Meal planning is SUCH a struggle for me, so I don't do it, and we're in a tough circle. Please help.

[Anonymous]

PS from PP: when my 20 and 22 yr olds are home from college these TJ things are still stocked in the freezer and they love to whip them up for lunch or snacks. It’s their childhood comfort food! “Yum, just like mom used to buy!”

[Anonymous]

I have kids age 9 & 11 and they aren’t the best eaters, but not bad either. We are vegetarian and have some easy meals that are in regular rotation.
1. Mexican - tortillas, veggies, beans, rice, salsas, avocado
2. Pizza & salad
3. Pasta & salad or a roasted veggie side
4. Thai curried tofu & vegetables (with canned curry paste) and rice
5. Various stir fries with noodles or rice, tofu & veggies
6. Indian - butter paneer, naan & veggie/ dal, rice & veggie

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t enjoy cooking and my spouse works in the evenings so it’s just me and DD. I’ve had WLS so eat very small portions. DD is 13 and does sports so our “ dinner” is usually around 4 then a large snack later.
Rotisserie chicken is your friend.
I make several servings of WG rice every couple of weeks then freeze some.
Quesadillas , we do chicken or black beans
I feel like nutrition is more important than whether it’s a “ proper dinner”
So if your kids like yogurt, cheese/crackers with fruit then do that twice a week..
Just make sure it’s not a “ kid “ yogurt full of sugar, you can healthy WG crackers,
I do a snack plate once a week. DD and I watch a show together and eat on the couch, I’ll do cheese/crackers, edamane, nuts, cherry tomatoes, cut up cucumbers and cut up carrots..takes 5 mins. I feel like it’s fine nutritionally

This is the most helpful post on here so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t enjoy cooking and my spouse works in the evenings so it’s just me and DD. I’ve had WLS so eat very small portions. DD is 13 and does sports so our “ dinner” is usually around 4 then a large snack later.
Rotisserie chicken is your friend.
I make several servings of WG rice every couple of weeks then freeze some.
Quesadillas , we do chicken or black beans
I feel like nutrition is more important than whether it’s a “ proper dinner”
So if your kids like yogurt, cheese/crackers with fruit then do that twice a week..
Just make sure it’s not a “ kid “ yogurt full of sugar, you can healthy WG crackers,
I do a snack plate once a week. DD and I watch a show together and eat on the couch, I’ll do cheese/crackers, edamane, nuts, cherry tomatoes, cut up cucumbers and cut up carrots..takes 5 mins. I feel like it’s fine nutritionally

This is the most helpful post on here so far.

Agreed, PP above has a fine approach.

I'd give yourself a break when DH is traveling, OP. It's really not worth it to make a nice meal from scratch that only you eat. Snack dinners are fine. Just eat together at the table for the habit, and try to get as many food groups into your kid as you can. Focus on cooking when DH is home.

My kids are picky too and will often eat just unmixed components of our meals. One thing that worked was adopting a neighbor's policy that "you must eat one green vegetable a day," even if it's the same one every day. They are still picky about veggies, but eat salad every night, and the older one (11! Close to yours!) has decided he's a big enough fan of meat and rice and beans that he'll try new recipes with them. Doesn't always like them but he's definitely branching out. It gets better!

[Anonymous]

if they are not eating dinner, what are they eating. everyone gets hungry/needs to eat. if you are providing a lot of snacks, there is no need to eat dinner.

what do they like to eat?

[Anonymous]

Mine won’t eat anything mixed or with a sauce, not even tomato sauce on pasta, so I just make extremely plain food, like a baked meat with plain pasta or bread, and broccoli because that’s the only vegetable they eat.

[Anonymous]

Can you give an example of what you consider a “Kid dinner”?

I just haven’t heard it expressed that way.

[Anonymous]

We have a similar problem, although its because of our schedules. 2 middle school kids in sports that have practices that overlap with the dinner hour and so we are constantly looking for easy grab and go options that are healthy and low effort. We also like trader joes. None of these ideas are time intensive.

I make "pizza muffins" all week long, which is just taking a lb of trader joes dough, rolling it out, cutting into 12 pieces and putting in a muffin tin with sauce, veggies, cheese. they are always in the fridge. I also always have a crudite container in the fridge for easy access to raw veggies.

I also make a lot of quick breads using kodiak mix (not at TJs but TJs has protein pancake mix you could sub in)- banana, blueberry or pumpkin breads. the kodiak mix adds protein, and you can serve with some fruit. also just always around. Here is an example: https://thebalancednutritionist.com/kodiak-banana-bread/

Pinch of Yum's air fryer chicken is a staple. I also make this a few times a week - throw together with microwave rice, or on a salad for me. Very easy. She also has a salmon one, it is the only way my kids eat salmon. https://pinchofyum.com/ridiculously-good-air-fryer-chicken-breast

trader joes pulled chicken in a salsa verde sauce - its next to the hummus. 1 container gives us 3 servings. I use in quesadillas or over rice.

Trader Joes sourdough bread - always available for peanut butter or avocado toast. you can serve with yogurt and fruit.

We also make a lb of pasta that we toss with olive oil - always in the fridge. Whoever is heating up can add whatever sauce they want.

[Anonymous]

OP, I find it really hard to do much during the week after a full day of work. I do try to do some bulk easy prep on Sundays. For example, I will roast multiple pans of vegetables, simply prepared with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. This actually works fine with frozen veggies like a California mix (carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli). You could also add chunks of sweet potatoes, squash, red onion, etc. During the week you can drop these into salads, pair with rotisserie chicken or scrambled eggs, serve with hummus and pita chips or cheese/nuts/crackers, etc.

[Anonymous]

I would try and do a theme each night and pre-brainstorm what your family would eat under each categor, then mix and match for the week.

Let’s say Monday is breakfast for dinner (so maybe scrambled eggs and toast one week, pancakes made with Kodiak mix and fruit the next, quiche and salad, bagels and salmon).

Tuesday is pasta (spaghetti and meatballs, pesto pasta with mozzarella balls, lazy lasagna (layer ravioli with sauce and cheese, spinach, meat whatever, foil on top and bake), etc.

Wednesday is Latin based and mix the proteins (quesadillas (one week chicken one week black bean), tacos, burritos, bowls, nachos etc)

Thursday is clean up leftovers day and everyone kind of gets bits of what they liked earlier in the week

Friday is pizza—frozen pizza and salad bags is fine or takeout, whatever. The

Sheet pan Saturday (like sausage, small potatoes, Green beans—tons of sheet pan ideas on the web)

If Sunday is your shopping day buy rotisserie chicken that day and add a starch and veg

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PS from PP: when my 20 and 22 yr olds are home from college these TJ things are still stocked in the freezer and they love to whip them up for lunch or snacks. It’s their childhood comfort food! “Yum, just like mom used to buy!”

This is really cute. OP here. Did you feel like it tasted like cafeteria food or homemade enough?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you give an example of what you consider a “Kid dinner”?

I just haven’t heard it expressed that way.

Mac and cheese, cheese and crackers and apples and baby carrots, PBJ, corn dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if they are not eating dinner, what are they eating. everyone gets hungry/needs to eat. if you are providing a lot of snacks, there is no need to eat dinner.

what do they like to eat?

They don’t eat. They eat breakfast and lunch, and that’s it. No snacks when they get home. They just don’t eat. They’re not big eaters.

[Anonymous]

I would sit down with your kids and tell them that the current system isn’t working and that you all need to work together to improve it. Solicit their ideas and tell them they need to work on trying and tolerating new foods as well because that is part of growing up.

Every weekend, look at the schedule for the week and make a dinner schedule. Post it on the fridge. Everyone gets the same plate, and you all eat together. It can be simple (grilled chicken, a carb, salad, steamed or roasted vegetables: pasta and meatballs; turkey burgers; tacos; whatever) but the point is that it is a meal and you eat it together.

This is one of those things that you need to work together proactively change or it won’t change. Your job is to raise kids who become functional adults. That means eating dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t enjoy cooking and my spouse works in the evenings so it’s just me and DD. I’ve had WLS so eat very small portions. DD is 13 and does sports so our “ dinner” is usually around 4 then a large snack later.
Rotisserie chicken is your friend.
I make several servings of WG rice every couple of weeks then freeze some.
Quesadillas , we do chicken or black beans
I feel like nutrition is more important than whether it’s a “ proper dinner”
So if your kids like yogurt, cheese/crackers with fruit then do that twice a week..
Just make sure it’s not a “ kid “ yogurt full of sugar, you can healthy WG crackers,
I do a snack plate once a week. DD and I watch a show together and eat on the couch, I’ll do cheese/crackers, edamane, nuts, cherry tomatoes, cut up cucumbers and cut up carrots..takes 5 mins. I feel like it’s fine nutritionally

This is the most helpful post on here so far.

Agree. I’m OP. I’m hungry at 4 as well, not 6:30. I’d love to get home at 4 and feed them!