Cooking is awesome.

1. You will set yourself apart from the pack of typical nannies. Most nannies don't know how to cook. Families don't usually expect it and are thrilled by it. Cooking will make you more than attractive than an ECE degree.

2. Its hard to practice, learn, and experiment with cooking when you are single. Cooking for one, unless you freeze things or eat the dish that you prepared every day. Cooking for the family gives you access to a full kitchen, quality cookware, stocked spices, staples, and lets you improve your skills.

3. Introducing kids to fresh,local, home made foods and making this the norm for their palette opposed to processed quick foods is a great gift to the kids.

4. Learning how to cook from scratch will save YOU money down the road and leads to a healthy lifestyle.

In 10 years the only two times I cooked for a family was when I had a job title as a household manager/nanny or nanny/personal assistant. Typically nannies just provide childcare. There are tasks involved with childcare that many nannies perform such as bottle cleaning, children's laundry, children's meal prep but I don't know many nannies that cook meals for the entire family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are a nanny not cook or maid.

Alot of nannies cook and clean as well. Not all but alot so why comment something so pointless?

If a nanny wants to be a gardener, housekeeper, beekeeper, personal assistant, or house painter, that's all fine, but in the end being a nanny becomes only a small part of her job. Maybe you should call her Mom, because only a Mom "does it all", at least in theory.

Being a nanny is specific. It's not whatever you think you want.

I have never asked my nanny to cook and never expect it, but she still makes dinner for us with my DD pretty frequently, and, as a single mom who works long hours, I really appreciate it every time she does.

She and my DD will use the house credit card to get supplies, and usually make things I don't have time to make. Lasagna, roast chicken and veg, things that have leftovers for lunches during the week.

You probably don't have time for all that, OP, and I'm not suggesting you prep intricate meals for your family. I just wanted to say that although nannies are not cooks, this is a wonderful thing to do for families if you can.

And before the snark attack, yes, I pay her well and remember her above and beyond service and give her bonuses to reflect her awesomeness. She has been with us for five years and I hope she'll stay five more.

Love this thread, only a few snarky posts.

A great way to cook vegetables is to prep them (clean, trim inedible parts) and put them in a ziplock bag with some olive oil, crushed garlic, and a little salt. Shake the bag and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook them. You can grill them or roast them at high heat in the oven. The heat heat releases the sugar and flavors making them taste great. This works with asparagus, potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, onions, carrots etc. If you are mixing things that have different densities I will sometimes pre-cook the ones that take longer or cut them into thinner pieces (i.e. potatoes take longer than zucchini). For carrots, buy ones with the stems peel them and then cut off the leafy parts but leaves a few inches of the thin green stems. It looks really nice. Grilled or roasted carrots are wonderful. IMO, organic doesn't always taste any different. I prefer seasonal produce and if its local it usually tastes better. I think there is something where fruits ad vegetables loose flavor in shipping or having their ripening controlled. Seasonal is usually always cheaper.

Another tip for vegetables is to consider texture. Adding some toasted nuts is a great way to add some crunch. You don't need a lot. You can break into small pieces and toast them in the oven to bring out the flavor. Warm/cool contrasts are nice. A cool salad with toasted nuts is great instead of croutons. For salads, don't just pour on the dressing at the end. Use a big bowl and put in the ingredients that you want to have the dressing. Use a smaller amount and then toss with tongs. Put onto the plate and them add components that go on top.

Home made snack food is another great thing to cook for working families. Its easy to make hummus, bean dip and you make a big batch put it in some plastic containers and they can snack on it throughout the week.

I don't. I only make food for the kids.

Foil pouch cooking rules! After a week of camping, its true; pouch seals in flavor and you can let sit in oven till they are home or ready to eat. Easy clean up and you can make kid friendly pouches with less spice and adult flavored!

I cook paleo for db...weight watchers for Mb...
Balsamic beef and cauliflower rice
Skinnytaste spinach meatballs over zucchini noodles
Turkey chili over spaghetti squash
Chicken enchiladas with corn tortillas
Pizza night- cauliflower pizza crust
Cheesesteak stuffed peppers
Homemade crab cakes
( this was the last 2 weeks)

I will make the kids couscous or noodles and give them a protein and a veggie...also fresh fruit

We don't do frozen food. I love to cook and cook healthy. I lost a lot o weight on weight watchers so I am very conscious about not making unhealthy food...
I see my role as a nanny thy I help the family function and that's why I have no problem cooking. Plus I love my NF ad I am paid well.

Minnie's Special Ingredient Chocolate pie.

Anonymous wrote:10:07 will you come cook for me? That sounds delicious!!

Sure, if you move to Philadelphia

10:07 will you come cook for me? That sounds delicious!!