I typically cook lunch and dinner (2 types), and a different main dish for the kids lunch packed to school. Apart from that I pack 2 snacks for kids, usually something pre packaged. Breakfast is usually oats. I need to pack my kids 2 heavy snacks one before their extra curricular sports class and one immediately after since the drive back home is long. Issue is my kids dont like easy to make upmas, pohas or roti sabzi. They want variety - burrito, nachos, quesedilla, pizza types of snacks. After their extra curricular activities, they come home and have their dinner (which is my lunch for the afternoon - typical rice, rasam and curry). I am spending a lot of time cooking various items for lunch, dinner, snacks. So much that I am spending my entire day just cooking. Is there a way I can reduce my cooking load? Is there any substantial vegetarian frozen foods that you use for your kids? Or any ideas to reduce time spent in kitchen?
I would stock up on frozen food. Trader Joe’s and Costco have good options for burritos, pizzas, etc. If you have a Wegmans near you their store brand frozen pizzas are really good. Or you can make your own burritos and freeze them. Quesadillas are the quickest to make. I will just throw some shredded cheese, beans, chopped peppers into a tortilla, heat and call it done. I also make Chipotle-style bowls. Layer some rice, black beans, cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, store-bought salsa, sour cream and those individual guacamole cups. Another simple snack is cheese cubes and fruit or crackers; hummus with cut vegetables and pita chips; and egg muffin cups if your family eats egg.
Some threads that have had some awesome responses and collections of ideas here: What can You Make in 10 Minutes from Your Kitchen Right Now for Kids? Morning multitasking - whole day's cooking How do YOU keep your kitchen always ready ? You will get a lot of ideas and inspirations that you can customise for your family and style
Weekends involve kids in kitchen for help and they make what they like but healthy way. Like baked sweet potato, Lettuce wraps with Guacamole etc, so they aware and adjust. Watch together recipes.
On the school days we eat together only for dinner, earlier we use to make the curries that my son like to eat now a days we are not able to do that, instead i came up with idea of chat... any beans say like chick pea,lentil,black eye pea, even kidney beans (which i didnt try till now) and some added onions,tomatoes,cucumber,chat masala,lemon... he loves it and at the same time filling, less time taking, more over easy to cook... with school starting i am going to make a meal planner which i never did so far so makes it easy with work,at home things easy. he is eating his lunch from school so not prefering frozen food much... cooking with kids on weekend is fun and at the same time they like to learn and also more mess around the kitchen...
my time taking thing on weekend is being in kitchen which i hate but with toddler and trying to get little rest is not working out so good..i was thinking to plan things much better and try to do cooking fast fast. from indian store some nans,roti.. my son love nans but as its with all purpose flour i dont like to give it to him much.
I really really want to do that. But even their weekends are choc a block with tournaments and activities. So I end up cooking while husband takes them around on weekends.
i am yet to try the chipotle bowls, they are good to eat and see or one day in a week no cooking... get it from outside for one lunch or dinner, have other fruits,juices other time.. i really want to implement this no cooking day in the house but its not happening hopefully will make it happen soon with some drama of pain here and there hahahaha ....
You can involve step by step, for small things 1. like just before dinner, kids can cut onion and make raita. 2. give all items in a plate, kids can cut and mix a salad, 3. or make salad dressing