Kids sports and dinner

[Ausmumof3]

We currently don’t have any weeknight where I’m home between 4.30 and 7 which is turning into a bit of a nightmare dinner wise. I have a small crockpot which I use for the night I’m working but we get really sick of too much crockpot food (and I’m not great at crockpot cooking so there’s that). The kids who are home and DH have done a handful of meals the last couple of weeks but it’s very scrappy and I’m left with so much mess. We’ve had a less than healthy range of food due to that. 
 

Anyone able to share tips, strategies, recipes (especially nice slow cooker ones) that can get us back on track to eat semi decent food. Bonus points for budget friendly. Also a couple of tricky eaters (one of whom may or may not be DH) which means limited cheese, lentil type foods, etc. 

[theelfqueen]

Could you do a meal kit like Hello Fresh? 

[wathe]

I have the same struggle. 

3 main strategies:

1) Things that go in the crock pot or pressure cooker well ahead of time and can just sit until dinner:  Chili, beef stew, pulled pork etc

2) Things that go in the oven well ahead of time, for a long time, aren't fussy about being overdone, and can be left in the oven to stay warm: Lasagne, shepherd's pie, cabbage rolls (pre-made, cook from frozen)

3) Meat that is quick to cook up in a frying pan (sausage, chicken chunks, chicken chunks with butter chicken sauce), with rice made ahead in the  rice cooker and left to keep warm, and raw veg - either cucumber slices or carrot sticks.

[Ausmumof3]

26 minutes ago, theelfqueen said:

Could you do a meal kit like Hello Fresh? 

Not long term due to cost but maybe we could manage for a little bit? I have hungry kids these days so not sure if they’d feed us 

[SHP]

I prep to prep. I try to have a time limit of 30 minutes active cooking for dinner. I have also been experimenting with faster ways to cook everything. It is part of what lead to my waffle iron cooking thread. 

I start dinner either the night before or in the morning. If we are having butternut squash I will turn on the oven, slice it length wise, scoop the seeds, put water in the seed well and stick them in the oven. I shut the oven off before leaving for the day and leave it in the oven to finish cooking and then to cool. Whoever gets home first peels it and finishes cooking. Same with spaghetti squash. 

I have freezer bag with veggies for making broth. I take it out and toss into large stock pot, bring to boil then simmer until I leave. I put the lid on it and turn off the stove and let it sit. Family favorite is to added mixed veggies, thicken with unflavored protien powder, and put in a pie crust for pot pie. The broth + protien powder + veggies can all be frozen so you just have to take it out in the morning and then cook the pie crust for dinner. Obviously, add whatever protien you picky eaters will eat. 

 

Another example using a favorite Chickpea Loaf recipe and making either chickpea loaf or chickpea burgers.

I take all the loaf ingredients except breadcrumbs and the liquid and cook them. Then I cool in the fridge and put in a freezer bag to pull out for dinner. Note: Sometimes I make the sauce and put it in a smaller freezer bag Inside the larger bag. I take it out in the morning and leave on the counter.

When it is time to make dinner I combine the bagged ingredients and the sauce and mix. I shape like a burger and cook in the cooker thingy I linked for 5 minutes. 

 

Recipe:

https://www.connoisseurusveg.com/almost-classic-chickpea-vegan-meatloaf/

Patty cooker thing:

https://www.amazon.com/Dash-DMS001RD-Individual-Breakfast-Indicator/dp/B01MSVSU1O/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=2TSGG61XNMGOH&keywords=waffle+egg+maker&qid=1677741289&sprefix=waffle+egg%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-4

 

[Clemsondana]

This is a common problem for us, since my kids play sports in opposite seasons.  We have several saucy meals that can go in the crock pot  (salsa chicken, any of the ground beef meals like chili or sloppy joes).  I often do 'bowls' with shredded meat that has been crock potted or instapotted and seasoned (and maybe crisped up in the skillet), along with a quick grain (quinoa, couscous, rice or mashed potato in the instapot), and a sauteed or roasted veggie.  Or we do a meat that cooks quickly - kielbasa with peppers and onions along with a grain or bread.  Sometimes I make big batches one day and plan for leftovers the next - chicken and dumplings, jambalaya, or a meat and veggie mea that reheats well.  Sometimes we do something simple for dinner like grilled cheese and canned (or homemade ahead of time) soup or bean and corn quesadillas or tacos.  Spouse tends to either be working from home or else is out of town for the week, so I often cook our big meal at lunchtime when everybody is home to eat it fresh (even if they are eating while reading for school or on a conference call) and then we have leftovers for dinner.  

[HomeAgain]

We do 2 dinners.

Many of sport night first-dinners are easy to put together earlier in the day or do components ahead of time. We rotate through:

• mashed potatoes
• rice
• pearled couscous
• pasta

All of which can be cooked ahead of time and heated. The other part is bringing in a ton of flavor.  DS really needs the vitamins and fiber from dark greens, and he doesn't like all of them, so we rotate through things like stir fries, salads, and roasted veggies.  The protein is easier.

Dinners this week (2 practices, 3 games):

• Rice bowl with shawarma seasoning, roasted {chickpeas, onion, and veggies}, sour cream, hot sauce, and lemon to top
• Marinated beef kabobs, roasted potatoes, green beans, and zucchini with tzadziki to dip
• Chicken wraps (grilled chicken, scallions, cabbage, carrots, mango, sesame dressing)
• Burrito bowls: rice, black beans, charred corn, peppers, avocado, sour cream for those who want it and pico & chips on the side
• Dark green power bowl (Tuscan kale, spinach, mixed greens from a box), chickpeas, feta, hummus, lemon, grilled chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado. Couscous available for those who want to mix it in or who want a second bowl with less greens.

After practice, about 9pm, ds will come home and eat more. He'll either make a burrito with the leftover wraps, beans, etc., or he'll have some pasta with leftover fixings on top.  

Next week's dinners will be:

• pulled pork, mashed potatoes, homemade slaw, corn (I don't have time to cook, so this will be made a day ahead of time)
• shakshuka (chickpeas, potatoes, zucchini) made ahead of time, heated and topped with eggs and cheese at dinnertime, served with couscous or na'an if I get to Trader Joes.
• grilled chicken, pasta carbonara, salad
• whatever dh picks for his two meals to cook, and then we have two meals out after that due to a tournament

I think the key is both I'm very familiar with what I'm cooking so I know what I can prep ahead of time and still have it turn out correctly and that so much relies on things I can grab easily.  The store will always have potatoes.  I can get different grains and pasta.  Hardier vegetables are available.  Meat prices went through the roof, so we tend to eat less of it now and cheaper cuts, but I still haven't convinced the rest that tofu is good. 😄

[Guest]

When we were in that phase of life, we ate dinner late. It was always after 7 and it was often 8 or 9. A lot of people found it weird, and my kids needed a snack before sports, but that’s how we rolled for several years. I don’t like many crockpot meals and dh also makes a giant mess when he cooks. Not sure why but this is a fact. We did have a period in there when a kid made one dinner a week. 

[El...]

I'm here for ideas. Last year was rough. 

If you want better crock pot recipes, this cookbook has some really good ones! They're not all open-and-eat; some need a finishing step or two, but they've been really tasty. The Complete Slow Cooker: From Appetizers to Desserts - 400 Must-Have Recipes That Cook While You Play (or Work) (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series) https://a.co/d/9yvYqhT

[Tenaj]

I just finished basketball season and had a similar schedule.  I don't do well with the crockpot because my mornings are busy so I always use my instant pot.  I try to chop all veggies that can be chopped either right after I do my grocery shopping or throughout the day.  Whatever we are having is done before ai leave the house in the afternoon - we usually left at 2:45 and returned at about 7.  Shredded chicken, pork or beef are easy and then can be used for multiple meals.  I usually do one pasta dish a week - make it up and stick it in the instant pot on warm. Stews are fairly easy with the IP.  I also have a rice cooker so I can set it and have it ready in arrival.  Soups are easy we do at least once a week because they are easy to keep warm. Honestly - I also keep frozen stuff ready - chicken patty sandwiches, pizza rolls, chicken nuggets in the freezer so hungry kids can get something when they come home.  I try to make extra amounts and we usually to leftover night at least once a week on a practice night.

I've been doing this schedule for 15 years and honestly, my instant pot changed my life and removed so much stress centered around cooking during sports seasons.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Tenaj

[Terabith]

5 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

Could you do a meal kit like Hello Fresh? 

We use meal kits, and they’ve been fabulous for helping us find more variety.  We were really stuck in a rut eating the same five meals, and it was just so tempting to go out instead of facing the same thing again.  So we’ve been really happy with them, and we have a stack now that we can probably replicate without the kit.  But, we haven’t found them to be any faster than cooking.  It’s more convenient, and the steps are clear, but it’s really the same amount of prep and cooking time.  

[JustEm]

One thing I do is make dinner sized lunches. The kids who are at activities are well fueled for said activity and then the kids left at home can get a smaller meal they can make themselves when they get hungry. That is on really busy days.

Something else that helps is meal planning well and making expectations clear. Meaning, since dh and my oldest are sometimes responsible for dinner during the week they are a part of the meal planning.  That way they aren't just throwing things together.  They are actually planning healthy meals that they are able to make. Ds is only ever responsible for dinner when he wants to be but he knows he has to tell me ahead of time so it goes on the meal plan sheet and we have the ingredients.  Dh is a part of every meal plan creation.

In regards to the mess, dh and I tackle the kitchen and dining room together after dinner no matter who made dinner. 

 

[knitgrl]

Some nights we just have tuna sandwiches and baby carrots. We also fall back on buttered bratwurst and cabbage, because if you slice the cabbage thin enough, it cooks pretty quickly. Also, there is always pasta and jarred sauce and the kids make salad. Frozen fish fillets are also quick, paired with smashed potatoes and frozen veggies. Sometimes dd13 makes dinner. And sometimes we don't eat dinner until 8pm.

[regentrude]

Lunch as main meal. Dinner is bread, cheese, fruit.

[HomeAgain]

Those of you who do light dinners for your sports kids - HOW???  How are you doing this??

DS spends an hour on the ice.  By the 3rd period, if he hasn't had a balanced meal of protein/fat/carbs, he's about ready to faint.  He'd eat an entire fast food meal after if dh stops by the drive thru on the way home.  My car carries a variety of snacks for wonky hour games. If I only fed him a light supper he'd be up starving at midnight.  The kid burns so much energy skating that we have to constantly reassess his diet to keep his anemia in check.

[JustEm]

18 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

Those of you who do light dinners for your sports kids - HOW???  How are you doing this??

DS spends an hour on the ice.  By the 3rd period, if he hasn't had a balanced meal of protein/fat/carbs, he's about ready to faint.  He'd eat an entire fast food meal after if dh stops by the drive thru on the way home.  My car carries a variety of snacks for wonky hour games. If I only fed him a light supper he'd be up starving at midnight.  The kid burns so much energy skating that we have to constantly reassess his diet to keep his anemia in check.

My dd does ballet 4 days a week. It starts at 5 and she's done at 7:30. She eats a big meal between 3:30 and 4, which gives her plenty of energy to get her through her classes. She packs a lunch sized meal for the drive home or waits until she gets home and eats.

[mmasc]

We’re in the same boat. The only thing I’ve tried this year that has been successful is to use my crock pot to warm foods (so not a “crock pot” meal). For example, I made penne pasta and meat sauce like I normally would, then put it in my crock pot on the warm setting. I only have one big crock, so I put the pasta on one side in a crock liner and the sauce on the other side in a liner to keep them separate. This would all be easier if your family didn’t mind their sauce and pasta mixed!

Also, my SIL does this with breakfast burrito fixings (for dinner). Put the already cooked roasted potatoes in one crock liner, the cooked onions and peppers in one, and the sausage/meat in one. This keeps the components separate for picky eaters, allows you to cook when you have time to cook, then everyone can eat whenever they’re home and available. 
 

Those two things are all I’ve got though. I actually looked into buying mini/small crocks a few weeks ago just to use for keeping food warm during the sports season! 
 

[QueenCat]

When mine were younger and we had that kind of life, we cooked extra protein on the weekend. Dh would grill enough chicken to use for other things during the week. Things like quesadillas, sandwiches, spaghetti, tacos, etc. We'd usually do one night of deli meat sandwiches. 

[fairfarmhand]

Make components of the meal earlier in the day…grilled meats can be prepped several days in advance and they reheat well. (If you have teens and expect the meat to last several days you need to label it and tell them to keep their mitts off) then add salad and baked potatoes.

prepare pasta sauces and taco meat and such early in the day. Anyone can make a pot of pasta and assemble tacos. 

[theelfqueen]

3 hours ago, Terabith said:

We use meal kits, and they’ve been fabulous for helping us find more variety.  We were really stuck in a rut eating the same five meals, and it was just so tempting to go out instead of facing the same thing again.  So we’ve been really happy with them, and we have a stack now that we can probably replicate without the kit.  But, we haven’t found them to be any faster than cooking.  It’s more convenient, and the steps are clear, but it’s really the same amount of prep and cooking time.  

I was thinking it might be useful for the less experienced cooks to take on some meals - at about 14 or 15 my youngest would like to do Hello Fresh meals on his own for the whole family. 

[Terabith]

1 hour ago, theelfqueen said:

I was thinking it might be useful for the less experienced cooks to take on some meals - at about 14 or 15 my youngest would like to do Hello Fresh meals on his own for the whole family. 

Oh yeah, that could definitely help.  

[Arcadia]

Stone soup 🤦‍♀️ Basically whatever meat and whatever vegetables I have in the fridge goes into my slow cooker and I let it cook for 8hrs. Usually it is pork, carrots, cabbage, sweet corn combo. Sometimes I use chicken or beef. I am too lazy to cube potatoes but they do well too added in to the soup if you need something filling. 

[mommyoffive]

My kids are dancers and the older ones dance 6 or 7 days a week, 2 plus hours or more.  Then a few of my kids are in nature school 6 hours a week.  Depending on their schedule I make sure they eat a dinner sized lunch before they leave or a big dinner.  Then sometimes they have to eat dinner in the car once a week based on schedule. I used to pack food for them and now they are own their own and don't really make much for themselves other than a PBJ  or tuna/chicken salad cracker kit and then snacks.  If we eat dinner before we leave they just snack on the way home.  We don't do second dinners.  But they are free to eat as they please in the car or at home.

One night we do come home and eat dinner at 8:30.  

Edited March 2, 2023 by mommyoffive

[Ausmumof3]

7 hours ago, Terabith said:

We use meal kits, and they’ve been fabulous for helping us find more variety.  We were really stuck in a rut eating the same five meals, and it was just so tempting to go out instead of facing the same thing again.  So we’ve been really happy with them, and we have a stack now that we can probably replicate without the kit.  But, we haven’t found them to be any faster than cooking.  It’s more convenient, and the steps are clear, but it’s really the same amount of prep and cooking time.  

To be honest, that would still help. I’m just so done with thinking about food and logistics. Having the planning done would still help, and I’m definitely hitting that point of sick of the same rotation of curry, spaghetti, stir fry, taco/wraps we have been having on repeat for ages. 

[Faith-manor]

When my kids had violin, soccer, and equestrian, dinner was just a disaster. So I changed to everyone eating a big lunch, and then we had a simpler supper. One of my favorites was to have chicken, herbed, cooked, and pre shredded. Everyone would fill a tortilla, top with shredded greens and red peppers, tomatoes, whatever they wanted, and top with their favorite salad dressing, roll and eat. It was cheap and easy, the vegetables and meat could be made in advance, and they could eat as much as they wanted. I also think for our middle boy who was the one playing soccer and VERY physically active during the day, it actually worked in his favor for the two largest meals to be breakfast and lunch so he had the fuel to go run his legs off until 6 pm.

I also made sour dough bread, and served it toasted with a cheesy bechemel to dip it in, and a fruit and veggie tray to graze from. Everyone was required to rinse their own plates, utensils, and cups, and put them in the dishwasher. It wasn't very messy which helped my sanity.

We also ordered pizza on Friday nights. I let the world, including the foodie loving husband know, that so long as I was homeschooling, ferrying four kids to various extra curricular activities, and still needing to practice the piano every day to stay on top of upcoming performances or prepping for conducting opportunities, plus having piano students in between all of this chaos, the food would be simple, and often cold at night Don't like it? Cook it yourself and clean it up. There were nights that dh would cook when he got home from work.

[Amy in NH]

8 hours ago, Quill said:

When we were in that phase of life, we ate dinner late. It was always after 7 and it was often 8 or 9. A lot of people found it weird, and my kids needed a snack before sports, but that’s how we rolled for several years. I don’t like many crockpot meals and dh also makes a giant mess when he cooks. Not sure why but this is a fact. We did have a period in there when a kid made one dinner a week. 

Same.  We had a decent snack at 4ish, and then dinner at 9ish every night for years and years.

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, Faith-manor said:

When my kids had violin, soccer, and equestrian, dinner was just a disaster. So I changed to everyone eating a big lunch, and then we had a simpler supper. One of my favorites was to have chicken, herbed, cooked, and pre shredded. Everyone would fill a tortilla, top with shredded greens and red peppers, tomatoes, whatever they wanted, and top with their favorite salad dressing, roll and eat. It was cheap and easy, the vegetables and meat could be made in advance, and they could eat as much as they wanted. I also think for our middle boy who was the one playing soccer and VERY physically active during the day, it actually worked in his favor for the two largest meals to be breakfast and lunch so he had the fuel to go run his legs off until 6 pm.

I also made sour dough bread, and served it toasted with a cheesy bechemel to dip it in, and a fruit and veggie tray to graze from. Everyone was required to rinse their own plates, utensils, and cups, and put them in the dishwasher. It wasn't very messy which helped my sanity.

We also ordered pizza on Friday nights. I let the world, including the foodie loving husband know, that so long as I was homeschooling, ferrying four kids to various extra curricular activities, and still needing to practice the piano every day to stay on top of upcoming performances or prepping for conducting opportunities, plus having piano students in between all of this chaos, the food would be simple, and often cold at night Don't like it? Cook it yourself and clean it up. There were nights that dh would cook when he got home from work.

We love the tortilla style meal and do it once a fortnight or so. The only grocery store that does nice fresh wraps/tortillas is an extra ten minute drive from my usual one so I have to make the effort but it’s worth it. Everyone loves it I usually make enough for two meals. 

[matrips]

When I was in this phase, I cooked a full regular meal earlier, put it in individual Tupperware type stuff and then my kids ate in the car heading from one thing to another. There was no way I wanted to cook at 8 or 9pm.  So if I picked them up at swim, I’d have all the food with me and they’d eat on the way to baseball. 

[mommyoffive]

19 minutes ago, matrips said:

When I was in this phase, I cooked a full regular meal earlier, put it in individual Tupperware type stuff and then my kids ate in the car heading from one thing to another. There was no way I wanted to cook at 8 or 9pm.  So if I picked them up at swim, I’d have all the food with me and they’d eat on the way to baseball. 

Me either.  If we do this it is crockpot or the parent who is at home has a meal waiting for the rest of the people.

[Martha in GA]

What about breakfast foods for dinner -- breakfast burritos, eggs, french toast, waffles/pancakes. Many of these can be made ahead and then just reheated.

[lmrich]

When I had that schedule,  I made dinner before I left and put  it  in a warmer or in small crockpots. I usually prepared dinner around 3:00. I got all the  pots and pans  cleaned up, too,  so when  we got back, it was simple.  Often I would then make at least one kid a meal  to go. And if someone got home starving, he/she could start with the  veggie platter or a salad in the  fridge. I  would  often grill two or three nights worth  of dinner entries  once  a week. 

Meals included -

Protien (put a little stock in with  it to keep it from drying out) grilled chicken, porkchops,  pork roast, pulled  pork,  braised chicken thighs... anything  worked 

starch/filler -rice, mashed potatoes, pasta, baked  potatoes, sweet  potatoes, quinoa... 

veggies - always a salad or fresh veggie platter ready to  go and then green beans,  peas, carrots, brussel  sprouts..  anything 

 

[saraha]

Batch cooking when possible, then reheat in microwave. That is how I keep sane cooking for our family, my fil, and my little old guy I work for. Big batch put into meal sized boxes, labeled, refrigerated. Then everyone just grabs a box and heats and eats

[Ausmumof3]

On 3/2/2023 at 11:49 PM, regentrude said:

Lunch as main meal. Dinner is bread, cheese, fruit.

This is what we did last night and it worked ok. DH has a rotating shift that means he used to be home for lunch a lot, but he’s now been working a tonne of extra hours. We seem to need it to make ends meet even with my part time wage going on unfortunately. 

[73349]

A lot of Buddha bowl-type meals can have all the parts prepped ahead and then just pulled out (and reheated as needed) at dinner time.

Barbecue bowls:

• slaw made ahead;
• cornbread made ahead, or frozen corn microwaved when you get home;
• grape tomatoes just rinsed and stuck on the plate;
• when you get home, drain and rinse canned chickpeas (or use some pre-cooked chicken) and heat in a saucepan with some barbecue sauce.

Asian bowls:

• rice cooked ahead;
• fresh veggies chopped/shredded ahead, such as carrots;
• edamame microwaved when you get home;
• some tuna from a pouch/tin if you like;
• bottled sauce of your choosing.

Mexican bowls:

• tomatoes and lettuce cut up beforehand;
• canned black beans, rinsed and drained, heated with spices (and pre-cooked ground meat or soy crumbles if you like) when you get home;
• frozen corn microwaved when you get home;
• store-bought salsa, tortilla chips, etc., to your liking.

 

Do you have an Instant Pot?

Edited March 3, 2023 by 73349

[PinkTulip]

When my kids were in that season of life, we did a big meal at 3:30 or 4:00, and then a second lighter meal around 8 pm. 

[KungFuPanda]

Have you considered moving the main meal to lunchtime and just doing easy lunch foods and leftovers at night?  I did this about halfway through our homeschooling journey and it was great. I had the big meal cooked and cleaned up before the day wore me down. Evenings  were cleaner and easier too. You can even prep supper while you’re making a big midday meal. Soups, salads, and sandwiches can be made ahead and served quickly after evening activities. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by KungFuPanda

[Lady Marmalade]

When this was my reality, I used a lot of different things that have already been shared.

I didn't use a crockpot to cook anything, but I would make a pot of soup, chili, sloppy joe, marinara sauce, or stew and put it in a crockpot on low to be warm when we got home.  I would do all my cooking before we left for our activity, and of course there usually was an ample snack before leaving home.

Salads for dinner were frequent- all the ingredients could be prepped ahead and put in the fridge, so it just needed to be assembled and eaten.

On the rare days when DH was home before us, I would prep most of dinner before leaving and then he would finish it- made for a great opportunity for him to throw something on the grill. 

Other days we might have leftovers from another night, and each of us would just make a plate and microwave it.

The only thing that didn't work for us was moving our main meal to lunchtime.  It was too much of an interruption to the day to put together at that time and no one was really hungry enough to eat a substantial meal at that time.  

[rebcoola]

We do a big meal basically at Tea Time 3:30 or 4 the oldest is hungry because lunch at school is like 10 something in the morning. The preschooler is always hungry than to.   Eat typical dinner stuff than in the evenings we have popcorn, salami, cheese. The teens get hungrier and will throw things in the air fryer

[Drama Llama]

Our schedule is different than yours, but we basically eat two dinners.

Both kids eat a "snack" that is the size of a meal when they come home from school.  I try to bulk cook vegetably/legumy things (soup, cowboy caviar, vegetarian chili, quinoa risotto . . . ) so there are leftovers in the fridge and they generally do something sandwichy (sandwich, quesadilla, eggs on toast) and then the vegetably thing, and fruit and yogurt.  I guess it's lunch stuff, but they are definitely not eating what people who aren't teenage boys think of as "lunch portions".  Each kid eats whenever they walk in the door, or if we're going straight from one thing to another, I pack them a meal and bring it with me when I pick up. 

Then after everyone is home from activities, which is somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30, we sit down for a more traditional meal, often incorporating something that will become leftovers for the next day.   But I am able to drop off and come home during soccer and so I can cook then.