Help Me Figure Out When to Have Dinner

[rutamattatt]

I get that I should be able to figure this out...but I haven't yet.  

 

We homeschool our two boys (ages 15 and 13) while our DD (19) attends public school.  The boys play basketball with a club team, and the season is starting up.  The team has changed practice times and locations from last year, so we have a whole new ball of wax to work around and heck if I can figure out how to make this work.

 

School for DD ends at 3:15.  DS15 has practice from 4:00-6:00.  DS13 has practice from 6:00-8:00.  Practice is about 30-40 minutes from our house on a good traffic day.  On Tuesdays DD has bowling from 6:30-8:15.  Tuesdays are our "eat out" day now.

 

On the other days - when the heck do we eat dinner????

 

I thought about doing dinner at lunch time with the boys.  So say, make a meatloaf and eat that around noon and then they can do a protein snack during the other's practice for "dinner".  Then DD and DH could reheat dinner at dinner time at home.  The problem with this is 1. I will be using school time to make dinner.  2.  One boy isn't super thrilled about eating a dinner sized meal at lunchtime.  3.  Hard to get a crock pot meal done by noon.  4.  DH seems to think this is a bad idea (but not sure why).

 

Of course, we could do a late dinner when we get home from practice.  DH is willing to do the cooking on days I take boys to practice.  Problem with this is 1.  We don't get home from practice until 8:45.  So we've been eating dinner around 9:00 some nights.  We have been doing a healthy eating plan recently and part of that is not eating after 8 PM.   2.  DS13 gets heartburn when he eats that close to bedtime.  Not pretty.  3.  After practice both boys are hungry, but neither one wants to eat a bigger meal.

 

I've thought about doing a super early dinner with the boys, but it would need to be before 2:45 (when we leave to get DD and with enough time for DS13 to digest before practice), but then what time do we do lunch???

 

I swear, I am a functioning adult.  But for the life of me I can't figure out how to feed these folks the easiest and best way.  Should we just scrap the idea of dinner?  WWYD?

 

 

[HomeAgain]

I would scrap the idea of dinner. Sorry!  :(  I would just make a crockpot meal and leave it available during the dinner hours for people to eat as they get in/before they leave, or pack it up in thermoses to take with.

[theelfqueen]

On our crazier schedule days we pack lunches for dinner and each person eats when they have time.

 

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[regentrude]

I would do the main meal at lunch time. That is how we eat. The people who could not be home for that meal get leftovers saved they can heat up whenever it works.

I cook in my lunch break, and I have the meal done from prep start to table in 25 minutes. You  can just not make complicated time consuming meals on weekdays. This would not really interfere much with school.

 

For our family, a family evening dinner did not work with the schedule because different people had different evening commitments. We always tried to make lunch the family meal for those who could be there.

 

The alternative would be a late dinner after everybody is back. This is common in many cultures. I personally cannot eat a large meal after 8pm and would not choose this option.

 

ETA: The kid who does not want to eat much at midday can either get used to it or choose to eat only a little bit and eat again later in the day.

Edited September 29, 2017 by regentrude

[rutamattatt]

Practices in October are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday.  In November we go to practices or games every night but Wednesdays (when we have church).   :crying:

[mommyoffive]

I would do the big meal at lunch.  It is better for your health anyhow to have the big meals early not at night time. 

 

 

Are all the kids out with you running to different things?  Or do some come home and eat with whoever is there? 

 

If you are all out, why don't you just have meals out.   Like packing a lunch but, it is just dinner.   We do this.   Then they can eat before or after their practice. 

[regentrude]

I am not sure why you cannot use a crockpot to cook a midday meal. Surely it does not take more than 5 hours to make a meal in there?

If it really takes that long, use a pot or pan and cook the same food conventionally in a  fraction of the time.

Edited September 29, 2017 by regentrude

[mommyoffive]

I am not sure why you cannot use a crockpot to cook a midday meal. Surely it does not take more than 5 hours to make a meal in there?

 

Yep.  Just cook things on high instead of low.   THings that take 8 hours on low take 4 hours on high.   Put it in by 8 am and it is done by noon.   

[Miss Tick]

I have a similar problem and I've gone to making sure dinner is something that everyone can eat when it suits them. Our family meal has become breakfast.

 

We don't have a crockpot but dinner is a casserole or sandwiches or soup or salad, etc. Something that people can eat when it is convenient.

[Elizabeth86]

Practices in October are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. In November we go to practices or games every night but Wednesdays (when we have church). :crying:

Omg I would die. We hate being busy around here. I just wonder about the people that plan these things, do they hate dinner or what? Why do activities always get in the way of dinner. Lol

[happypamama]

I wanted to say that I feel your pain. One night a week, I take the two oldest to class. We leave at 5:40 and aren't home until at least 8:50. They're in uniform and doing martial arts, so they'd have to eat at 5, which leaves a lot of the day until bedtime, so they need at least a substantial snack when they get home. On a good day, I give the big two (er, have them make) a sandwich or DS1 might cook himself a burger patty if lunch was on the lighter or earlier side, around 5, and I set something to slow cook or pressure cook in my instant pot, and my DH feeds my smallboys and himself around 6, and then DD, DS1, and I eat when we get home. If that doesn't work, DH makes burgers, grilled cheese, or quesadillas for the smallboys, and I bring food for the rest of us. DH is gone in the morning by 7 at the very latest, so there's really not time for a family breakfast. We do end up giving up family dinner once a week. But that's one night a week, not several -- that's hard.

[KungFuPanda]

When dd was in high school, DH started working from home and I started teaching several nights a week. We switched our large, cooked family meal to 3 p.m. and we've kept it there for about 5 years now. I do my cooking prep either before I start lessons with DS in the morning or when he's taking a break around 1. People fend for themselves at breakfast and the evening meal becomes lighter lunch stuff or leftovers from the big meal.

[KungFuPanda]

 

 

 

I thought about doing dinner at lunch time with the boys. So say, make a meatloaf and eat that around noon and then they can do a protein snack during the other's practice for "dinner". Then DD and DH could reheat dinner at dinner time at home. The problem with this is 1. I will be using school time to make dinner. 2. One boy isn't super thrilled about eating a dinner sized meal at lunchtime. 3. Hard to get a crock pot meal done by noon. 4. DH seems to think this is a bad idea (but not sure why).

 

 

I've thought about doing a super early dinner with the boys, but it would need to be before 2:45 (when we leave to get DD and with enough time for DS13 to digest before practice), but then what time do we do lunch???

 

I swear, I am a functioning adult. But for the life of me I can't figure out how to feed these folks the easiest and best way. Should we just scrap the idea of dinner? WWYD?

In your defense, your family is making it impossible to have even an hour long block for everyone to eat together. I'm guessing they'd ALL prefer you serve a big dinner in the evening at precisely the time they are hungry and available and have given no real thought to the logistics you are juggling. It makes sense for you to switch to a mid-day dinner (during your regular lunch time) and just have a light supper later. We do that, so I'm going to address your roadblocks by number:

 

1. You don't use school time. You prep the night before, or in the morning before school, or you start your lunch break OR give the kids independent work an hour before serving time so you can cook OR you call it home ec and do it together.

 

2. He can just adjust. He can eat a smaller portion of the big dinner. He can eat a lighter breakfast so he's hungrier by lunchtime. He can make himself a sandwich and eat the bigger meal when he gets home. Or he can find a way to pack this meal and keep it hot so he can eat it during his brother's practice. If you have an outlet available, you can do this with a lunch crock or you can put your hot meal in a cooler with heat packs and it will stay warm.

 

3. You just have to plug it in and put it on high for 4 hours. If you prep the night before this is easier. If you can never seem to start it early enough, you can cover the removable crock with foil and bake in the oven faster than the high setting then just use the crockpot base to keep it warm.

 

4. Like the kids, your DH wants the hot meal when HE is available and ready for it. It sounds like you're not even HOME then. Of COURSE, having someone serve your dinner to you is preferable to reheating it himself or even cooking it yourself. Now, he and your dd COULD cook a light evening meal for everyone, but it doesn't sound like they're doing that. My policy is that if you're not the person doing the work, the only thing you should say is "Thank you" or "How can I help."

 

You need to do what works for your real life. It sounds like everyone in your house is old enough and able-bodied enough to help with cooking or prep work. You may need to wean them a bit from a level of service to which they've become accustomed. You can't really do the impossible and your future son and daughter in laws will appreciate you delegating now.