lovinmyboys Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I am getting so frustrated with our diet right now. It is four kids and me eating. I feel like I go to effort to make food and then nobody wants to eat it. They are also all playing baseball right now, which means we are gone most evenings and all day Saturday. Anyone have suggestions for quick and healthy meals? Or foods to have on hand they can choose to eat if they don't like dinner. I don't really like making them skip dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Marmalade Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 It sounds like the crockpot may be your new best friend. I like a lot of the recipes here at the crockpot 365 blog, as well as in her books. If my kids don't want to eat what I have prepared they are allowed to get themselves a bowl of cereal or a PB&J sandwich. That's it. I prepare healthful food, and while I do take preferences into consideration (no mushrooms or brussels sprouts) they eat what I prepare and know that is dinner. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 My latest "Fine, have this instead" for my especially picky child is a scrambled egg and slice of ww toast. It takes almost no extra time to throw on while cooking regular dinner, but it does require knowing he's going to refuse the regular dinner in advance. That doesn't always happen. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I keep nuts and fruit on hand for when we are in a "grab and go" type of situation. When they don't want what you're cooking, and if you are all right with alternatives (I've had a child with sensory issues, so I've always had alternatives), have a few that they can select from. Some of ours: Eggs, leftovers, "tortilla pizza" (choose a tortilla without trans fats. I use whole wheat ones from Trader Joe's), add tomato sauce and mozarella and bake. You can also keep precooked meats, veges, etc. in the freezer in individual portion sizes. So for instance, you could keep individual portions of ground meat or a mixture of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and pepper to add to black beans and a tortilla for a burrito or to the "tortilla pizza." The 'tortilla pizzas" can be wrapped like a burrito, wrapped in foil, and taken with you. Same with a real burrito. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I pre-wash and cut my veggies (well not always but I try) that makes salads simple. Also we eat more of the veggie tray type veggies if they are there and ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Polish-style sausage - warm in fry pan with some wate on the stove. Serve with eggs or tortillas and leftover rice. Taco salad - cook the meat over the weekend and put in the fridge. Warm up meat and beans and pour over salad, chips and cheese. Or serve everything separate and do Build-your-own. Crockpot chili with drop biscuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 If we are home and they just don't want dinner it's pbj or scrambled egg and toast. You make it ( 8 yo makes egg sandwiches most days for lunch). We too are gone many evenings at this time of year for soccer. I take things I a little cooler if we have no time for dinner. We like hummus and olives with pita chips, boiled eggs, peanut butter to spread on apples or crackers or carrots, cold meat wrapped around cheese sticks. Apples, grapes, clementines, pepper, celery and carrots and homemade trail mix in baggies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 In addition to all these good quick food suggestions, I'd flip your meal schedule and aim for the big, cooked meal at lunch and let dinner be the grab and go meal with PB&J, baggies of veggies and fruits, nuts, lunch meat rolled around a cheese stick, pita and hummus, etc. that is usually more lunch-like. I think it's somehow less stressful when the kids refuse to eat lunch than dinner. And your schedule would probably support that. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Our local grocery store has some store packed convenience foods in the refrigerated produce section: containers with grapes and cheese, apples and a small container of peanut butter, celery and cream cheese - all good for snacks on the run. For more of a lunch size meal they have containers with pretzels, grapes, carrot sticks and chicken salad and other similar type lunches. I've made some of my own "to go" boxes with similar items to eat in the car or at a park if there is one where we are headed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I like to toss butter, onions, frozen pierogies, and kielbasa into a pan and fry it until everything is hot. I serve it with sour cream and a can of beets or bag of salad. Not fancy, but fast I'm also a fan of browned italian sausage, ravioli or tortellini, and a jarred sauce. Again, with salad. If bagged gets too expensive or plain you can get a lot of mileage out of prepping your own salad bar at the beginning of the week and pulling it out for each dinner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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