I don’t know about you, but one of my biggest struggles as both a working mom and a soccer mom is feeding my family! I freely admit that I am not an enthusiastic cook…all those dishes…but it’s important to me to give my family nutritious food. The hardest days are when we have practice until 8pm and I have two starving girls in the car and a hungry husband waiting at home. Telling them just to eat a bowl of cereal isn’t going to cut it. (Darn it!) Here’s a few of my strategies…
Crock Pot
For non cooks like me, this is a great option. You just dump a bunch of stuff in the crock pot before you leave in the morning and then you come home to a delicious smelling house and a hot meal.
Pros
- Easy (for not so gourmet chefs like myself)
- Ready and hot right when you get home
- Can make a complete meal in one pot
- Can use cheaper cuts of meat
Cons
- Not always a hit with the kids
- Often sometimes I forget to put the stuff in the crockpot before leaving for work
- Chopping onions isn’t appealing at 7am
Sandwiches
OK, I know it’s not the most creative option, but it works for us! Of course we’re big Subway fans, but there’s lots of different options. (You didn’t think I was talking about making sandwiches did you?)
Pros
- Relatively healthy and inexpensive
- Kids like it
- I don’t have to cook!
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Hubby isn’t always thrilled
Soups
Another ground breaking suggestion is soup. On especially cold days I bring soup in a thermos for the girls to eat while waiting for practice. I enjoy making soups from scratch (the easy way of course…with a roasted chicken from the store) but sometimes a good old can of chicken and stars is all we’ve got. Click on the picture for the recipe.
Pros
- Can be very healthy
- Inexpensive
- Easy to make
- Hubby can warm it up at home if he gets there first
Cons
- Spills!
- Need to chop up a lot of ingredients
- Have to watch out for sodium content
- Doesn’t always fill them up
Recipes
A GREAT place to get recipes is from Pinterest. It’s my new favorite thing! Go try it out if you haven’t already.
What are some of your go-to strategies?