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7 comments:
Dinner is my responsibility to plan and cook. My husband will make something (usually French Toast or something breakfasty) if I ask him to or if I'm sick or something. But for the most part, dinner's my department. My husband has been patient and gracious for the past 6 years, as I came into the marriage not knowing how to cook. We're into a routine now where, if I try something new, he'll let me know what about it he likes or doesn't and if it should go into the once- or twice-a-month rotation. I'm glad he'll gently give me his opinion, because he's the only reason I cook. If it were up to me, we'd eat bread and water and fruit every night! (Sorry...weird favorite of mine.)
Since we've been married, it's been our routine to fend for ourselves for lunch. Sandwiches and leftovers are a main staple for lunchtime. Since we've had kids, though, I've had to prepare lunch for them. (Husband still sticks to "fend for self.") Luckily, my kids get excited about cheese and crackers for lunch, so I can usually pull together a sensible lunch for them (trying to cover the food groups). Making smiley faces out of the food on their plates help them get excited about it too. :)
I'm starting to realize that I should be preparing breakfast every day. We've usually done cereal or toast or banana bread or whatever's around. But my kids are usually REALLY hungry and will have second and third breakfasts. I'm looking to make some more filling breakfasts, though, I'm not sure where to start. What do YOU make for breakfast??
I make all of the meals around here (except for a rare exception a few few few times a year- and then it's usually pancakes! What's with the husbands and breakfast foods?). When we are all together for lunches I try to plan something that we all eat, but breakfast is usually whatever we have around.
I have been planning more breakfast meals. Our favorites are homemake waffles or pancakes (I like to make the batter the night before and have it ready in the fridge), 6 week bran muffins (you mix up the batter that makes about 50+ muffins and then it keeps in the fridge for weeks- and you make whatever amount you want whenever you want it) and our FAVORITE healthy and easy and yummy breakfast- Slow Cooker Oatmeal. You simply put whatever you'd put in your regular oatmeal in the crockpot (add extra water than normally recommended) the night before and it is delicious the next morning and mornings afterwards. We make a big batch and eat it every breakfast for a couple of days. It's good with cut up apples, peaches, raisins and of course, cinnamon and brown sugar. Yum. To me it's like dessert! Sometimes the kids wants some sprinkles on it and for whatever reason (though they have no taste) they eat it right up! Whatever works!
Daddy does not cook in our home...if he's responsible, it's warming up leftovers or picking up from a window!
I have gone to menu planning for the week so I have a plan...if I don't, I usually don't get anything done at home for meals (which is BAD!)...
Breakfasts - yogurt & oatmeal & toast are staples for my little guy. Dad usually gets something for himself. I eat toast & fruit a lot lately - craving - with chocolate milk!
Lunch - soup, sandwiches, fruit, spaghetti (little guy LOVES it!), leftovers...simple! Mac & cheese, grilled cheese...traditional classics the kids like!
Dinner - I try to plan a couple of bigger dinners so we have some leftovers & can pair the meals with other things through the week.
Husband does mind much what I make, he does have favorites, and he will let me know if he doesn't care for something; but that doesn't happen often.
Having a plan saves time, money & makes our eating habits better - that's the biggest plus about meal planning!
If Kristian had more time after work, he wouldn't mind making every meal! His mom and sister are great cooks and he definitely inherited that gene. He does an awesome job! I often call him at work for cooking questions. :-)
I came from a family that didn't cook nearly as much, but I can follow a recipe with the best of them. So, being a stay-at-home mom, I usually make dinner after the kids wake up from their naps and have it ready when Kris gets home around 5:30.
I have noticed that my kids' attitudes and behavior is greatly affected by their food intake. It goes much better with regularly scheduled healthy meals and snacks in-between. Otherwise, it goes downhill quickly. Although, in reality, this does not always happen and then I just have to deal with the consequences. :-)
We always have yogurt, applesauce, mac n' cheese, and cereal in the house for quick grabs. Otherwise, we like grilling, spaghetti, casseroles, or anything I find that looks good in a cookbook, but doesn't take too long to make. I am not a planner, so around 4:45, I start to think about what I can make and have it ready in less that an hour.
For breakfast, we do Eggos, pancakes, pb&j toast, or cereal. When we have more time we like "egg bagels." (which are havarti cheese, bacon, & eggs on a bagel)
Amy -- That slow cooker oatmeal sounds delicious! I'm eager to try that one. And what a great idea to add sprinkles! That might help my kids a ton! (Do you ever have leftover oatmeal? I found a recipe for peanut butter oatmeal bars that are a great snack and a great way to use leftover oatmeal. Let me know if you want the recipe!)
Melissa -- Way to go with your meal-planning! I've discovered that's been a huge help as well with avoiding eating out and avoiding stress. But I've only done meal-planning for dinners. Do you plan out your breakfasts and lunches, too, ahead of time, or do you just know what works so that's what you go to?
Nicole -- Egg bagels -- yum! I think I'll have to add that to our breakfast list!
I'm definitely on the Weekly Planner bandwagon. I have to be so I can sanely cook dinner. I still take a good hour or more to cook dinner because I like to cook everything from scratch. Cooking is theraputic for me, and one of my favorite hobbies. I will plan what ingredients I need ready for whatever I think to make. A lot of the time, I don't use a recipe and I just create something on the spot. If my husband likes it, he had better enjoy it while it lasts, because I rarely write the recipe down. I like that creative side of cooking.
I put together a 3-ring binder with all my recipes printed on a full sheet of paper. That way it is easy to flip through and plan the week's dinners. I also think it's so much easier to read when cooking vs. a tiny note card!
We eat as healthy as we possibly can around here. Lots of fruits and vegetables. Very little or no boxed foods, and if we do have sweets, I try to be the one who makes it to avoid hidden ingred. like baking powder with aluminum or trans fats.
Anyway, there are the basics of each meal:
meat, veg., a filler like brown rice, pasta or homemade bread, and usually cheese makes it into the course since we are big fans.
That's about it!
Meghan
My husband is in charge of all grilled meats, and the bacon, and the coffee. He happily does it, and is much better than myself at those things!
Meghan
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