Menu/Meals ?

Snebel84

I just started back to work after 2 months off and we have been eating like crap. When I was off I had time to make nice dinners and now by the time DH and I pick up our son at daycare and get home....I dont feel like cooking anything! Does anyone have any easy meals (I would prefer somewhat healthy) or menu ideas you use during the week?

brewcitybride

You have to meal plan. On Sunday, write down exactly what will be for dinner each night, and purchase those items. Pre-chop veggies and put them in containers in the fridge. Make sure you defrost any meat you might need (I sometimes forget to do this!). Utilize your CrockPot. Have 3-4 super easy 20 minutes recipes (I can whip up a batch of chili in 15 minutes).

We roast a lot of veggies - super easy and so tasty, especially in the winter when produce isn't always it's best. I roast carrots, beets, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts. Cut them up into small pieces, throw on a roasting pan, and sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt. Roast at a high temp (425) for 25 minutes. Yum!

We might do one pasta, a roast chicken, a Crock Pot meal, and a sandwich night in a week. Friday night might be takeout. Saturday night I don't usually cook - if DH and I go out, the kids will have pizza or meatballs and spaghetti (their fav).

Key is menu planning! The worst is when you get home at 5:00 or whatever and you have NO idea what to cook or nothing in your fridge that is healthy!

MrsWindyCity

I post our weekly menu in my blog's sidebar (LIS). I focus on stuff that takes 20-30 min or less and if it's necessary to hit that time, I might do a little prep work the night before or morning of.

I also have this post on meal planning: https://ellysaysopa.com/2012/05/10/meal-planning-and-quick-dinners/ 

 ETA: I also have a "quick and easy" category. 

IdigDirt

I am trying to plan for the week. It is a bit easier since there are really only about 6 meals I will make that DH will eat I am vegan, he is not. Most meals I make take under 20 minutes of me actually working then they are in the oven or stove where I can somewhat ignore them for a bit.
I like pasta since it is easy, risotto with veggies. Roasted potatoes and veggies with "chick'n" strips, "shepherds pie" home made pizza is always good.

jlaOK

brewcitybride:

You have to meal plan. On Sunday, write down exactly what will be for dinner each night, and purchase those items. Pre-chop veggies and put them in containers in the fridge. Make sure you defrost any meat you might need (I sometimes forget to do this!). Utilize your CrockPot. Have 3-4 super easy 20 minutes recipes (I can whip up a batch of chili in 15 minutes).

We roast a lot of veggies - super easy and so tasty, especially in the winter when produce isn't always it's best. I roast carrots, beets, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts. Cut them up into small pieces, throw on a roasting pan, and sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt. Roast at a high temp (425) for 25 minutes. Yum!

We might do one pasta, a roast chicken, a Crock Pot meal, and a sandwich night in a week. Friday night might be takeout. Saturday night I don't usually cook - if DH and I go out, the kids will have pizza or meatballs and spaghetti (their fav).

Key is menu planning! The worst is when you get home at 5:00 or whatever and you have NO idea what to cook or nothing in your fridge that is healthy!

All of the bolded.  We are also only a family of 3, so I try take half of most recipes and freeze them for later use.  Any dish that requires a 9x13 pan I freeze to make 2 9x9.  I love the nights that I can just defrost a freezer meal and pop it into the oven - so easy.

Emmakins87

jlaOK:

brewcitybride:

You have to meal plan. On Sunday, write down exactly what will be for dinner each night, and purchase those items. Pre-chop veggies and put them in containers in the fridge. Make sure you defrost any meat you might need (I sometimes forget to do this!). Utilize your CrockPot. Have 3-4 super easy 20 minutes recipes (I can whip up a batch of chili in 15 minutes).

We roast a lot of veggies - super easy and so tasty, especially in the winter when produce isn't always it's best. I roast carrots, beets, asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts. Cut them up into small pieces, throw on a roasting pan, and sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt. Roast at a high temp (425) for 25 minutes. Yum!

We might do one pasta, a roast chicken, a Crock Pot meal, and a sandwich night in a week. Friday night might be takeout. Saturday night I don't usually cook - if DH and I go out, the kids will have pizza or meatballs and spaghetti (their fav).

Key is menu planning! The worst is when you get home at 5:00 or whatever and you have NO idea what to cook or nothing in your fridge that is healthy!

All of the bolded.  We are also only a family of 3, so I try take half of most recipes and freeze them for later use.  Any dish that requires a 9x13 pan I freeze to make 2 9x9.  I love the nights that I can just defrost a freezer meal and pop it into the oven - so easy

Love this advise, another helping thing is CROCK POT!

I precook 4 meals on Saturday and Sunday, and portion them in containers, some for lunch some for dinner. We eat out once a week and I will grab lunch at a deli or pizza place once a week 

dimondwind

An easy weeknight dinner that I do at least once per week is fish, veggie, and rice.  I buy frozen fish fillets (usually salmon or haddock) they defrost in room temp water in about 10 minutes, then into the oven with minimal seasonings for 20 min @ 400.  We buy frozen veggies that steam in the microwave, and rice packets that cook up in about 20 min (usually Near East).  This is my healthy go-to 30 min meal   

jcath

We meal plan and shop on Sunday mornings.  If you buy a rotisserie chicken at the store Sunday you can eat it with a salad and bread on Monday. I also make one or two casseroles (chicken casserole, lasagna, ziti with sausage, etc) on Sunday to cook later in the week. When that's exhausted I try a crock pot meal.  We also do jambalya out of the box (20 min), fresh ravioli (10 min) or sandwiches the rest of the week.  The best thing about cooking at night is leftovers for lunch at work.

We are eating really late now - by the time we get home and I feed the girls something (sometimes leftovers from our dinner last night) we bathe and put them to bed and then start our dinner so it's often 7:30 before we eat. 

mandy522

MrsWindyCity your blog is fabulous - I'm going to steal about all of your crockpot and quick and easy recipes, thanks for sharing!

MidwestGidget

Lots of great advice. I still struggle with this since I used to love to cook elaborate meals. No more.

Where I'm successful: Leftovers are my best friend now.

Also, vegetable soup is awesome. Make on the weekend, and eat it during the week. Usually makes 6-8 servings so you can have it as a good side for different types of dinners. Also doesn't ever taste leftover.

Butternut squash soup, roasted red pepper/corn no-cream chowder, and carrot leek. I rotate these every week and serve with either a hearty salad, fish or broiled chicken, or paninis.

FWIW, LO has become a pickier eater, but still loves my soups.

Emmakins87

MrsWindyCity:

I post our weekly menu in my blog's sidebar (LIS). I focus on stuff that takes 20-30 min or less and if it's necessary to hit that time, I might do a little prep work the night before or morning of.

I also have this post on meal planning: https://ellysaysopa.com/2012/05/10/meal-planning-and-quick-dinners/ 

 ETA: I also have a "quick and easy" category. 

I am so making those pesto meatballs tonight! 

kcircell

Plan plan plan! I loved cooking pre child as well but from the moment I walk in the door till dd goes to sleep is like a marathon at our house so I have shifted a lot of my cooking to after she is sleeping, then I finish and reheat what is needed the next day

MrsWindyCity

Emmakins87:

MrsWindyCity:

I post our weekly menu in my blog's sidebar (LIS). I focus on stuff that takes 20-30 min or less and if it's necessary to hit that time, I might do a little prep work the night before or morning of.

I also have this post on meal planning: https://ellysaysopa.com/2012/05/10/meal-planning-and-quick-dinners/ 

 ETA: I also have a "quick and easy" category. 

I am so making those pesto meatballs tonight! 

 

hope you like them! 

lb1212

Everything is so rushed from pickup to dinner time with DS! I started one Sunday making two dinners - one for that night and one for Monday. Then Monday, all I had to do was heat and serve. Then after DS goes to bed, I made dinner for Tuesday. I work late on Wednesday, so Thursday is "Trash Night" - we eat all leftovers. Then back to cooking on Thursday night.