For some background on this post see the meme I did a few days ago (click here)-- specifically numbers 10 & 11 on that meme.
Faithful readers know that I'm a WM (Working Mom). Faithful readers also know that my boys love to eat. And man, can they eat. If you've been reading awhile you also know that 'Pre-K&O' I loved cooking. And man, could I cook. Some of you may have even partaken of a meal or two from my kitchen. Those are lovely memories. But just that: memories. In the distant distant past. Anyhoo... life is different now. For the better. For sure. But in our life 'Post-K&O' cooking has, well, uh, it has certain challenges.
For one thing, I rarely have time to cook anything that I find interesting/creative/fun/enjoyable. I'm so limited by time constraints. And that's not just time constraints on actually preparing the meal. I am time constrained in every aspect of food prep (menu-creating, meal-planning, recipe-finding, food-shopping, refrigerator-cleaning, dinner-making, kitchen-cleaning). In the precious family time that we have (evenings, weekends), the LAST thing I want to be doing is slaving over a hot stove -- I want to be on the floor/in the pool/running in the yard with my boys (all three of them!). But eating a healthy well balanced diet is important to me. I don't want to just buy a bunch of frozen junk and shove it into the microwave five minutes before I scream out "Dinner Time!!!" So, unfortunately, I spend a ridiculous amount of mental energy fretting and stressing over what the heck I'm going to try to get onto the table in record time each night. I'm seriously considering trying to figure out some sort of way to have someone else prepare some of our dinner meals (I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and have begun looking into it -- it seems it might save me a lot of time and stress... and even save us a lot of money too). And today I was even having downright fabulously inspiring email correspondence about it with my new girlfriends (hi Rony and Cindy!).
And yet, when it goes well, I get great satisfaction from feeding my family. It is nights like this (see below -- photos from last night's dinner) that make me question how I could possibly even consider giving up the meal-making-role. I made the boys' (all three of them) favorite dinner -- fresh pasta and chicken with a pesto cream sauce, fresh parmesan sprinkled on top. All from scratch. Basil even from my own plant pots. No kidding. The boys go nuts over this meal. Kyle seriously must have told me at least a dozen times during dinner: "Mama, I love this! This is my favorite! Pesto pasta is my favorite!" And Owen just kept saying: "Mommy, thank you! Thank you mommy for making this delicious supper!!!" They each ate enough to easily make a grown man full. Literally, in fact. The same servings did, in fact, make Braydon full. All three of them were just ooohing and aaahhing and "thank you!"'ing and "I love this!"'ing all dinner long. O.k., really now... how could I not just love that???
Photos were taken Winter of 2006. The boys were in a terrible phase that lasted about six months where they just threw everything -- including food -- ALL. THE. TIME. I'd literally be crying many a night at the dinner table after getting home from a long day at work, struggling to get dinner on the table, and then watching them throw it all over the floor/walls/each other/us. As K & O "mature" (if you could call it that -- golly knows we still have our 'moments'), it is getting easier and easier all the time (note I am not saying it is easy now, just that it is easier). Anyway, I keep telling myself that if I just hang in there I can make this whole career-driven-working-mommy-of-twin-boys-healthy-eating-family thing work. And I also remind myself incessantly that the vast majority of working moms can't even consider the idea of outsourcing the dinner cooking and therefore I shouldn't either and I should just suck it up and quit complaining and just do it. But at the same time... I really really really hate to waste my time in the evenings frantically cooking when I could be playing/tickling/reading/running/chatting/just-plain-old-being with my bambinos. What's a working mom who cares about nutrition to do?
6 comments:
This whole issue drives me nuts and I'm a SAHM. My girls even told me a few nights ago they want Papa to do all the cooking. Well problem solved if he were home more often! I don't know how K & O do at restaurants but we go out to eat a few times a week. Fun family time and we don't have to cook or clean up. But by the end of the day you probably want to be home..... Wasn't much help was I?
You can try using the theory behind the 'dinners to go' businesses - make more of the same thing and freeze it. The problem for us is we don't cook the type of food that can be frozen.
looking for answers too.
I think hiring a hand in the food department sounds like a great idea - espcially to give you the extra time with the boys. Why not make a tradition where you save Sunday's dinner for yourself - and really "do it up" like you used to! Saturday's keep it casual like make your own mini pizza's on whole wheat pita, or something fun the whole family can make together. But m-f, if you can get someone to cook you an expert-organic-from-scratch lovely dinner ~sigh~ I would do it in a heartbeat :)
Take care,
Mandy
First of all, I love your new header!
And secondly, I am totally coming to your house for pasta! :)
Where do you even look for someone to cook for you? Would you just advertise at the university?
We have purchased a few meals from one of those Entrees Made Easy places. They were more expensive than cooking myself, but less expensive than going out. Fast to prepare and pretty healthy, tasted good... You would probably need a ton of them to feed your boys!
This summer we have done a lot of fresh fruits and salads for dinner, of course. And we grill chicken often. If I am thinking ahead enough we'll make a marinade or barbeque sauce for the chicken.
I seem to go through phases when I plan all our meals for a few weeks, but we tend to fall back to our basic staple meals that we make often.
I am always interested in how other working parents manage to feed their families in healthy ways, so let us know what works out for you!
Oh, am I glad someone (especially you--a WM)had the nerve to talk (dare I say that) about this subject. Yeah, I'm in a tail spin the minute I step in the door after work. If I hadn't already prepared dinner in my "head" I am in the kitchen going trough the cupboards in a rush frantically trying to create something new and exciting for my family. Yes, I too am a good cook. Actually fh would say a mahavelous cook. I love it that they all love what I prepare but I find it more and more challenging to keep it fun and healthy and something that does not involve 14 hours in the kitchen trying to whip up! I think Cindy has the right idea with the personal chef. I'm going to (when I slow down long enough to research it--right like that's going to happen) start looking for a chef too. Somethings gotta give cuz it's making momma crazy. Well, crazier than normal. Thanks for posting about this today!
Leaving tomorrow to meet Cindy... have you changed your mind?! Please join us!
okay, this site may receive more visits from me, now that I am going to focus on those that I can RELATE to. Rony is the babe to ask about homemade. She is the queen.
I am quasi queen of one fresh cooked meal a day. That's it. The rest is leftovers, fruit, cold cuts, meats, cereal,tons o yogurt, and some prepared stuff. We absolutely picket and BAN all junkfood and fastfood from their grabby fingers. They do not know what french fries or hamburgers or cake/cookies are and they're almost 2 1/2. I think it's not bad. My twins can shovel the food in like nobodys business.
I hate cooking and it pains me to worry so much (more lost sleep) over how many advocados and spinach they had this week. I'm trying and really that's all you can do. I am ALL for outsourcing nutritious meals. Never thought of that. Could I serve it to guests for dinner?
I want your pasta pesto recipe! And the yogurt smoothies too. I know my boys would love that. I struggle with cooking after a long day at work too. Sharing the chore helps, as well as cooking big one day and having left overs the next; and using the crock pot. Sharing tips and recipes is a big support we can give each other. It seems like your boys will eat just about everything, which is a huge advantage (even though it may feel like they never get enough). You are going a fantastic job!
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