How do you get supper on the table?

[janetwhitson]

I am really struggling with getting the afternoon schoolwork done and supper on the table in a reasonable time frame? Any tips on how to do it?

[Lara in Colo]

cereal---

 

Just kidding (sort of, no-- not really)

 

I try to have stuff ready to go made or half made in the freezer--- just double up every time you cook and freeze the other half.

 

Lunch is my difficult time-- I have Dh buy premade stuff at Costco (chicken patties for sandwiches, salad mixes, flautas, corndogs,)

 

also have frozen ravioli from Costco for those really tight nights

[Mom25girls]

This was actually one of my biggest challenges when we first started homeschooling. My first homeschooler is in college now so I've tried dozens of methods. For me, I need to have dinner made no later than lunch time. When I'm really organized, I make dinner while the kids are eating breakfast. Usually, it's when the kids are eating lunch. Also, many of my recipes require 2 cups of chicken so I try to freeze chicken in two cup bags. I also freeze filling for tacos. My last "trick" is keeping bags of dry cookie ingredients in the freezer with the recipes enclosed inside (in a small bag). It's easy. When I'm making cookies, the ingredient goes into the mixmaster and then an identical one into a ziplock bag. Hoping that you soon find what works for you. The stress of dinner time approaching and no dinner plans is VERY stressful I think.

[Tammi K]

It's a lot easier of you don't plan to eat until 9:30. Last night we had wind storms that were threatening to knock out the power so I made dinner early and we ate at 7:30. The kids were shocked, "Why are we eating so early? You'll let us have a snack later, before we go to bed, right?":tongue_smilie:

[redsquirrel]

I specialize in easy to prepare meals, I make simple meals, I live in a house where no one would ever think about complaining about what is served. I have about 3 weeks of seasonal meals that I can rotate through. However, I can tell you right now that we are having oatmeal every single Wednesday night until next June because I have no time to get anything ready.

 

 

Yesterday we had burritos (refried beans, grated cheese, salsa in a tortilla)

Today we had oatmeal

Tomorrow we will have chickpea curry over rice (totally simple)

Friday we will have eggs and hash browns

 

I don't make side dishes.

 

Yogurt, fruit, bread and butter are always available and if things get crazy then that is what we have.

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I usually start dinner around 3:30, and we eat by 4-4:30. This is a must since ds needs to go bed by 6ish.

 

I plan easy meals, prep as much as i can early on. I use the microwave for as much as i can (never ever for meats, ewww), and stick to what i know.

[Rivka]

Almost everything on my dinner menu rotation takes about half an hour to make. The exceptions are things that can sit in the oven for a long time without me doing anything to them.

 

Sample meals from this week:

- Tilapia with soy-ginger sauce, rice, sugar snap peas

- Pork chops, pan-roasted new potatoes, salad

- Stovetop chicken parmesan, pasta, sauteed spinach

- Ham, bread from the bakery, green beans

- Spaghetti with Italian turkey sausage, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms

 

All of these take a half hour or less to make. I start cooking at 6 and we eat at 6:30.

[Trilliums]

Almost everything on my dinner menu rotation takes about half an hour to make. The exceptions are things that can sit in the oven for a long time without me doing anything to them.

 

Sample meals from this week:

- Tilapia with soy-ginger sauce, rice, sugar snap peas

- Pork chops, pan-roasted new potatoes, salad

- Stovetop chicken parmesan, pasta, sauteed spinach

- Ham, bread from the bakery, green beans

- Spaghetti with Italian turkey sausage, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms

 

All of these take a half hour or less to make. I start cooking at 6 and we eat at 6:30.

 

 

This is my general approach too, although I do some crock pot meals, casseroles, etc also.

We do a lot of roasted veggies with a meat and rice.

Or stir fried veggies with a meat and rice

Or shrimp and veggies over pasta

We have salad, green beans and steamed broccoli on a regular basis as sides.

[Myeightkiddies]

Pre-plan two weeks worth of meals. Shop for non-perishables for those two weeks at one time. Throughout the two weeks purchase perishables - unless you have adequate storage (or they won't spoil) to do so ahead of time. Be sure the menus are realistic. Don't make a huge dinner five days a week just because it sounds good on paper. If you wake up on a Wednesday and decide you really don't feel like making Wednesday's meal, make Thursday's and push Wednesday's to Thursday. It's flexible. It will take the pressure off as you won't have to always wonder what is for dinner, which is time-consuming in itself.

 

Learn to love your crockpot. Use it.

[Karen in CO]

I specialize in easy to prepare meals, I make simple meals, I live in a house where no one would ever think about complaining about what is served. I have about 3 weeks of seasonal meals that I can rotate through. However, I can tell you right now that we are having oatmeal every single Wednesday night until next June because I have no time to get anything ready.

 

 

Yesterday we had burritos (refried beans, grated cheese, salsa in a tortilla)

Today we had oatmeal

Tomorrow we will have chickpea curry over rice (totally simple)

Friday we will have eggs and hash browns

 

I don't make side dishes.

 

Yogurt, fruit, bread and butter are always available and if things get crazy then that is what we have.

 

I like you. :)

I specialize in what my family calls "one-pot-wonders" or "something with rice." We do have tacos on Tuesdays just because I love alliteration, and I can cook taco meat in my crockpot. Everything I cook on weekdays is cooked in under 30 minutes or thrown in a pot and forgotten until 30 minutes before dinner. Dinner is promptly at 6. If somebody has a few more alliterative meals, I'd love to hear them. I think I'm going to have oatmeal tomorrow, just because that sounds awesome and will go in the crockpot.