This summer I am planning dinners about a week out (instead of my normal monthly plan) and inwardly groaned at the challenges of this week:
- having to have all 4 children out the door at 6:15 or so (when that's normally our dinner time)
- have the 3 girls + baby fed by that time
- having a plan for dinner for T - he doesn't get home from work in time to eat with us pre-VBS. Also, since he's helping to lead the Bible study for the older kids there, he doesn't eat until after VBS. By then I don't want to make a 2nd dinner.
- making a dinner that isn't too heavy for the girls to eat before they are outside in 90+ degree weather at church and not too heavy for us to eat later in the evening.
- Coming up with something healthy for me to eat with Weight Watchers that is still quick and easy.
Here's what I came up with this week:
Monday: taco salad for the grown ups, nachos and fruit for the kids (two of my girls will eat salad, one will not, but they will eat the taco meat on their chips and cheese for a bit a protein)
Tuesday: my one night that we'll do fast food. McDonald's has Happy Meals on sale for $1.99 on M/T/W this summer so I can feed the girls for $6. Can't beat that. : ) T & I will eat leftovers.
Wednesday: cheese quesadillas and fruit or raw veggies for the girls, I'll add grilled chicken and veggies to the adult versions.
Thursday: monte cristos + veggies/fruit
Friday: scrambled eggs and (are you sensing a theme?) fruit. We are eating a lot of fruit while it's in season right now. : ) Typically Friday is out family movie and pizza night, but I'm saving the pizza for a night that I we can collapse at home. I may pan fry some chicken apple sausage (below) that T LOVES on Friday and stir it into some pasta and veggies (and these sausages are great for Weight Watchers).
What do you do for quick dinners on nights where you have to be out the door? When it's our regular school-year routine, every Wednesday night is quesadilla night which works beautifully. Five nights in a row is a little trickier, but I think I've managed it ... this year. : )
I was *just* looking at that chicken & apple sausage in the store last night, but didn't pick it up. It looks yummy...might have to revisit it. :)
ReplyDeleteWe fall back on quesadillas, grilled cheese, a quick pasta and meatballs (with meatballs previously made and frozen), pizza, even deli sandwiches for dinner. Whatever works!
And we're with you on the fresh fruit -- loving that it's in season and we can enjoy it every day!
You have my sympathies! Baseball has been killing me since April because 2-3 weeknights we are at the field from 4:45-6:15/7:00. When to cook supper and what to cook and do I have the energy to cook/clean up has been my problem. It's led to eating out way to much.
ReplyDeleteWow - I'm impressed! For me when we need to have quick meals -- which has been every night this week (baseball - 2 different leagues with travelling games; and church), I fall back on things like hot dogs or cold cut sandwiches or left overs that can be microwaved.
ReplyDelete@Tina: We do our share of hot dogs and sandwiches around here but normally at lunch. : ) My husband takes a sandwich every day so I hate make him eat another one at dinner, although he does without complaint when that is what appears. You baseball mamas have it rough!
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