Working mothers...

Married2003 · July 2011

If you work and commute to work; how in the world do you have time to cook dinner? I work full-time and have a 1 hour (one way) commute; and by the time I get home I don't want to cook. So, 5 days we will either order out, go out, or just eat leftovers. It gets expensive!

SFAug07 · July 2011

I don't cook. DH is usually not at home for dinner as he has a really long commute and long hours. Sarah eats things I precook and freeze, like pasta with tomato sauce. I eat something small like a salad at night.

SugarChick10 · July 2011

I'm not much help here. Can't wait to see some answers! I had a hard enough time getting dinner together when I was home on maternity leave. Right now my mom watches our LO at our house while MH and I are at work & she's been making dinner. While it's nice she's doing that & we really appreciate it...she's totally spoiling us. I've asked her to not do it, but she's insistent.

I had planned on using my slowcooker more, or even making a few meals for the week on the weekends but I haven't been consistent.

I know that it can be done but for whatever reason I just haven't gotten there yet.

superaunt · July 2011

same as you- generally DH picks something up for us or we order for delivery. that's for me and him though; S gets dinner when she and i get home (i drop her off and pick her up from school) and it's something that can be made in minutes or a meltdown will ensue. (freezer friendly meatballs, chicken, peas, pancakes, grill cheese, etc)

YaraC · July 2011

Crockpot

Pre-marinated meats

Microwave steam in the bag veggies

Double batches where you can freeze half are also handy.

Nothing I cook takes more than 20 minutes. Usually, it's very uninspired, ie chicken breasts and peas or something like that. We eat a lot of the same meals over and over.

You do have to think about dinner before you leave for work to really make it happen. A weekly menu is helpful so that you know what to thaw, have on hand, etc.

momagain2009 · July 2011

We eat out a lot, sometimes if I'm very ambitious I'll prep some things for easy dinners on Sunday. Then I just have to throw it together during the week. Stir-fry is one thing we eat a lot of.

kofmkg · July 2011

I've resorted to buying the more expensive convenience items like fresh veggies in steam bags (pre chopped and washed). I've tended to recycle the same meals b/c they work. As much as I don't like so much pasta, it works for now. But DH and I won't eat until 8:30 at the earliest- and I hate that.

One colleague makes dinner for the next day. Ex: she will put together a meatloaf or a one-dish meal and keep it in the fridge until she gets home the next day, when she'll pop it in the oven.

BrideBuddies · July 2011

I'm a SAHM, but I hate cooking with a white hot passion.

I use our gas grill a lot, since the cleanup is virtually nothing and I detest doing dishes. I'll also make something big, like a big meatloaf, and then put the excess in the freezer for later in the week. Hubby also takes leftovers every day to work, so I swear I'm constantly cooking.

We also eat a lot of canned/frozen veggies and mac & cheese type stuff.

Sunday nights I tend to make a big meal so that will last a few days.

Strunella · July 2011

We wing it a lot. I'll do something quick, like throw chicken on the grill and then make a baked potato and those microwave steam veggie bags. Fish is quick and easy too. Crockpot is great, though I tend to use it more in the winter. Fresh tortellini with jarred sauce. Chicken sausages w/beans & veggies in one pot. Boboli pizza...quick and you can make it healthy with veggies.

We also tend to eat late and I hate it too. I don't get home until 7:00, and I want to spend that time with DS not in the kitchen cooking. So I don't get started until after 8:00 pm.

And there's always that emergency bowl of cereal!

Pesky · July 2011

crockpot

quick fix meals -- grill is a life-saver; breakfast for dinner is quick and easy too

freezer meals (cook extra on the weekends and reheat)

pizza night

M.Amy · July 2011

Planning and routine:

Monday: I buy a rotisserie chicken on my way home from work

Tuesday: pasta night!

Wednesday: we eat out

Thursday: Left overs!

Friday: Pizza delivered

It is boring but it gets us through the week.

gimmietimmies · July 2011

We used to rely on convience foods, but those are emergency only type things. Same with takeout, or it would kill our budget. Most of the things we cook are fresh and fast. Sometimes I cheat and get vegtables from Costco that are already prepped, but we do a lot from scratch. And lots of slow cooker meals.

I like getting ideas from the Food Network, because they often have good recipes that are quick and easy and not repetitive. And I love Giada De Laurentiis. Her cooking is amazing. We also do lots of stir fry, curries, grilled meats and fish. Or steam veg, etc. Or DH cooks, he is far better at it than me.

.....and sometimes if the kids have had it, breakfast for dinner. Surprise

Maggee206 · July 2011

I use TJ frozen meals and either fresh or frozen veggies...we plan out our week when we go shopping so we know what we are eating. Prior to this we ate noodles and butter over the sink!

Piranha54 · July 2011

Phew - glad Gimmietimmies posted before me - I was afraid I'd be boo'd off the board! I do cook most nights, but I also 1) like to cook 2) plan, plan, plan and 3) feel a lot better when I eat better (and would be blowing up like a blimp on carryout). I often do some prep the night before - marinate meat/chicken, cut veg, etc. Also, we still eat after DD goes to sleep so it's usually 7:30 at the earliest. I get ideas from Foodnetwork too, plus some mommy blogs that I love and do look for quick things - 20-30 minutes. I still using my crockpot in the summer (mmmm, baked sweet potatos!). Plus, summer cooking is great - slice and dice a bunch of fresh squash, onions, etc and roast for 25 min with some chicken breast and yum. DD gets our leftovers for dinner the night after too, so it's two birds with one stone. We do order out or pick up about one night a week, and there's one night when DH isn't home so I plan on leftovers or a bag of popcorn

vanverth · July 2011

I do alot of some kind of meat on the grill, veg and starch. We eat after M goes to bed because I just can not get it together. I am terrible because I don't know what I am going to be in the mood for until I get home. I am also feeding a teen ager like some of you and he is doing farm work this summer so I go for big and hardy so it fills him up.

gimmietimmies · July 2011

Piranha54:
Phew - glad Gimmietimmies posted before me - I was afraid I'd be boo'd off the board! I do cook most nights, but I also 1) like to cook 2) plan, plan, plan and 3) feel a lot better when I eat better (and would be blowing up like a blimp on carryout). I often do some prep the night before - marinate meat/chicken, cut veg, etc. Also, we still eat after DD goes to sleep so it's usually 7:30 at the earliest. I get ideas from Foodnetwork too, plus some mommy blogs that I love and do look for quick things - 20-30 minutes. I still using my crockpot in the summer (mmmm, baked sweet potatos!). Plus, summer cooking is great - slice and dice a bunch of fresh squash, onions, etc and roast for 25 min with some chicken breast and yum. DD gets our leftovers for dinner the night after too, so it's two birds with one stone. We do order out or pick up about one night a week, and there's one night when DH isn't home so I plan on leftovers or a bag of popcorn

mmm...sounds like our dinner last night, salmon, fresh spinach salad with cucumber, risotto and beets. I love summer cooking. Popcorn for dinner is good too!

DH and I came to the decision to go back to the way we used to eat because it was cheaper, and timewise faster. Nuggets take longer than salad and risotto, the salmon was already cooked. Plus my waistline is much happier, only 40 lbs to go. Going back to fresh food has me already 20lbs down from my prepreg weight with S. No exercise yet.

And I still loathe cooking. Baking is a whole other ball game.

bridgeybride · July 2011

I'm a huge fan of Trader Joe's frozen items..which are really convenient and microwaveable... my DD eats their turkey meatloaf muffins (which are potatoes, spinach and potatoes in a perfect portion for her)... also turkey meatballs.. shepherd's pie.. that and quesadillas are a big hit with her. She loves cheese... yogurt and fruit...

UpNorthGal · July 2011

Yep, it's tough. I also have a 1 hour commue each way, but have the flexibility to WAH 2-3 days per week. That doesn't always mean I have the time to start dinner before I pick up the kids from DC, but sometimes I can. Meal planning is what saves my sanity. I find that the weeks I don't meal plan we eat cr$p.

Usually I sit down Sat/Sun and figure out what we have in our fridge/freezer & look at what's on sale that week at the store. (I'll also try to account for bath nights, since those are a bit more rushed and leftovers will fit the bill on those nights.) Then I plan the meals for the week and shop to fill in the gaps.

Also, if I have time to make one batch of stuffed shells, enchiladas, chicken and pasta bake I have time to double or triple the recipe and freeze two more dinners.

Bagged steam veggies, salad, canned veggies, biscuits, serve as quick sides.

livinitup · July 2011

It just takes some meal planning and cooking some big batches from time to time.

We buy tons of veggies at the farmer's market on Saturdays. Then it's a race to eat everything before it goes bad. This time of year it's mostly salads every night, so all letttuce and stuff gets washes on Sunday and is ready for slicing and dicing on any given weeknight - 10 minutes work and a simple clean-up. When I'm not in the mood for salad, I spritz and roast the veggies and they are delicious, cleaning-up is a simple alumninum foil toss into the garbage.

As a rule, I only "cook" one component a night. Weeknights, I have cooked pasta in the frig, breaded chicken cutlets in the freezer, maybe some roasted turkey sausages in the frig, some cheese, salad fixins, bread, cold cuts, even eggs. I mix and match for a quick, nutritious dinner.

Tonight, I had salad fixings that I washed and prepped on Sunday. I made a chopped salad and microwaved a few breaded chicken cutlets for dinner - better than a restaurant. The chicken cutlets were done in a big batch 2 weekends ago total time about 45 minutes and then flash frozen for individual use whenever I wanted (tonight!). I've made chicken parmesan for DH and tonight it was heated-up and added to salad. I've also grabbed a few for lunch.

Some nights I slice and roast the veggies (zuchinin, squash, onions, red peppers), put them on foil, spritz with olive oild and bake at 350 - the only clean-up is tossing the foil. The roasted veggies go over leftovr pasta, grated cheese and some jarred tomatoe sauce - delish.

Just think of making batches of stuff, freezing it in separage containers (like chili or whatever) and having it ready to microwave whenever you come home from work. Only "cook" one fresh item a night and you'll have a feast every night with less than 10 minutes of work.

KL777 · July 2011

During the summer I work part-time but during the academic year, I work full-time. My drive in to work is fortunately only 15 minutes, however I never cook during the week.

I cook a dish on Saturday night and a second dish on Sunday night. These two dishes are for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. DH cooks on Wednesdays. His dish is for Wednesday and Thursday. We either go out to dinner for a date night that Friday or we'll do a movie night at home and order in. Saturday's are leftovers or take-out. It works out great.

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