https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:47:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-159615 Tue, 15 May 2012 18:08:23 +0000 woodentulip 159615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am on mat leave right now, but when I was working with DD1, we loved going to a meal prep place to have good, mostly made meals in the freezer. So on days when I knew I wouldn't be able to pull something together, I would grab one of those to defrost through the night/day and then cook right when I got home. It worked really well for us, and we were home at 5 dinner at 6 bed at 7. It was still a struggle though, that's for sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-159595 Tue, 15 May 2012 17:40:28 +0000 Teachermama 159595@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: thanks for sharing the once a month mom, it's such a great resource. My LO starts daycare in June, so this will help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138637 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:34:42 +0000 yoursilverlining 138637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not a working mom yet, but we will continue to cook after LO, so I’ve given it some thought. I think dividing up tasks in the kitchen is probably very helpful. Also, prepping as much as your can in advance. </p> <p>Stir-fry is super quick. Use leftover rice and either prep fresh veggies the night before, or use a frozen stir-fry mix. Use leftover meat, or cook up your meat for the stir-fry the night before (although cooking the meat only adds a few minutes total). It takes like 10 minutes to make, especially once you get a feeling for how much sauces to use and don’t need to premeasured.</p> <p>I’d try to stay away from frozen things you need to reheat in a oven, since it takes time to pre-heat an oven + cooking time. Broiled or pan seared fish takes only minutes to cook, throw together a salad in the time it takes the fish to cook (or steam up some veggies).</p> <p>Roast a whole chicken over the weekend, and make homemade chicken salad subs with the leftovers (premake chicken salad and just throw onto bread when you get home), or chicken tacos.</p> <p>Rice/quinoa/farro takes about 20-25 minutes to cook in a rice cooker or on the stovetop. Have your grain premeasured and set out so as soon as you walk in the door you can dump it and water into the rice cooker and turn it on. While that cooks, cook up meat/veggies on the stove top, or grill your meat on the BBQ.</p> <p>Marinade chicken and steaks the night before, fire up the grill as soon as you get home and cook quickly.</p> <p>Pasta salad is great the next day, as is cole slaw. You could cook up a bunch of burger patties and then just reheat in the oven or microwave each night, toast buns and have with baked beans or cole slaw made ahead.</p> <p>Try different sauces with pasta – spicy olive oil, pesto, spicy red sauce, more traditional red sauce. In the time it takes pasta to cook, you can cook up Italian sausages or burger to add to the sauce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138618 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:25:57 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 138618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a SAHM and we STILL have this problem.</p> <p>I work from my home studio about 4-5 hours every night after Mr. Jumper gets home from his 8-5. He's usually home around 5:15, and takes over caring for Little Jumper so I can get to work.</p> <p>He feeds her between 5:30-6, then makes us dinner while LJ plays. Sometimes she is fussy, so I'll stop working to care for her while he keeps cooking.</p> <p>Mr. Jumper is a far better cook than I am, I'll admit.</p> <p>Even still, we do order take-out 1-2 times a week. I do all the meal planning, but sometimes we're both so tired that making spaghetti seems like a chore... and it's easier to order pizza :)</p> <p>LJ is an excellent sleeper, but set her own schedule from the get-go. I envy you parents who get your LOs to sleep for the night before 8pm. LJ stays up until 10, sometimes 11, but sleeps until 8am... I count my blessings, but really wish we could get her to bed earlier. She refuses to nap, too, so I have no idea how her tiny eyes stay open so late. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138607 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:21:45 +0000 banana 138607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get home around 6:30 and my husband gets home at 7. My mom watches my LO every day so she usually prepares whatever we're having for dinner that night and then I just finish the cooking after she leaves. Unfortunately we end up eating dinner late (around 7:30) and my son goes down to bed at 8:30. It works for us though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138594 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:14:23 +0000 owlwho 138594@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get home around 5:30-6:00 and husband is usually home and has some sort of meal for us since baby goes to bed at 7:00-7:30. We leave the clean-up for when baby is asleep. It's been tough getting used to not cleaning things right away! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138352 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:07:54 +0000 Mrs. Sunglasses 138352@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would get home around 4:45, give Mavrick a small snack and start prepping dinner.... we usually eat around 6ish, then when he's done we bath (6:45-7ish), then play/watch movie then bed. </p> <p>I sometimes feed him leftovers from the night before when my dinner takes to long. but planning your meals helps enormously. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138327 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:48:31 +0000 Honeybee 138327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was working, we had a similar schedule to you. I got off work at 4 to pick DD up from daycare; we usually got home by about 5, and DD's bedtime routine starts at 6:30. </p> <p>I use a combination of things to get dinner on the table by 5:30. A few times a month I do crockpot meals; a few times a month I do freezer meals; a few times a month we do takeout; a couple times a week we do leftovers. Otherwise, I have a list of super fast meals we can do in minutes:<br /> spaghetti<br /> pita pizzas (just put a little tomato sauce, some cheese, and veggies on a pita and put it in the oven for 5 minutes)<br /> bagged salads (you can grill a couple chicken breasts to go on top in just a couple minutes)<br /> breakfast for dinner (eggs, fruit, and toast or breakfast burritos)<br /> sandwiches (my favorite is pesto, tomato, and mozzerella)<br /> veggie quesadillas</p> <p>I use a lot of the frozen steamer bags of veggies. Its a lot faster than fresh, and if you get just plain veggies (not the ones in sauce), there aren't any extra ingredients. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138288 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:20:34 +0000 plaidpants 138288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We eat a lot of homemade pizza! My husband makes the dough and you can freeze it to use later, but you could also buy pre-made dough. Grate the mozzarella, cut up some veggies, and it's pretty quick! Not very healthy though... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138285 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:18:51 +0000 mrsjyw 138285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My biggest dilemma! DH and I both don't get home until after six and find it hard to get dinner on the table for just us with no limited time frame as to when we need to eat.</p> <p>My mom will be here to watch LO once I go back to work so I'm sure she'll make it easier, but I also don't want that burden on my mom either. </p> <p>I'm planning on lots of slow cooker/frozen prepped meal options. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138282 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:12:30 +0000 volksgirl64 138282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Granted, DD is older and her bedtime's not til 8 but we share the cooking duties. So one of us cooks while the other has DD duty and we try to have dinner on the table before 7 after getting home at 5.<br /> LO is due in 3 weeks so I'm sure we'll be revamping the schedule. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138261 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:56:19 +0000 LuLu Mom 138261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a working mom yet but have been talking with the girls at work who have a 7 month old and a 1 year old, and htey are both huge believers in freezer meals. They have their husband take their LO for an afternoon and they hammer out 15-20 meals to freeze for the month. Then they suppliment with slow cooker, grilling, ect. </p> <p>There are plenty of sites that give recipe ideas and you just make double so you have 2, they get it done in a few hours! I plan on doing the same thing, and have already started, it's amazing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138255 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:45:08 +0000 Nskillet 138255@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Quick meals girl! Rotisserie chickens are a huge hit for us or pasta we can boil quick and heat up a quick leftover sauce. Grill a quick steak and microwave veggie sides! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138246 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:39:30 +0000 winniebee 138246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no idea how we are going to do this! I won't get home until after 6 every night (and pre-baby I would get home around 6:30-7) and my husband won't get home until later! I suspect that I'll do some cooking on the weekends, my mom will cook for us the night she watches LO and we'll do easy / quick stuff the other nights. It's going to be complete chaos, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138128 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:36:08 +0000 Andrea 138128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. wagon: I cook two large meals on Sunday that we eat for four days so that covers most of the week and then I'll cook a few other simpler meals on other days to get us through the rest of the week. I also freeze some of the food that I cook so I might defrost something as well.</p> <p>I pick up my DD at 5, home by 5:30, and then she needs to eat the second we come in the door so I heat up a small portion for her. DH is never home so I have her in bed by 6:30 and eat with him between 7-8 when he gets home. </p> <p>It makes me sad to be missing out on family time to do the shopping and cooking on Sundays but it makes the work week SO much easier and I am not stressing out about feeding the LO something nutritious because I always have something now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138120 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:38:09 +0000 Rosie Girl 138120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't do this, and I am home to cook (Not that I do), but I hear preparing the meals all on the weekend, then freezing so you just heat them up, works really well. And crock pot of course :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138113 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:26:25 +0000 looch 138113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We had this problem when we were both working and there weren't any kids to contend with! What worked for us was for me to set aside some time on Sunday afternoon and prep stuff, like chicken breasts in apricot mustard sauce and pop them into a small casserole dish and cover with foil. I'd put a post it note on top for what day it was to be eaten, the oven temp and time, so "Mon/350/20 mins" or whatever. I'd also put down the side dish, so we'd know what veggies and carbs went with it.</p> <p>Now that I am at home I still don't have oodles of time to prep dinner, so I still do the Sunday prep sessions, otherwise we'd be eating a lot of frozen pizza...which have their time and place, don't get me wrong! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138096 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:04:05 +0000 T.H.O.U. 138096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I get home about 5:10 but have to nurse the baby. When DH gets home about 6 he starts to cook right away and LO goes in her high chair to start eating her food. By the time we eat at 6:30, we are usually done by 6:45 or 7 and she starts her bath and bedtime routine. </p> <p>We cook a lot of meals that are quick. A lot of times it's season the meat put it under the broiler, minute rice and steam in te bag veggies and that's it. I found that recipes often just make things more complicated. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-138085 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:46:04 +0000 mediagirl 138085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sigh. I don't know how we are going to be able to do it. We won't really be able to afford to eat out once she is here. I struggle now with cooking at night and she's not here yet. I think pasta might become a staple again. I try to plan meals out but it's difficult. Some nights, you just aren't feeling what's planned out! </p> <p>@Coco Bee had some good suggestions. </p> <p>Like you, I'm really hoping to be able to make something work with work so I can leave at 4 instead of 5. I can't imagine getting home at 5:45 or 6 or later with daycare pickup and then figuring out dinner, plus bedtime. </p> <p>Sorry I'm no help, just commiserating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137992 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:44:56 +0000 StbHisMrs 137992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's a joke really!!</p> <p>I get off at 5, I'm home by 5:45 most nights (and I work 2 miles away from home), every night it's a trip to the bank, my Mom's to pick up my son and occasionally the store</p> <p>We eating by 7:00 most nights. My fave is putting a roast in the dutch oven and cooking on low (225) all day, so good!</p> <p>We eat a lot of pasta and rice dishes. Some nights dh is bbq'ing. Pizza/takeout nights are tuesday and thursday when we're at baseball practice until 7pm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137974 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:18:12 +0000 Mrs. Pen 137974@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What about using a day on the weekend to do most of the prep work for the week?</p> <p>When I was working, we'd make a big batch (or two) or soup on the weekend, then freeze into individual portions, and use it either for lunches or quick dinners later on in the week. You can also pre-chop all your veggies for dinner, either freeze them or just refrigerate them chopped (if you'll be using them soon). That's a quick, easy, stir fry.</p> <p>Same with rice, if you eat it with stir fry or whatever, you can pre-make your rice and freeze it. Pre-make beans, and freeze them.</p> <p>Some of my favorite QUICK meals:<br /> burritos - hamburger, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocado</p> <p>healthy hamburger helper - <a href="http://thenourishingcook.com/the-new-hamburger-helper/" rel="nofollow">http://thenourishingcook.com/the-new-hamburger-helper/</a></p> <p>Pre-made turkey wild rice burgers (we pre-made them, then froze them in foil and just cooked up nice and quick one night) </p> <p>Taco salad - just assemble all the ingredients</p> <p>Spinach Quinoa Feta salad - <a href="http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/03/spinach-and-feta-quinoa-salad.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/03/spinach-and-feta-quinoa-salad.html</a></p> <p>classic spaghetti, sometimes with trader joes vodka sauce! The nights I'm really stretched for time, I use the premade sauces from Trader Joes - they are soo good. </p> <p>and of course the crock pot like you mentioned - they're lifesavers! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137972 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:16:48 +0000 BSB 137972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a working mom but I am a working women. :) I struggle with getting dinner on the table, too, because of my work hours. Have you looked into OnceAMonthMom.com? They give you recipes that you can cook and freeze. Then all you have to do is thaw and cook. I did it two months ago and I'm still eating from that month's menu. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137969 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:10:00 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 137969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I cook when I get home. We usually eat by 7 or 7:30 because I've got to prep and cook. Mr. Jacks cleans while I'm cooking and preps nighttime bottles. The hardest part is getting Lala to play on her own while I cook, because she just wants to hang out with me when I get home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137966 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:06:56 +0000 Boogs 137966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not a working parent and there are days I struggle to get a meal on the table or at least get something made at a decent hour. </p> <p>I have an aunt who does all her cooking and meal prep on Sundays so most days she just has to heat something up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/working-parents-and-dinner-how-do-you-do-it#post-137961 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:04:21 +0000 mrs. wagon 137961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Other than slow cooker meals prepared the night before, how in the world do you get dinner on the table if you work a regular 9-5 (or even 8-4 like me) job??? We get home at 5:10pm at the VERY earliest, and since Wagon Jr's bedtime routine starts at 6:30 and he usually takes at least 30 mins to eat, that only really gives me 20 mins to get dinner on the table. The only meal I've been able to prepare on the fly like that so far has been pasta and frozen turkey meatballs. And I literally have to start the SECOND I walk through the door. </p> <p>We do takeout at least twice a week... pizza and either chinese from Chinatown or somewhere like Subway.</p> <p>How do you other working parents do it?!?!?! </p>