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Meal Time Help
I posted this under the toddler board, but I figured I would post it here as well. I need some easy meal ideas, for a mom that cannot cook. I try my best to make fresh veggies with a meat or fish, but it is time consuming. I figured other working moms could relate to how precious the three hours I have a night with my son are, and I do not want to spend an hour of it cooking. So I was wondering if anyone had some ideas for healthy quick and easy meals that would the adults and a 20 month old would like.
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Re: Meal Time Help
grilled cheese and tater tots
pasta w/ meat sauce (you can cook the sauce in a crock pot earlier in the day)
perogies
taco salads
baked chicken and some type of veggie
I know what you are saying though. We can cook something super simple and our kitchen looks like we cooked a 5 course meal.
I'm a vegitarian so I'm not cooking meats (and really don't know how/where to start with those...) but one thing that has helped me greatly is chopping all my veggies on Sunday. It takes 20/30 minutes on a Sunday afternoon, but saves loads of time every night!
My meals obviously may not be what you're looking for, but I'll make something like rice, couscous or organic mac & cheese (the kind from a box) and toss in a lot of fresh veggies and spices for an easy, quick, relatively healthy one-pot dinner.
Crockpot meals..
I used to be 'one of those' that would do fancy recipes that took over an hour...no time anymore-hopefully get back to it once DS is a little older..
365 a day crockpot blog-it's awesome...and easy and she gives you the verdict on whether her family liked it or not.
I made the buffalo chicken lasagna..seriously not bad. You can do baked ziti (meat free) the same way in the crockpot. I do shredded chicken breasts the night before, then whip up chicken enchiladas...in the crockpot-french dip sammies (rump roast, a little beef broth, bay leaves, a little red wine, zesty italian packet...) let it go all day; use the remainder for shepards pie, etc.
Salads-grilled chicken, strawberries, feta cheese, red onion, croutons, caramelized walnuts, balsamic dressing or do grilled flank steak and blue cheese salad...super ez
sometimes I do eggs and toast and bacon for dinner...
Reubens and rachels are ez, as are BLTs....
We do this too! Additionally, while I am chopping/prepping on Sunday, I throw a few chicken breasts in the oven to roast and later in the week I can shred or dice to add to our meals.
Spaghetti is also quick, just brown some mild italian sausage, drain and add a jar of good sauce and let it simmer while the noodles cook and your done! A simple salad on the side is great. Leftovers are perfect for lunch too!
Stir Fry always goes over well at my house. I do the chicken in one pan and the veggies in another. I use zucchini, squash, onoin and shredded cabbage - sometimes throw in broccoli. Then cook pot of rice to serve it over.
Any meat that is easy to just throw in the over with little to no prep - pork loin, ham, chicken breasts,etc and a bag or two of the steamable vegetables and ready made rolls.
Tacos or you could make a taco salad to incorporate more veggies
In the winter I do soup and sandwiches.
I try to plan what I want to serve for the week and buy/prep as much as I can on the weekend to save myself from stopping for carryout or having to stop and buy ingredients nightly.
My family is very difficult as DH does not like pasta and only certain chicken dishes. DS(age 14 years) does not like vegetables in his dish and does not care for fried foods and I do not like beef. I use the same 10 meals over and over and over....
We're all about the foil pack cooking. A few chicken breasts or fish filets in a foil pack with some seasoning or marinade, seal it up and bake (20 min for fish, 30 for chicken). Add a quick side or two and no clean up from the meat - just toss the foil in the trash! I usually make up the packet the night before after DS goes to bed, that way when I get home the next day, I can just toss it in the oven and not have to worry about making anything.
I'm also a big believer in taking help from the grocery store, even if it cost a few extra pennies. I will always buy a bag of precut/washed veggies and steam them in the microwave instead of buying them bulk and cutting at home.