In my head, I have this ideal image of us all sitting down together every night for dinner, at a table not adorned by Lego Movie sets in the middle of being built, but with napkins and everything. I bring to the table a scrumptious lamb ragout/paprika chicken/lasagne that I've slaved over that afternoon.
Of course this never happens. Increasing one's hours at work happens. Football clubs and other after-school activities happen. Other Half working late happens. This ideal is ... well an ideal.
I've just about admitted that it ain't every gonna happen, so what am I going to do about it? Simplify the week's menu, so that a couple of times, after we've eaten, I can prep a meal (like one above) to serve the day after. My mum does this. In fact she does most of her cooking the day before! And it works. You know how cottage pies and soups always taste better after they've "settled" for a day?
So while experimenting on these simple "nursery" type meals, we rediscovered bacon and egg sandwiches. Dippy eggs, not just for Sunday breakfasts. Scrambled eggs. Omelettes. Egg fried rice. Jacket potatoes (which I'd avoided for years after they were named the "worst food ever" as they had the highest - or lowest? - GI on their index).
Mr Other Half was pleased too - nothing like a bacon sarnie to keep him happy. And an omelette just about brings him to his knees.
Ben wasn't upset either at the disappearance of these "occasional" big meals. He does occasionally eat a massive meal, but is usually known to eat a normal one and then by the time he's placed his cutlery on the plate, says "Can I have some cereal?" So this type of menu suits him too. He can have a packed lunch style snack after school, eat a nursery tea, then cereal before bed. (And before you ask, we don't need to worry about his weight!)
This week's menu:
Sunday - bacon sarnies for lunch; roast lamb
Monday - birthday meal at Pizza Hut
Tuesday - omelette and bread
Wednesday - jacket potatoes and tuna
Thursday - chicken stew (prepped the night while the potatoes are baking!) (Thursdays are my late and heavy work load day so something in the slow cooker is the best idea.)
Friday - who knows night! Carpet picnic probably.
Of course this never happens. Increasing one's hours at work happens. Football clubs and other after-school activities happen. Other Half working late happens. This ideal is ... well an ideal.
I've just about admitted that it ain't every gonna happen, so what am I going to do about it? Simplify the week's menu, so that a couple of times, after we've eaten, I can prep a meal (like one above) to serve the day after. My mum does this. In fact she does most of her cooking the day before! And it works. You know how cottage pies and soups always taste better after they've "settled" for a day?
So while experimenting on these simple "nursery" type meals, we rediscovered bacon and egg sandwiches. Dippy eggs, not just for Sunday breakfasts. Scrambled eggs. Omelettes. Egg fried rice. Jacket potatoes (which I'd avoided for years after they were named the "worst food ever" as they had the highest - or lowest? - GI on their index).
Mr Other Half was pleased too - nothing like a bacon sarnie to keep him happy. And an omelette just about brings him to his knees.
Ben wasn't upset either at the disappearance of these "occasional" big meals. He does occasionally eat a massive meal, but is usually known to eat a normal one and then by the time he's placed his cutlery on the plate, says "Can I have some cereal?" So this type of menu suits him too. He can have a packed lunch style snack after school, eat a nursery tea, then cereal before bed. (And before you ask, we don't need to worry about his weight!)
This week's menu:
Sunday - bacon sarnies for lunch; roast lamb
Monday - birthday meal at Pizza Hut
Tuesday - omelette and bread
Wednesday - jacket potatoes and tuna
Thursday - chicken stew (prepped the night while the potatoes are baking!) (Thursdays are my late and heavy work load day so something in the slow cooker is the best idea.)
Friday - who knows night! Carpet picnic probably.