What's for Dinner?

There’s one question that echoes through my mind several times a day—first thing in the morning, midday at work, and even as I’m drifting off to sleep. And it’s the one question I can guarantee Kaiya will ask every single day. “What’s for dinner?”

Breakfast is usually easy, lunch is mostly leftovers but what’s for dinner? Is not always so easy to answer. I’m a pretty decent cook, if I say so myself. I learned from my mother who learned how to cook when she was so small she needed a step stool to reach the stove! My mom’s innovation is one of the reasons why I’m interested in nutrition as a career. She switched to whole wheat bread and brown rice years before the current “whole grains” movement. She also stopped using fatty meats to season her vegetables and replaced them with smoked turkey. When Crisco shortening and vegetable oil were still the most common oils used for cooking, my mom was already using olive and canola oils well before they became popular in the United States. So, hats off to you mom, I salute you!

Back to “What’s for dinner?” Most days I’m a combination of G. Garvin, Paula Deen (minus the extra butter and bacon) and Rachael Ray (minus the perky cuteness). I must admit there are days, (at least once a week) where I can barely muster up the energy for Chef Boyardee, and opening up one of his canned meals. LOL! (By the way, he was a real person; google him when you get a chance.)

Last night my Facebook status read: “I really need to start intensive cooking classes with the kid... I would prefer to eat a bowl of cereal and some fruit and be done with it tonight. Oh well....” But I’ve also “facebooked” about the Dinner Fairy, asking people to please return this elusive imp to my house so she can cook for me and my family. Judging from the feedback concerning the Dinner Fairy, I’ve found that I’m not alone when it comes to not having the time, energy or creativity to fix a home cooked meal for my family. So, what do you do when faced with the question “What’s for dinner?” And you find yourself drawing a blank? Here are a few suggestions I hope will help us working single mom.

1. Leftovers – Yes, the sometimes dreaded leftovers. If you’re eating a meal for more than 1 day in a row it can become despised and cause a revolt, LOL! However, Kaiya and I will actually have leftovers tonight; a meal we’re looking forward to. I made chili using ground turkey and added lentils to the kidney beans for extra protein and fiber. I only have to drum up a vegetable and starch. Delish!

2. Half cooked meal – I’m not suggesting you eat foods half cooked (smile), I’m referring to buying your entrée at the supermarket or restaurant (rotisserie chicken, or whatever tickles your fancy) and cooking your sides at home. You have a mostly home cooked meal without all of the fuss!

3. Fend for yourself night – Now this only works if you have a child who can make a sandwich, pop something in the microwave, or fix a bowl of cereal. If you have small children, please hold off on this tip. ~Smile~

4. Breakfast for dinner- Now this is one of my favorite things to do. Most mornings I grab cereal or a boiled egg and off to work I go; however dinner time is the perfect time to fix all of your favorite breakfast treats that would normally have you feeling sleepy by 10 A.M., LOL!

5. Ask your friends what’s on their dinner menu- Seriously, ask them! My creativity has soared many times while talking to friends. Friends are good resources for tried and true recipes, and meal suggestions.

6. Slow cookers are your friend - Slow cookers are awesome but neglected appliances. Put your food in before you leave for work; come home to a house smelling like someone slaved in the kitchen all day long. How cool is that? It also frees your time so you can complete other chores or spend quality time with the family.

7. Have the family help you in the kitchen- This is the tip I personally need to follow. Granted it’s usually easier and faster to throw a meal together solo; but cooking together is a great way to bond with your kids and teach cooking skills at the same time.

Do you have any tips or creative ways to deal with dinner? If so, feel free to comment on this blog. Instead of trying to pull a rabbit out the hat every night, I will reflect on these tips (and I hope you will too) when faced with that dreaded question: “What’s for dinner?”


See you in 2 weeks,
Jennifer

I'll be back on Wednesday, November 3rd, hope to see you then!


Thursday's Blog: Sasha "Single Homeschool Mom"