory. Right? So how do you plan and prepare you meals? What makes your system easier? What do you do when someone hates the meal? Do they skip dinner? Can they make an alternate item? I'd love your thoughts.
Oh and in the interest of updates. I am getting braces on January 7th. Thanks so much for all the encouraging comments!
15 comments:
Congrats on making a decision about braces! I'm sure it'll be an adjustment at first, but totally worth the results.
Dinner is the one meal in my house that my kids have to eat what's prepared. I let them chose breakfast and lunch, but I DO NOT do two dinners. I just got a cookbook that I love by Pampered Chef. I think it's called 26 minute meals? Easy, quick, but delicious and varied meals. I usually only buy the ingredients for 4-5 dinners per week b/c one night is usually one and the other one or two are left overs or something really simple.
I'm very much like you! Totally unprepared for dinner time. To make matters worse Trelise won't eat things mixed together so everything has to be separated - she would like separate plates if I let her!
I've done the list of meals for the week and it works really well. I still sadly have to make two (or even three) meals to suit everyone!
I'm cooking dinner for the first night in probably 2 weeks. I've got no answers for you.
Though I do find that Market Day works wonders for me. I have a stash of frozen stuff that everyone will eat that I can go to at the last minute and pull a dinner off.
Good luck!
Yep, having all the necessary ingredients always throws me off too...and time! I'm always coming home after work and don't have the time or energy to make a full-blown meal everynight. I look forward to hearing how the meal planning works for you. I just make one dinner...no choices and what they eat.
Good luck with the braces!
I plan a menu for 2 weeks buy all I need and I'm ready to go. Although I don't follow what I have written down, I usually make what I feel like eating.
If one of the kids doesn't like what I make, they don't eat. (they usually end up eating though), I don't make 2 meals. At our house it's EAT WHAT'S PLACED BEFORE YOU, IF NOT, WE HOPE YOU ENJOY BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING.. Yeah I know, I'm so mean. :)
Loved your Costco Post above. :)
Yay, we'll be mettle mouth sisters!
I can't believe you sat down and planned a menu. I'm dying to see it.
i plan 5 meals each week and grocery shop accordingly. jim makes homemade pizza every friday, and the other day is left over day. i HAVE to have a meal list to grocery shop, otherwise i go spend $150 and get home and don't have anything for a complete meal! my kids aren't real picky, but if they don't like dinner that's too bad. :)
If you only knew how much I hate the responsibility of dinner! Ugh! Seriously. I am always telling my husband that it is the one thing that completely overwhelms me. And I blame him. Because he wants meat, potatoes, bread and vegetables every night. I'm not joking. I would be happy with a can of corn. So when I go bananas and make what he wants, I usually end up hating his guts by the end of the night. Because HELLO! I have to clean up after it to!
My mom got me 12 meals from Dream Dinners before I had Cooper. And that was totally awesome. SO easy and my family loved everything.
But I have to do the meal planning thing to. Because if I just shop without anything being in writing, I forget what meals I thought I would make. So I end up staring at all the food with no idea what to make and then end up with pancakes and eggs.
I had to laugh at the going out to dinner part.
I plan for 2 weeks worth of meals. (Usually 10 meals considering leftovers)
I buy everything I need for those meals and keep my list of dinners hanging in my pantry and cross out as we eat them. We eat the most perishable meals first. Then I randomly select thru the next two weeks based on time allowance and preference. I've done it for three years and has worked well so far. But I have a few rules I follow...
#1 I rarely make a meal the day I go shopping. (We either eat out, grab a pizza or a throw a quick frozen meal in the oven)
#2 I ALWAYS have the makings for a few of our favorite non-perishable meals (homemade spaghetti, tuna pasta salad, chili and cornbread, chicken and rice, taco soup) These things aren't always on my planned menus but they are super quick to throw together and everyone in the fam will eat them.
#3 I always plan at least 2 of the meals to be from frozen. (IE: lasagna, pizzas, chicken pot pies)
#4 I made a family cookbook and it has a list of ALL the meals we eat so that I don't forget even the simplest meals (BLT's, Egg Salad Pita Pockets, Nachos, Club sandwhiches, Chicken Caeser Salad...) All the things I don't need a recipe for, but don't want to forget when planning the menu.
#5 I make ONE dinner. Everyone eats the same meal, no exceptions.
#6 Anything that can be frozen will be bought in bulk and frozen. (IE: chopped onion, grated cheese, chicken, ground beef, loaves of bread/dough, frozen veggies, butter...) This cuts down of future ingredient purchases. (And if nonperishable things are on a good sale, I buy a few.)
#7 I try hard to keep variations of meat, pasta, fish, salads in my menu plans.
#8 Not all dinners need side dishes! Chicken pot pie has the meat, veggies and carbs all in one dish.
As for picky eaters, I am pretty lucky here. Mike doesn't like celery or onion, other than that, he eats what I make. With Lauren and Brooke, they pretty much eat it all too. Brooke eats far less than Lauren did at 2 years, but as long as I ***curb the snacks thru the day*** she eats dinner just fine.
For the meals they don't care for as much, YES, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO EAT A VERY SMALL PORTION AND THEN NOTHING ELSE til the next meal. Skipping one meal is not going to kill them! The only alterations I allow are for things to be seperated. (Lauren doesn't care for things with a lot of mixed textures, so, for example, instead of a sandwich; I let her eat her bread, meat, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes separate.) Otherwise, they eat it or go without.
sorry, long answer.
...and congrats on the braces!
I hate making dinner, too. Its seems no one every really enjoys it since we all have very different tastes. I just stress out over it and we end up ordering sushi or something!
♥ I have a hard time concentrating at the store and getting everything when I have the kids with me.
As for meals. You get what we're having or you don't eat. However if I know a kid hates a certain food I'm not going to make it and force them to eat it. So either I don't make it or I make sure that there are different sides that will be filling for them. I just figure it's mean when I know that they hate it an I still make it... :)
I second what Shelby said. That is how we have been working dinners. One thing that might help is have the kids plan the menu with you. Have each child pick a dinner for that week. So Monday could be Jacob's night, etc. Of course it can't just be ice cream and French fries, but let them pick the main dish, the vegetable they like, etc.
My parents kind of did this growing up where you got to have one food you did not like and were not required to eat. Rikki hated cooked bell peppers, so she got to veto those. Mine was quiche I think. Anyway, we all don't like some foods so giving them one that that they don't ever have to eat might help.
BUT last night we had spaghetti and meatballs, a fav with the kids, and I got moans and groans. It was after I left for Enrichment, that Chris gave them the "talk" that they eat what’s on their plate. After the talk, he said they ate two servings (kid size) and some sourdough bread.
But I think the HUGE key is meal planning. I HATE deciding what to make when I have a 1/2 hour to get it ready and hungry whining kids at my leg.
Your two older ones can help in the kitchen a little. Maybe that will help with their enthusiasm when it’s time to eat.
Good luck!!! I think its a mom's battle that never ends, so don't get too frustrated.
I think everyone hates to do dinner unless it is pre-planned. My kids tend to be a bit picky but my rule is that you eat what is on your plate or there is no dessert. That method works really well for us. If they don't want to eat it, that's fine, but no other snacks or treats for the rest of the night and I stand really firm on that. One night of a growly belly and they learn really quick!
Congrats on the braces. I am sure you will love the results. A few months of pain in the butt but a lifetime of gorgeous teeth. Totally worth it!
The thing that works best for me is making a menu with the days and everything, everyone picks a meal and I fill it in. I shop for everything for the week, and follow the menu. It helps soooo much, I am a wreck by dinnertime. To be honest, I only do this about once every 3 months, so Luke has to stop on his way home a lot...hee hee. I'm getting better. But I never make anything but what I've made, especially for Luke, because I would be cooking 7 different meals, and I cannot handle that!! I can hardly get one meal on the table!!
Around here it is hit and miss. Sometimes we are really good and have something in mind and can make it. Other times we have cereal. It seems to depend on how tired I am by the time we get home. Our biggest obstacle is the kids and I get home at 5 and they go to bed, most of the time, at 7. That doesn't leave much time when you have to get homework done, spend time with the kids reading, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up dinner, and get them ready for bed.
Sometimes Mike is awesome and says that if I at least know what I want for dinner he will make it when he gets home.
I have tried this in the past and it works for us for a while, then we get lazy, then we try it again. I have made a list of 30 dinners that we like and all eat. This works well if you are trying to work on food storage. Most of our dinners take frozen meat so I don't have to worry too much about keeping things fresh. This also makes it so you don't have to go shopping as much.
Our kids eat what they are given. If they don't like it they will say they are good and go play for a bit. Next thing you know they are asking for a treat. We tell them they can have one once they finish their dinner. Either they finish their dinner or they can live without the treat!
And I am glad you found me!
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