https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 18 Apr 2026 17:21:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781242 Sun, 22 Oct 2017 12:13:51 +0000 LindsayInNY 2781242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm terrible at this. I keep meaning and wanting to be better but alas...</p> <p>So I do all pick up and drop off. I'm home with DD anywhere from 6:30-7pm. DH isn't home until 7:45pm most nights. DD is in bed by 8:30 and we eat dinner after she's in bed. We rarely eat together during the week. I have to be more hands on with DD at night too or she wants TV and melts down.</p> <p>We have pizza every Friday night - frozen, eat out, order, whatever. I need to be better at prepping on the weekends but I find I'm lazy and don't want to. Some of our go to meals: Bertolli frozen meals (10 min in the pan). I'm drawing a blank. I know we eat but now I'm like what do we eat?! I like to use Marley Spoon or HelloFresh so I don't have to think but they take some time to make too... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781230 Sun, 22 Oct 2017 10:21:26 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2781230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sorry if this has already been mentioned but one thing I started doing when WOH was buying a rotisserie chicken once a week. My kiddos are fine with it, I can use some of it for chicken curry or something quick like that the next night, and even though I don't LOVE it, I don't mind it with salad so it got us through a night or two. </p> <p>Sorry, no experience with meal delivery or setting the oven delay! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781096 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 20:58:46 +0000 LemonJack 2781096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love this chicken taco chili recipe, and it's a crock pot meal as well.</p> <p><a href="http://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts/" rel="nofollow">http://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-chicken-taco-chili-4-pts/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781058 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 14:45:03 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2781058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: for soup: baked potato (you can microwave fresh bacon to top it off) and golden beat Greek lentil. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781034 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:45:56 +0000 Mrs D 2781034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think a big part of what I need to get through my dear husbands head is that meals wont always be amazing...but they will sustain life! :)</p> <p>I told him last night that I am having lots of anxiety about this new job...and how it will impact my home life...and dinner/after work hustle is the biggest part. We loosely set an initial plan in play...our weeks will look something like this:</p> <p>*Normal Cooked Meal (made on Sunday...so normal means can be time intensive)<br /> *Soup w/ something (bread, quesadilla, sandwich, etc)<br /> *DH Quick Meal (likely grilled meat, easy sides, all stuff DH can do with the kids)<br /> *A Just heat meal (ie something I can prep before work or night before and just needs cooking or heating to be served)</p> <p>The soup will double as my lunch some days. I'll continue to prep my lunches, snacks and breakfasts on Sunday.</p> <p>We'll have leftovers at least once. Maybe twice if our fridays are too crazy for take out or dinner out.</p> <p>Now I am working to solidify 8 awesome soup recipes and 8 awesome crock pot recipes. That way no repeats in 2 months...which is pretty darn good in my book. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2781007 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 12:22:45 +0000 juli7 2781007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH gets home with the kids around 5 but can't handle much cooking with two tired and cranky toddlers. I get home just before 6, and we eat right when I get home. We have it down to a pretty consistent weekly rotation. I make one or two meals for during the week on Sunday, and usually at one of those will be a double batch that I freeze to have another week. </p> <p>Monday - whatever I made on Sunday<br /> Tuesday - something I made on Sunday or something previously frozen<br /> Wed - Mexican (quesadillas with black beans and frozen corn, tacos, or bean and rice burritos)<br /> Thurs - pasta<br /> Fri - frozen pizza or grilled cheese</p> <p>We deviate occasionally and add in a night of takeout or breakfast for dinner (usually scrambled eggs and toast) when we have busy weekends and I don't have any time for meal prep. Lunches are leftovers, frozen meals from Trader Joe's, or PB&amp;J. I'll usually give the kids frozen veggies or baby carrots with dinner, and fruit or yogurt. It's a boring meal plan, and I miss cooking, but this is the only way that works for us right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780932 Fri, 20 Oct 2017 08:26:34 +0000 jennlin821 2780932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DON'T COOK DURING THE WEEK!</p> <p>I know that not many people will be able to handle this, but my husband and I eat the same meal for lunch all week and another for dinner. </p> <p>On Sunday we make a big batch of two meals (this week was Kale &amp; Bean soup for lunch and chicken salad wraps for dinner) we make enough for 10 lunches (5 each) and 8 dinners (4 each). We also prep all snacks and other pieces. this week we had clementines, bread to go with the soup, and yogurt. </p> <p>So by Sunday night, lunch and dinner is completely ready for the entire week. It is such a relief to not have to worry about food at all during the week. And we typically bring home something on Friday. </p> <p>My one other suggestion if you can't handle eating the same thing in a row is to do batch cooking and then freeze in serving size portions.<br /> For example, we make a huge batch of chili, and then freeze in our 2-cup size pyrex containers. I take 2 out in the morning, they are defrosted by the time we get home, quick zap and hot chili is ready. </p> <p>So if you can't eat the same thing several days in a row, try batch cooking and freezing in individual servings, then each night you can have a different meal ready to go. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780836 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 16:14:25 +0000 mrswin 2780836@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: A couple quick meal ideas we use frequently during the week...</p> <p>Tacos (prep everything the night before all we have to do is cook the ground beef and warm up the taco shells- we have also made the taco meat the night before and re-heated)</p> <p>Breakfast for dinner! </p> <p>Chicken Caesar salad (we use frozen chicken fingers and make the salad and dressing the night before). I will give my DD veggies and dip if she isn't into the Caesar salad that night</p> <p>Soup with a panini </p> <p>Turkey chilli which we put in the crock pot and it cooks while we are out </p> <p>Homemade pizza - we buy the crusts from the store and get DD to help us put all the toppings on (make these the day before) and then pop in the fridge, take 10 minutes tops, enough time to toss some salad</p> <p>We also do a garlic shrim dish that is similar to the one mentioned by pp.</p> <p>I will come back if I think of anymore </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780832 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:49:28 +0000 looch 2780832@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The only way I manage during the week is by prepping on the weekend and then popping a tray in the oven as soon as I walk in the door.</p> <p>I don't chop a thing or touch any raw items. Most I will do is mix up a cornbread mix and spread on a prepared base. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780830 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:30:08 +0000 gingerbebe 2780830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: Weekly meal templates might help mentally.</p> <p> So if Monday is always curry night, it can be a different curry. Japanese, Thai, Indian, chicken, chickpea, lentil, red bean, yellow, red, green, butter, tikka masala, etc. Tuesday is pasta night, then red sauce and meatballs, chicken Alfredo with broccoli, bacon carbonara with peas, shrimp scampi. Wednesday is burger/sandwich night - turkey burgers with smoked Gouda, beef and bacon with BBQ sauce and bleu cheese, chicken burgers with teriyaki sauce and pineapple, regular cheeseburgers, meatball subs, sausage and peppers, cheesesteaks. Pizza night is BBQ chicken, pepperoni, Hawaiian, etc. Thursday is Asian night - teriyaki, Korean, orange, fried rice, noodles. Friday is meatless - chili, lentil soup, red beans and rice, falafel, egg salad, hummus and dippers and pita. Saturday is soup night, all the soups. Sunday is seafood - panko tilapia, roast salmon, tuna noodle casserole, salmon cakes, tuna melts, spinach and artichoke stuffed sole.</p> <p>See what I mean?</p> <p>If you have a template you can mentally know what to think about for a given day. I used to plan our meals monthly that way and then just shop each week. </p> <p>Also, you can make almost everything with ground meat. Stirfry, pasta, cheesesteaks, whatever. I can feed my family all week with a tray of ground meat and a rotisserie chicken! </p> <p>And buying bottles of marinades and sauces, especially Asian food, is gonna help make things go way faster. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780828 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:23:13 +0000 hellobeeboston 2780828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So many good recs here! We both get home around 6 so it's a pretty mad dash to cook dinner, get the kids clean, bedtime routine and bed. I don't like having the oven on while I'm away.</p> <p>Some of our Go-To weeknight meals:</p> <p>Tacos (its mostly assembly and if you have it all its fast) takes only about 10 min to cook ground turkey, beef, or fish.</p> <p>Shepherds Pie... Makes great leftovers. If I'm making homemade mashed potatoes I'll make a huge tray on the weekend then we have lunches. I sneak a lot of veg into it too.</p> <p>Pasta with meatballs or meatsauce</p> <p>Stir Fry (rice takes the longest, or do rice noodles)</p> <p>Chicken breasts (lemon/mustard or marsala) with steamed broccoli in the microwave and potatoes. We do potatoes in microwave or I sometimes buy the "Simply" brand of pre-cooked mashed potatoes you just warm up.</p> <p>Sauteed shrimp (butter &amp; garlic) over grits or on pasta, I used Trader Joe's frozen shrimp that has no tail already, super fast.</p> <p>A favorite crock pot meal is Beef &amp; Broccoli... Do you have a remote starter on your crock pot? The only problem with this is it only needs like 4-5 hours on high to cook, I haven't tried doing slow all day:<br /> <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/31/slow-cooker-beef-broccoli/" rel="nofollow">http://damndelicious.net/2014/03/31/slow-cooker-beef-broccoli/</a></p> <p>Buy a rotisserie chicken on your way home if you're late. My kids love it - so fast. I will add broccoli usually and potatoes or mac &amp; cheese.</p> <p>CHILI (soooo fast to make)</p> <p>Chicken Parm Meatballs, so good:<br /> <a href="https://whatsgabycooking.com/chicken-parmesan-meatballs/" rel="nofollow">https://whatsgabycooking.com/chicken-parmesan-meatballs/</a></p> <p>SKINNYTASTE has a bunch of great menu ideas and I've found them all to be pretty quick to assemble. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780826 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 15:10:34 +0000 Mama Bird 2780826@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd be terrified to have the oven on while I'm not home. What if some grease drips down and catches fire? </p> <p>We do 99% of our cooking on weekends and warm up the food every evening. Sometimes we also boil noodles to go with dinner. Sometimes I can make something mid-week after they're in bed, but I'm at the mercy of the toddler, and she usually leaves me no time to even pack lunch and brush my hair, never mind cook. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780814 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 14:02:38 +0000 erinbaderin 2780814@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Skinnytaste Fast and Slow is a great cookbook - we're in a bit of a similar situation, I get home with the kids at about 5:15, husband home at 5:45, we eat at 6. 90% of my recipes these days come from the Skinnytaste cookbook. </p> <p>We eat this Korean Beef Bowl a LOT (in fact we're having it tonight: <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/" rel="nofollow">http://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/</a> You could either get a rice cooker and have your husband start it up or you could use the microwave rice packets. </p> <p>I make big batches of roasted tomato pasta sauce and we have that probably once a week, either with macaroni and ground beef, plain with spaghetti, or on some kind of packaged fresh pasta (cheese tortellini, etc). We also usually have some form of eggs one night a week - scrambled or omelettes. Quesedillas with cheese and refried beans. Recently I've been making pizzas with tortillas as the crust. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780790 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:04:25 +0000 Shantuck 2780790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a similar dilemma being two WOH parents with two different pick-ups (one kid is in kinder and the other is at a daycare 10 minutes away). Even if you could get over the food safety concerns, I'd be worried about the house catching on fire with food in the oven unattended in the off chance that someone got home later than planned due to traffic or some unforeseen circumstance. We also eat together as a family and have a relatively short window before bed. We do what others have described by making some big bulk dish on Sundays and then eating leftovers 1-2 nights during the week and also freezing some leftovers for another week. On the nights when we aren't having leftovers, we stick to really easy meals like pasta, entree salads, pizza (pizza dough freezes well), marinaded fish (we buy pre-marinated frozen fish from Costco), etc. Of the foods that we make and freeze on Sundays, those include taco meat, chili, enchiladas, quinoa casserole from Skinnytaste, etc. We always do take-out on Friday and Saturday as a treat for making it through the week.</p> <p>ETA: When I do crockpot meals, I will often put everything in the crockpot except for the meat the night before and then just drop the meat in before I leave and turn it on. Keeps the mornings running a bit more smoothly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780788 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:59:15 +0000 Alba4 2780788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Yes! We cook similar weekday meals.</p> <p>When I'm in a bind we cook:<br /> Breakfast for dinner (eggs, bacon, pancakes)<br /> Pasta with veggies and pesto<br /> Chicken nuggets and veggies<br /> Shrimp with pasta or instant brown rice/quinoa<br /> Tacos</p> <p>On Sundays we try to have some food prepped for the week:<br /> Oven roasted chicken<br /> Cooked Italian sausage<br /> Lasagna<br /> Meatloaf<br /> Pulled pork<br /> Soup</p> <p>It is hard! I usually pull into our driveway at 5 and the boys are starving and we try to eat by 5:30!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780779 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:21:56 +0000 skinnycow 2780779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know if this is doable for you but I do a lot of cooking after my daughter goes to bed. I'll make a crockpot/instant pot or even normal meal that will last us for lunch and dinner the following day. Eating reheated food isn't great but it makes our evenings a lot less stressful! I'll also occasionally make something cold (like pasta salad) the night before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780776 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:13:18 +0000 avivoca 2780776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1) No. Absolutely not. I am generally not a fan of having appliances on while no one is home. I use my crock pot but I worry about it.</p> <p>2) I like stuff from OMGPaleo and I also pin a lot of stuff to try out.</p> <p>3) I've never done a meal delivery service but I'm not against trying.</p> <p>A quick dinner we like is smoked sausage, peppers, and rice/cauliflower rice. I usually make a big batch of rice on the weekend and then reheat it in the skillet with the veggies. When I'm on my a-game, I also saute veggies and reheat later on the stove. I don't have a microwave, so a lot of my stuff is stovetop. You can also do pasta/sauce/frozen garlic bread pretty quickly. We also have cereal for dinner or sandwiches. You could make a big salad ahead of time too and just dish it out every night. ALSO: look up 1 pan roasted chicken and veggies. You have to cube chicken but then toss it and some veggies/onions on a pan, drizzle in oil, salt, pepper, spices, and then cook at 400 for 20 minutes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780775 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:07:12 +0000 ShootingStar 2780775@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I sautee shrimp in butter, olive oil and garlic, and I boil pre-made frozen tortellini. If I get fancy, I add some spinach in with the shrimp. Then drain pasta and dump shrimp and scampi sauce onto tortellini. If the shrimp are pre-peeled it takes about 10 minutes to cook everything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780772 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:04:13 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2780772@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: When I am really on top of things I keep frozen portions of enchiladas, meat loaf and tuna noodle casserole in the freezer. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780771 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:03:22 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2780771@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: What is the Shrimp meal? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780770 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:03:02 +0000 Mrs D 2780770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Thanks so much for this! I am checking out that crock pot book right now. We have gotten in the habit of making a big pot of rice on Sundays. I cut up all my veggies so they just need to be steamed or roasted that night. I guess its really the meat that kills me. I just flagged a video for Weeknight Korean beef n rice...hoping its a winner. I think the biggest issue is variety...my obnoxious DH is big on variety... ugh.....</p> <p>@Becky: nail on the head...husband is half the problem...we've been down this path before...its annoying. I totally tell my girls I need them to help with dinner by eating this leftover...whatever...apple, carrots, cucumbers...they think they are helping, I'm entertaining them....win win when it works...</p> <p>I need to get better about my freezer stock. I have pinned a lot of meatball recipes...since they reheat nicely in sauces... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780769 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 12:02:57 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2780769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH is against crock pot meals and casseroles too. Its hard. </p> <p>We have a similar set up with him picking up our oldest DD and getting home around 5:35. I get home with the other two around 5:45-6. </p> <p>He usually cooks something simple consisting of a piece of baked/broiled/grilled meat, a side of instant rice (yes its like $2 per bag but no pot to clean up and its done in 90 seconds) and a frozen vegetable. DH likes to eat with a meat, starch, veggie type of meal. </p> <p>Our simple other go to meals are:<br /> Eggs and breakfast meat or ham<br /> Tacos/quesadilla/burrito bowl (using left over meat or quickly browning ground beef)<br /> Spaghetti and meat balls<br /> Grilled Cheese and Soup<br /> Kids Chicken nuggets and adults chicken nuggets on a salad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780767 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:59:57 +0000 josina 2780767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get home at 5:45 every night, often we don't eat till 7 unfortunately. I need to get better about using the crockpot.</p> <p>Quick ideas:<br /> Love this, we use ground beef instead,<br /> <a href="http://damndelicious.net/2013/09/22/one-pot-mexican-skillet-pasta/" rel="nofollow">http://damndelicious.net/2013/09/22/one-pot-mexican-skillet-pasta/</a></p> <p>Mexican Stuffed Pepper Casserole,<br /> Ground beef w/ taco seasoning, sliced peppers, instant brown rice, black beans, corn, and salsa, cooked in one skillet similar to above recipe. Topped with mexican cheese.</p> <p>I do chicken quesadillas - we have canned chicken or could use leftover rotisserie chicken, or chicken cooked in the crockpot and shredded - mix with a little salsa and roasted tomatoes (I precook these and freeze), top buttered tortilla with chicken/tomato mixture and mexican cheese and cook till cheese melts. Serve with mexican or spanish rice.</p> <p>Breakfast for supper.<br /> Spaghetti w/ canned sauce. </p> <p>This morning I did french dip in the crock pot, a favorite,<br /> 1-1/2 cups water, 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 bay leaf, 3-4 peppercorns. Mix and pour on roast beef, cook on low 8 hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780766 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:59:54 +0000 ShootingStar 2780766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As other have said I would not put food in the oven and then have it cook half the day while you're not there. That seems pretty dangerous both because of bacteria and because of the fire hazard.</p> <p>I get home around 5:15/5:30 and I do maybe 75% of the cooking. DH gets home at 5:30 with the kids most days. Mostly I make meals that can be done in a half hour. We're not big leftovers people, so I tend to cook pretty most nights. We also eat out a fair amount, especially places that have a kids eat free night. </p> <p>I will also regularly make big batches of things on the weekends with the intention of freezing portions that can be used later. Lately I've done this with baked ziti and with meatballs. We have a vacuum food sealer, so we seal things up and throw them in the freezer. Later we'll pull something out and put it in the fridge to defrost and eat it within a day or 2. </p> <p>Meals we eat regularly that can be cooked fairly fast:<br /> Pork Chops (pan fried)<br /> Steak (grilled indoors or out)<br /> Chicken cutlets (breaded and pan fried - make a big batch and the 2nd half can be chicken parm)<br /> Salmon with pesto<br /> Tacos<br /> Breakfast (either scrambled eggs or eggs benedict)<br /> Shrimp and tortellini scampi </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780762 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:56:19 +0000 Mrs D 2780762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also - even if a meal could be made it 20 mins it will inevitably take me 30+...because someone will need something, I'll drop something....etc...just normal inefficiencies of a house with two toddlers! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780761 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:55:36 +0000 Becky 2780761@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ah--definitely no to leaving stuff in the oven. Also, the maximum amount of time it should be left in the crock pot once it's done cooking before being refrigerated is 2 hours. If you can wing this with your schedule maybe this would work for you. I'd say your husband just needs to get used to the meals (or figure out a solution on his own).</p> <p>We are very fortunate in that my mom usually preps dinner twice per week when she watches the kids. If my MIL watches the kids sometimes she will feed them or have us join for dinner. On the other nights what works for us (on the rare occasion we have our act together):</p> <p>Making a big meal Sunday and having leftovers Monday. </p> <p>Making big meals both Saturday and Sunday so we have leftovers Monday and Tuesday</p> <p>Burritos with ground turkey. When we're in a pinch canned black beans works great. You can prep cheese and veggies ahead of time. </p> <p>Pizza with store bought whole wheat crust. We make 2--one with more creative toppings Mags for the adults. </p> <p>A freezer meal (usually soup)</p> <p>Broiled chicken, sweet potatoes or rice, veggies</p> <p>Any type of burger </p> <p>Tuna sandwiches or pasta </p> <p>Any pasta variety</p> <p>Any sandwich variety</p> <p>Tip: give the kids a snack while you prep. Mine love "appletizers" (literally just apples with a fun name). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780760 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:54:32 +0000 Mrs D 2780760@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You ladies are always a great resource! Thank you!!! :)</p> <p>With regards to the Instapot. I have one and quite like it. I use it a TON to meal/food prep on Sundays. For example...cooking multiple chickens, baked potatos, oatmeal, whatever else I may be prepping. But with regard to weeknight cooking...mine seems to take at least 5-10 mins to come to pressure...then the cook time...then the release time...and even then the food is piping hot. So its a great tool but not necessarily an after work tool I find.</p> <p>I do a lot of prep on Sunday (my breakfasts, snacks and lunches) and I make our biggest or most complicated meal Sunday which I try to make sure yields leftovers. </p> <p>Our crock pot meals are definitely lots of taco or sandwich type meals...meaning its not a crock pot full of "xxxx" that all tastes the same...since that is what seems to bother DH the most.</p> <p>We do grill a fair bit...but even still DH wont be able to grill until I get home. Which means 20-30 mins from when Im home to done.</p> <p>I guess our problem is 1) we want to eat as a family since it ends up being our best family time AND DD1 is being a stink about food right now - so seeing DH and I eat it helps and 2) our dinners take 30-40 mins to eat thanks to DD1 as mentioned above. She eats at the pace of a snail.</p> <p>I could probably keep DD2 up a bit later...but that would muck up my morning adjustment of trying to get out the door earlier so I can do drop offs and have that time with my girls.</p> <p>I am going to speak to the neighbor girl next door...see if I can pay her $5 to place a casserole in the oven OR start rice or something for me before DH gets home.</p> <p>Then I just have to find one pot dishes that I can prep in the morning! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780757 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:46:34 +0000 gingerbebe 2780757@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs D: I've tried many meal services and the only one we liked and worked for our family was Gobble. They prep and chop everything for you and the idea is that you have dinner in 15 minutes. I am a good cook and it usually takes me more like 20 but it's still the easiest and fastest I have found. They have items marked as "kid friendly" too when you choose the items.</p> <p>Another route that is cheaper is Cook Smarts. It's basically a menu planning service and it's super cheap. Each week you pick your menu and you can alter it for gluten or vegan or whatever and then it kicks out a shopping list and recipe sheets and instructions for doing 1 hour of prep work on the weekend if you desire to make cooking faster during the week. It also tries to use the same ingredients in different ways to reduce food waste. Really good service and I've purchased subscriptions as gifts.</p> <p>Crockpots get a bad rap but it really depends on the recipe. Slow Cooker Revolution from America's Test Kitchen is good, if you want a cookbook to peruse for ideas. That said, the best crockpot recipes are going to use tough cuts of meat - chicken thighs, chuck roast, pork shoulder/butt. The leaner more tender cuts are going to turn to cat food if you cook them 9 hours. </p> <p>I have about 20-30 minutes each night to make dinner and if I didn't cook it the night before, basically this is what gets me by:</p> <p>We always have cooked carbs ready. Rice, tortillas, bread, Boboli-type precooked pizza crusts, super al dente pasta tossed in olive oil, tubs of mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes from the store - starches just get nuked. I buy it or prep it on the weekends.</p> <p>Then it's a matter of getting meat and veg on the table. If I can combine both into a sauce or soup, it's a win for me. Thai chicken coconut curry with a bag of frozen stirfry veg, hamburger stroganoff with mixed frozen veg thrown into the sauce, marinara sauce simmered with frozen chopped spinach and meatballs, sliced up sausages sautéed with peppers and onions, chicken Alfredo with steamed broccoli, fried rice with whatever we got in the fridge, etc.</p> <p>We generally do a hearty soup, a curry, and a pasta or noodle dish during the week, leftovers 2 nights (and a lunch or two on the weekend). Oh and a pizza night that alternates with a Mexican night. Weekends we eat leftovers and a mishmash of random things. My kids actually like the predictability of the menu and I can tweak whatever recipe we are doing that night so it's different for DH and I.</p> <p>I always do double duty on things when I can. I usually double any rice or ground meat and freeze it. If we are going to do brinner, then I'll do pancakes on the weekend and make extra and freeze them so all I have to do is nuke sausage and scramble eggs. Pulled pork, taco chicken meat, pot roast, shredded beef, chili - doubled and frozen.</p> <p>Casseroles I do not find to be time saving unless reheated. So personally if I want a casserole, I bake it then night before after the kids are in bed and just reheat it the next day. Casseroles are meant to be eaten that way anyway so I'm fine with it! Chicken Parmesan casserole, tuna noodle, chicken noodle, shepherd's pie, baked spaghetti, baked ziti - all good reheated.</p> <p>As you can see I also keep a lot of frozen veg around - all different kinds! But we also eat green salads and DS1 happily eats raw carrots and cucumbers and pickles. (DS2 isn't eating any raw veg sigh). And the kids always get fresh fruit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780756 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:46:08 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2780756@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>1. I would not leave refrigerated items out all day.<br /> 2. I don't make casserole.<br /> 3. I have used a complete meal delivery service, but it was when LO was still a BF/FF baby. I loved the convenience. When deliveries went from twice a week to once a week quality declines and I stopped the service. Food was prepared out of a commercial kitchen not someone's home.</p> <p>During the week we eat very simply, which is much easier these days since DH is not home at all. I can usually make enough ( pasta, frozen veggies, smoke sausage) to reheat throughout the week for LO all on a Monday and it takes me three nights to eat through a bag of steam fresh veggies. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/weeknight-cooking-woh-parents#post-2780752 Thu, 19 Oct 2017 11:39:58 +0000 MaryM 2780752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH and I both WOH. We just make mostly quick meals and do take out at least once a week. </p> <p>Quick things include - breakfast for dinner, tacos, pasta, salads, baked chicken with veggies, stir fry </p>