Anonymous wrote:Personally, I steer away from anything that is cooked in a bag because I don't know what chemicals are leaching out of the bag. So I say use the frozen veggies but nuke them in a ceramic bowl or similar.

For the same reason, I also agree with trying to use the Eden canned beans to avoid the BPA.

Ditto this.

For rice, I make a big giant batch, let it cool down, and then freeze it in ziploc bags. Then I just dump it in a bowl to reheat when I need rice.

But seriously, you're doing fine. Around here PB&J has become a more frequent occurrence than it should be.

Personally, I steer away from anything that is cooked in a bag because I don't know what chemicals are leaching out of the bag. So I say use the frozen veggies but nuke them in a ceramic bowl or similar.

For the same reason, I also agree with trying to use the Eden canned beans to avoid the BPA.

And if you shop at WF, they have shredded cheese (at least pizza cheese) that they shred themselves so it doesn't have the additives in it. I also just found cooked beets in the produce section (if you're kids will eat that), and there are a lot of cut up veggies for a once a week stir fry.

If you use brown rice from trader joes it will cook in 20 minutes on the stove or in the rice cooker. Or you can use whole wheat couscous, quinua, barley or bulger - all will cook in less than 20 minutes.

I aim for three real cooked dinners a week - usually one on weekends, at least one item cooked in a big pot so I can throw 1/2 in the freezer for another meal. And usually one stir fry, and then one simple pork chop/chicken breast type meal. I also aim to throw something healthy in the freezer once a month - sometimes meatballs, sometimes muffins made with maple syrup and whole wheat white flour.

I think you are doing pretty well, and nutrition and healthy eating are my passion. I will not compromise on a few things: local/farm fresh eggs from a source that is not a huge factory, grass fed/higher quality beef and chicken, and organic dairy and certain organic produce. Oh, and we don't eat out a lot or do fast food. But that's just me, you can not do some of these things and still be doing fine.

We do cook a lot, but we do use some of the shortcuts you mentioned (canned beans, shredded cheese) and I think that is fine. I'd love to make my own hummus and granola but it ain't gonna happen. I focus on loading up the house with healthy snacks/food to pack lunches and then cook maybe 2x a week, big meals that last at least two days. I like cooking on the weekends and then I try to do 1-2 meals during the week, though sometimes these are after kids are in bed and the dinner rush is over, and I can relax in the kitchen and prep something for the next night (crock pot is great for this).

I found there is just too much pressure to get home at 6 after a full day and attempt to cook a nice meal, so I work around that through using weekends, prepping the night before, etc. On nights when we don't have anything there are a few simple meals we turn too.

Anonymous wrote:Eggs don't come from a chicken's ass???

They don't? Hmmm, I guess those weren't eggs I was feeding the kiddos.

I think you're doing great.

However, I don't like to give my kids too much processed foods, but I don't know how healthy I'm feeding them. For example, I find heating up frozen veggies so much easier than cutting, streaming, etc. So, we have those steam in a bag veggies.

Frozen are often more healthy than canned or out of season fresh. Since it's DC in February, that's the best you can do.

We also have canned beans.

I know the BPA concerns, but I still use them. If you're really worried, make a slow-cooker batch on the weekend, and freeze what you don't need that week.

And, cheese already shredded.

I personalluy hate this stuff - but it's not poison. But it takes less than a minute to shred a block on a shredder - this isn't a huge time-saver.

And, frozen meatballs.

This is one thing I'd switch - there's typically a lot of unnatural crap in processed meat. If you have time on the weekend (I know, I know, I'm silly) make a huge batch of simple meatballs, cook and freeze them.

And rice that you nuke for 90 seconds.

Get an inexpensive rice cooker, and on the weekend, make 2 cups (or however much you need for the week) in it and stick it in the fridge. It'll definitely keep the week, and even with waste, you'll save money, assuage your guilt, and it'll taste better.

Today we had chicken tacos. I browned the meat. Microwaved brown rice in those little packets, already shredded cheese and added some steamed frozen veggies. So, it wasn't actually processed, but other than browning the chicken, all I did was open packages and heat things up. Tomorrow, it will be pasta with cheese/butter and raw carrots. Maybe one of those pureed fruit pouch snacks. Another night will be peanut butter toast with applesauce. So, while part of me feels that I'm doing okay, another part of me feels like I might as well be feeding them spam on toast, for all the nutritional benefit.

If it's whole wheat pasts and whole wheat bread, I'd say you're fine.

Anonymous wrote:trader joes is your answer, trust me
all natural mac and cheese, gluten-free cookies, preseasoned meat...

Yep (except for the gluten free cookies, ugh). If you want to buy pre-prepared food, buy it here. Most of my dinners involve the microwave and opening some packages, but I don't feel guilty about it at all. Just read the ingredients.

Frozen veggies? seriously you are feeling guilty about frozen veggies? They are terrific for kids. I consider it a triumph of my parenting that my kids readily devour frozen broccoli, corn and peas.

I love love love the OP!! You sound fab and normal and down to earth. You are doing a great job!

I hate, hate, hate cooking. If I see too many ingredients, it doesn't get made.

But I love this kid-friendly recipe book. I'll admit, some of the recipes taste just a tad bland at times but I can always jazz them up with additional spices. The recipes also give me ideas for similar recipes. Bonus: This woman is really into organic, grass-fed, etc.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/everyday-paleo-sarah-fragoso/1100091997

Nothing is wrong with frozen veggies or pre-shredded cheese! As for veggies in our house- they'd often go bad if I weren't able to keep them in the freezer. I can't tell you how many huge bags of carrots or celery I've had to throw out because they got wilted and brown in the drawer in the fridge. The things you mentioned are totally typical dinners at our house. We often make English muffin or bagel pizzas with jarred sauce, pre-shredded cheese, quiche using frozen pie crust and frozen veggies, grilled cheese and tuna sandwiches with tomato soup, quesadillas with jarred peppers and chicken cut off a rotisserie chicken from WF. I consider all of that to be way better than take-out! And I always supplement for my toddler with fruit or veggies that he likes if he isn't a fan of what we're having. He eats lots of canned peaches when peaches aren't in season, he loves applesauce, yogurt... none of that stuff is bad, but it's all "processed" to a certain degree! I think canning in an art that died with our grandparents or great grandparents. I'd much rather read a magazine.

Op, as a nanny for a partner in a law firm-you did perfectly fine. In the last week, I made homemade mac and cheese, chicken tenders, stir fry..and you know what? The kids complained the entire time.

You are doing just fine! Don't worry!

Eggs don't come from a chicken's ass???

Nothing wrong with processed foods as long as yup read the ingredients.

Op here: thanks for the replies. I think this Post stems, in part, from feeling guilty about yesterday. I had these great plans to make some dinnersin advance. The kids (and my husband!) slept almost 2 hours, which is unprecedented for weekend naps. I used that time, not to make homemade meatloaf with hidden puréed spinach (it was on my list), but to read People magazine, drink a cup of tea, and watch What Not to Wear. It was so nice. But, I feel like I'm "paying" for it, if that makes sense. Anyway, enough guilt and thanks for the comments. And, for the PP-I definately got skeeved out by Food Inc. And Fast Food Nation. And Onmivores Dilemma and do try to buy either farmers market meat or grass-fed from the store.

This is the awesomest thing I have read on DCUM in quite a while!

OP, sounds okay to me!