Working mom meal plan

[Anonymous]

All my meals are under 30 min and most are under 15. Here are some that we do really often:

— black bean and cheese quesadillas. Smash the beans on one tortilla, top with shredded cheese and another tortilla, fry in olive oil, top with guac and chopped tomatos
— veggie tacos with black beans, scrambled eggs, cheese, tomatos. and TJ soyrizo
— protein pancakes (1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup rolled oats, 4 eggs, teaspoon baking powder, teaspoon cinnamon) with fruit
— smitten kitchen winter squash pancakes with crispy sage butter
— Costco spinach and cheese ravioli with chopped tomatos
— quiche (use prebought crust) with green smoothies
— roasted broccoli with TJ 10 minut farro made with better than bullion vegetarian with Parmesan
— avocado toast sandwich with tomato and fresh mozzarella and I like arugula but only one kid does. Can add a fried egg, sweet potato fries (Alexa brand is good), etc.
— app night—carrots and humus, deviled eggs (kids mash the yolks), TJ mozarlella sticks with marinara

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Involve your kids in cooking. My four year old cranks the pasta roller, shapes dough, etc.
2. Leftovers, minimum two nights in a row, and always also for lunch.
3. Food co-ops. Involve kids in bagging dried beans, lentils, nuts, dried fruit.
4. Stock pantry with mix-ins and short-cuts. Ours always has pickles, capers, and pickled vegetables; nuts and nut butters, baked beans; hot peppers and hot sauce; anchovies and tuna.
5. Do quick preps in advance: soak beans, make dough, etc.
6. Have a couple of meals in your back pocket to reduce food waste - veggie quiche, baked fruit as a yogurt topping, stews, stir-frys, veggie fritters.


So, for example:

Tonight we are having mushroom/chestnut ragu with creamy polenta.
Monday, we will have air-fried polenta (kids use cookie cutters to cut into shapes), shakshouka, pickled veggies.
Tuesday, we will have veggie stew and kids make croutons in air-fryer. Pickled veggies, olives.
Wednesday, we will make rice and serve with stew, shakshuka leftovers.
Thursday, we do a quick meal of stuffed baked sweet potatoes (kids top with baked beans, cheese, pickled jalapeños), and we make pizza dough.
Friday, kids will make rice bowls with babysitter with leftovers, eggs.
Sat: Take-out.
Sun: Homemade pizza (freeze extra sauce), and a pot of veggie chili for coming week.

Making handmade pasta with 4 yr old sounds like the opposite of easy and streamlined

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Involve your kids in cooking. My four year old cranks the pasta roller, shapes dough, etc.
2. Leftovers, minimum two nights in a row, and always also for lunch.
3. Food co-ops. Involve kids in bagging dried beans, lentils, nuts, dried fruit.
4. Stock pantry with mix-ins and short-cuts. Ours always has pickles, capers, and pickled vegetables; nuts and nut butters, baked beans; hot peppers and hot sauce; anchovies and tuna.
5. Do quick preps in advance: soak beans, make dough, etc.
6. Have a couple of meals in your back pocket to reduce food waste - veggie quiche, baked fruit as a yogurt topping, stews, stir-frys, veggie fritters.


So, for example:

Tonight we are having mushroom/chestnut ragu with creamy polenta.
Monday, we will have air-fried polenta (kids use cookie cutters to cut into shapes), shakshouka, pickled veggies.
Tuesday, we will have veggie stew and kids make croutons in air-fryer. Pickled veggies, olives.
Wednesday, we will make rice and serve with stew, shakshuka leftovers.
Thursday, we do a quick meal of stuffed baked sweet potatoes (kids top with baked beans, cheese, pickled jalapeños), and we make pizza dough.
Friday, kids will make rice bowls with babysitter with leftovers, eggs.
Sat: Take-out.
Sun: Homemade pizza (freeze extra sauce), and a pot of veggie chili for coming week.

Making handmade pasta with 4 yr old sounds like the opposite of easy and streamlined

Kids are more likely to try things if they are involved in the prep. She's been cooking with me since she sat in her high chair while I cooked. Fresh pasta is pretty easy and tactile for kids, actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you not have a husband? Why are YOU in charge of dinner and why are you continuing to enable your spouse?

Sorry your husband sucks.

[Anonymous]

We also do easy meals. Some of the ones in heavy rotation:

-Quiche and salad
-Spaghetti and meatballs, roasted veggies
-Fried rice (using leftover rice when we get Chinese takeout)
-Breakfast for dinner (baked French toast, pancakes with bacon)
-Pasta casserole (baked ziti) or filled pasta
-Grilled food in summer, with salad, corn
-Salmon, rice, roasted veggies
-Chili, cornbread
-Grilled cheese and tomato soup

None of these takes more than 30 minutes of active time. I make liberal use of frozen veggies, leftovers from weekend takeout, etc. My kids eat a ton of fruits and veggies at other times, so I don’t need dinners to be packed with fresh veggies.