Does anyone else struggle with getting a nice dinner on the table every night. Has this happened to anyone else? Honestly I thought I was the only one who struggled with this until Cub Scout Pack Meeting last Thursday. It was about 8:30p.m. and I was talking to some of the other scouts' moms. I admitted to them that we had not eaten dinner before we came, and I did not even know what we would eat when we got home. They all said they were in the same boat! One mom said that during soccer season (she has six kids and two of her teenagers are all star soccer players) they usually eat cold cereal for dinner. She had bought "Honey Bunches Of Oats", because that was her husbands favorite and he didn't complain too much. Well, I was feeling pretty good after that, because I don't remember ever feeding Garrick cold cereal for dinner. I made grilled cheese and ham sandwiches for dinner when we got home just before 9:00 Thursday night. We do usually eat before 9:00 at night, but we really don't have a set time for dinner. I hate trying to decide what we are going to have for dinner each day. I used to just feed the kids when dinner was ready, then Garrick would eat whenever he got in the house. Then I read in the July 2007 Ensign an article titled "Three Tools to Build a Sacred Home." One of those three tools was "We need to make family mealtime a daily event." Since that time I have been trying extra hard to plan meals and make it something that the kids and Garrick will like. I have been trying to cook tacos and spaghetti less often. I have been making an effort to coordinate with Garrick when he will be coming home, so we can wait and eat with him. I have found that most of the time when I call and tell him that dinner is about ready and we are having his favorite such and such he can make it in pretty quick. I have found that I can do a pretty good job on the days that things are not too crazy. When I am home most of the day, and I don't have to feed calves, when we are not trying to finish up Kyle's and Jorge's (another one of my scouts) rockets for the Pack Space Derby (that's what happened Thursday). So now I am trying to make that step to having a great dinner with the whole family gathered around even on a crazy day. First of all, is that possible? and if so, how do you do it?
I did get some ideas from The Freezer Cooking Manual 30 Day Gourmet. This book has great recipes with direction for making several of the same meal at once then freezing them for later. You can use this to make a month's worth of meals in one day and stick them in the freezer. I know I'm not ready for that (I would at least have to get a freezer first) but I learned from my mom that it is always nice to brown a bunch of hamburger at once and freeze for later. CeCille always freezes cookies and desserts, so she has something for the grand kids or for someone that needs a visit and a treat. Anyway, I would love to hear your ideas!
2 comments:
my crockpot is my best friend! When I use it, I try to get the meal in it during lunch. That way I clean up the lunch and dinner prep messes at the same time and when dinner time rolls around everything is ready to go. I also like to cut up chicken and beef, put it in marinade and freeze it (in the marinade). That way I can just pull it out, cook it and add whatever (stir fry, rice, etc.) for a fast meal. I definitely am not the best at making dinner every night, but it helps if I know what we are having by at least lunch time that day. If I don't think about it until 6:00, then we usually end up with something like cereal!
I wish I was better about dinner because my life isn't to busy yet. I like Gwen's ideas. I always feel better when I have decided whats for dinner and done some of the prep while the kids are napping. Also I definately like the crockpot!!! I want to try some of the recipes in the book that you mention Holly! Another freezer would be so nice.
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