Cooking meals with a toddler around - help!

Same here, my DD is 1.7 yrs, she will wake up the minute I step out of bed... I don't know how they sense it and even before I leave the room she is behind me standing.
So I end up going back to bed and sleeping with her during weekends...
Other days I wake up my DH ask him to sleep with dd and run to the kitchen..
I complete all the work so early.

 

Preeti: This phase will pass soon. I my DD was very cligy to me like yours and now its all different. Couple of things I can think of is:

1. Cut all your veggies on weekend.
2. If possible cook dal and deep freeze it.
3. You can even steam your veggies and deep freeze it.
4. Just make your cooking ver simple like a dal and roti or rice.
5. Cook your dal will atleast 2 veggies so that you don't lose the nutrition part.

I cook elaborate meals on weekend and very simple on dish meal on week days. Plan you menu for the week on the weekend and stick to it. get your husband help in kitchen if your DD is clingy to you.

Make your DD sit in high chair and give her a chapatti dough while youre cooking. They will love it. Hope some of these helps you.

 

Apart from what Chitra has mentioned, what I usually do is let her hang out with me in the kitchen and give her some kitchen utensils to play with. She is happy for some time. I give her a tomato or a pepper or cucumber etc to play with. Also, when I cook, I dont fully concentrate on cooking alone. Like, I play with her (if she wants) while the onions are frying etc.

Buy pre-cut veggies, it saves time (but more expensive).

Buy a crock pot slow cooker. A life saver if you ask me.

 

hi all
my dd is now 2 year 2 months and she also needs attention a lot
what I do is in the morning while she was sleeping she sleeps till 8.00 a.m
so I wake up at 6.30 a.m in the morning
and then prepare lunch , breakfast and also cooked dal at that time only for the evening
and clean all the vessels while the veggies are cooking
and then make chapatti and tea
pack the lunch for dh as dh leaves by 7.30
till that i have to finish up my morning chores
then i had my tea and check facebook updates
and mails if there
I am using flylady.net and a bowl full of lemons these sites are really helpul
then my dd wakes freshen her up and feed 1/2 banana
then she play with her toys and I also put some nursery rhymes for my dd she sings and dance and play 1/2 hour by her own
in that 1/2 hour I clean my bedroom it only takes 15 minutes
to make both my dd and my bed
then clean all the mirrors/windows and side table in those 15 minutes
then in another 15 minutes a quick swish and swipe of bathrooms deep cleaning I do on sat and sundays when dh is at home
all mirrors
after that 1/2 hour I play with her if the weather is good then i go to park or a walk and throw trash too
so no trash at that
after coming home i HAVE BATH TUB I FILL 1/2 bath tub put toys in that and she plays and put some music she really enjoys a lot till that I vaccum living room daily as she makes mess it so I have to vaccum my living room daily
it takes only 10 minutes a quick vaccum
then bath her and make her ready and she takes her nap till 12.00 p .m
after bath I put 1/2 hour tv she likes caillow/peppa pig and trotro a lot
loves to dance by watching on tv
and needs attention too I must watch her
at that time for another 15 minutes I will clean all tabels and mirrors of living room
after that its nap time she sleeps for 2-21/2 hours
In that time I had lunch bath and prayers and sleep for atleast 1/2 hour hour
when she wake up I feed her she plays with me next 1 hour
after that at 4.00 p.m I start preparing for dinner
what Is do Is I give him a bowl and pots and pans and a cloth and little water to play in the kitchen and put some music
she really enjoys a lot
while talking with her I had four burner stove so on one I put rice
dal was prepared in the morning itself so only tempring is left I do that and wash vessels while dal is cooking
and chappatii dough also
had my tea
in between I dance with her sing with her so really helpful for me
my dh come home by 5.30
then no problem
she plays with her and my dh ahd tea
and we go for a jim
1/2 -1 hour their they had kids club
so she enjoying playing with other kids on the slide
then come home had bath and serve dinner to dh and feed my dd
its 8.30
then go for a small walk
then come home she plays with her dady'
and I clean the kitchen and chop veggies for the next day and meal planning for the next
and by 10.00 p.m she is very tired and sleep
when she was 1 1/2 year-2 year she not sleep till 11.00 p.m I got really very tired
for mon-tuesday i will chopp veggies on sat and sund when dh is at home
other day i give him some water in the glass and a tissue paper
she clean tabel she loves to clean tabel/drawing and singing and dancing
whats your daughte r interest find that and while cooking make her busy in that you can put nursery rhymes ands songs
give him pencil crayons and waste papers
give her pots and pans and some water and some snack items it makes kitchen floor messy but she will be busy and you can make dinner
you can also give her rolling pin and some chappati dough she will enjoying making chappati too.
hope my dd routine and all tips work for you

 

Rakhii. What vegetarian Indian dishes you cook in Crock pot?

 

Chitra, below are the one's I tried.

1. Fried Rice with so many veggies in it.
2. Minestrone soup
3. Wild-rice soup with veggie broth
4. lentils (toor dal) soup with chopped cabbage
5. Dump veggies with couple of veggie boullians in it
6. Potato ad carrot roasts

What really helped with crock pot was the weight loss as I need to use no oil at all. If you want the Indian taste, you can add tadka with chili powder and desired spices.
It keeps the food great. Takes me about 5 mins in the morning to put everything in the crockpot and set the cooking time as 10 hours. By the time I got home, TA DA! boiling hot food ready!!

 

Samething happened with my son today, he was up with me, had to be with him for all his morning duties and then when I was in kitchen, he was asking one after the other, waffles, syrup....no no, water......non-stop and I got delayed to office better is to finish cooking before they wake up

 

Preeti: eating dough is fine in moderation. I ate too much dough as child and still do occasionally it is tasty

If your DD is interested in cleaning while you do then I suggest you let her do it too with you.. if my DD spills or mess anything up I give her a tissue and let her clean.. of course I go back and finish it but she feels happy when I give her the lead and she does a pretty good job at it.