How to cook good meals for husband and family with limited time?

rp_lili · 2019-03-22T16:17:18+00:00

Do all the prep before 4pm. For example if you're doing a chicken stir-fry, cut everything and put the ingredients at hand. When you get home, just toss them in the wok and you're good !
You can even take this to a whole other level if you have a vaccum machine.

Aknagtehlriicnae · 2019-03-22T17:18:49+00:00

Meal prepping and Slow Cookers are heavenly for time.

For the meal prep be prepared to use zip locks and tubber ware.

Also Another thing I like to do is plan my meals two days at a time and then have leftovers for the third day and repeat.

So for example on Sunday morning i will cut up all the vegetables, season the meats and put them in ziplocks and tubberware and I put them in what I call the "meal basket" (dollar store lil basket for my prepped meals)

Sunday Morning I shop + prep Meal #1 & 2 + Maybe Slow cookers

Sunday Night I cook and eat meal #1

Monday Night I cook at eat meal #2

Tuesday Night is Leftovers of Meal #1+2

Wednesday can be a Slow Cooker Night

Thursday Morning Shop + Prep for Meal #3+4

Thursday Night Cook Meal #3

Friday Night Cook meal #4

Saturday is Leftovers of #3+4

For my slow cooking I like to make about 4 slow cook meals at once and then throw them in the freezer and then in the morning before work I throw them in and they are done by the time I get home.

I like to alternate the slow cooking and the leftovers because sometimes I dont make enough leftovers or my husband eats leftovers for lunch.

Also I think Fridge Organization is really important in cutting time down, going the extra mile to make "Meal Bins" and such can save time searching in the fridge.

Theendisnearornot · 2019-03-22T16:44:37+00:00

Start prep in the morning when you’re making breakfast - browning meat, cutting veggies, etc If you need browned ground beef for more than one meal that week - brown up a bunch. Some things like burgers & meatloaf you can shape & season and stick in the freezer. Take out the night before and they are ready to cook (if you don’t cook meatloaf in a pan - shape it yourself & cook on a cookie sheet it cooks a lot faster).

Use frozen veggies (like onions & peppers mix or spinach) if a recipe calls for it (already washed & chopped). Do a “make your own pizza night “ you can use English muffins, premade dough, or make your own if you have a bread machine... and everyone can make their own pizzas with whatever they like.

Breakfast for dinner is a nice one.

What I have found is setting a basic “meal plan” as a frame. So Monday’s are slow cooker nights because they are busy. Saturday’s are pizza night (I start the dough in the bread machine in the morning). We almost always do some sort of taco or Mexican night. In the summer we have a grill out night. One night a week could be “breakfast night” which changes (like eggs, bacon & rolls & fruit, pancakes or waffles & sausage, a breakfast casserole (which can be made in the morning!)

LamiaQueen · 2019-03-22T16:17:12+00:00

Slow cooker! Start your meals sooner in the day and have it take care of itself while you handle little ones later in the day.

Zegiknie · 2019-03-22T16:58:40+00:00

What the others said (earlier meal prep) plus babywearing.

I always do mine in the morning, during homeschooling. The last hour before dinner all I do is put the stove or oven on and maybe check or stirfry a few minutes. The rest of that time is spent lazing around, doing some prettifying touch-ups, and cuddling kids.

If I happen to be stuck on the couch nursing when husband comes home, all he needs to do is turn on the oven or stove and he can go take a shower meanwhile.

Also it is nice to salad prep. Basically keep a salad bar by having ingredients in seperate containers in the fridge (chopped veggies, lettuce, nuts and seeds, deli meats or fish or cheese, and dressing). For lunches and appetizers. Just keep checking for freshness and replenishing.

Hammocknapping · 2019-03-22T17:17:14+00:00

Freezer meals. I can make 14+ meals (6-8 servings each) in 2-3 hours on a Saturday why my husband does other chores and entertains the pup. For us, that means we have 2-3 months worth of dinners ready to go.

They are all meals that can be thawed over night and stuck in the oven for about an hour or in the crock pot on low while we are at work. I specifically try to pick meals that taste even better leftover, so we can get 2 dinner and 2 lunches out of each meal.

We both work, but this allows me to serve dinner within 1 hour of getting home. That’s perfect for us, because we like to decompress a little after work and aren’t usually ready to eat right away.

Have you asked your husband if he wants to eat the minute he walks in the door? You might be surprised at his answer.

companyllc · 2019-03-22T18:41:44+00:00

I'm sure I will repeat some of what others have said, but below are the things that work for me.

Meal planning - Have a plan for the week. Stick to it. That way you know what you're having and can hit the ground running when you get home.

Kitchen organization - Keep everything organized and easy to find. Nothing sucks more than digging for that one sauce or spice in the back of a pantry, or thinking you are out of something because you couldn't find it. Always have basics stocked up.

Crock pot - Slow cookers are so useful. Set it and forget it! I have heard good things about Instant Pots too but have never used one. Bonus points for one with a delayed start or timer function that warms after a certain period of time.

Prep early - Chop vegetables, cut and marinate your meat, make a spice blend, whatever ahead of time. Sometimes like with spice blends you can do it in bulk way in advance. And it's not just for the cooking work, I even go so far as to measure out rice and get a pot of water out in advance. It's so nice to be able to just grab and go at the end of the day.

Have solid backups - Even the best laid plans can go awry. I always have a few quick options my husband loves in stock if I get off work late, meat I was going to use is bad, whatever. I'm talking things like spaghetti with frozen or canned sauce, or maybe eggs and bacon. Things you can do quick and easy.

Utilize help - Not sure how old your kids are but once they are old enough to help put them to work! Even them setting the table or getting drinks is just that much less you have to do.

Hope this helps give you some ideas! It definitely isn't easy but does come more naturally with time and practice.

I'll also add that during the newborn period it's okay if it's a crapshoot for a little while! Good luck!

hcinimwh · 2019-03-22T17:28:39+00:00

Instant pot and prep. if everything is already chopped and measured out and u just have to throw it together or heat it up you will have more success.

[deleted] · 2019-03-22T20:22:12+00:00

Crock. Pots.

[deleted] · 2019-03-22T16:32:47+00:00

Check out Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals. Also one pot pasta can be great. And/or prepare everyhing beforehand.

You will get better and better in it with experience!

[deleted] · 2019-03-22T21:13:16+00:00

So many good tips here!

Also, don't feel bad about keeping some nights simple. You do have three kids -- including a NEWBORN. Give yourself a break from time to time. Keep it simple on the weeknights when you just don't have a lot of time...a quick stir-fry, soup and a grilled cheese, salad with chicken or steak on top, breakfast for dinner, etc...

Pre-prepping really does help a lot. I know I'm just echoing others, but it's worth repeating again. I usually go ahead and start my prep when I get home from the grocery store each week. For example, last week, I went ahead and pre-made a gallon-size bag of chili and a bag of spaghetti sauce and put them in the freezer for later in the week. Also, I think the flavors meld together better this way, too! Soups, stews, chili, casseroles all do well in the freezer.

If nothing else, keeping pre-browned ground beef and pre-cooked shredded chicken (add a little broth so it doesn't get dry) in the freezer helps speed things along so much.

The slow cooker does help. I find that I prefer food cooked in other ways for the most part, but it's definitely convenient, so I do use it. A roast with potatoes, onions, carrots and celery is probably the easiest and most hands-off thing you can make in the slow cooker, and it turns out so good and tender.

I like the suggestion about the InstantPot. They're supposed to cook food SUPER fast. I have been wanting one but haven't done it yet.

Also, if you're wondering how you can make it up to your husband...if your husband is a sweets guy (lord, mine is), making cookies, brownies, some kind of no-bake dessert...something that's pretty quick and easy but homemade and tasty...is sure to make up for fixing dinner late or making a simpler dinner. You can do your dessert making earlier in the day, when the older kids are at school and the little one is napping...

aussiedollface2 · 2019-03-22T23:13:21+00:00

I love baking! Hubby loves baked meals, and I just put meat/salmon and vegetables in the oven and then go about my other chores. It’s suoer easy and yet he’s always so impressed hehe. Slow cookers are perfect for the same reason. As other posters have said, having things prepped and ready to go is crucial xo

situations_13 · 2019-03-22T19:19:14+00:00

I like using programs like Plated or Blue Apron. It can be pricey but still cheaper/healthier than eating out. I like that it teaches me to cook things I wouldn’t attempt on my own. Like the other day I made shrimp potstickers from scratch and everyone loved them!

It takes all the shopping and meal planning out for the couple days you use it. I do the 3 meal a week plan and cook simple easy meals the rest of the week.

est-la-lune · 2019-03-23T02:48:36+00:00

I do all of my cooking between a cast iron pan, Dutch oven, and Instant Pot with a crappy old pot for boiling pasta.

As others said prep things ahead of time and throw them in there. The Dutch oven is great for baking bread, braising meat, roasting, stews, and pasta sauces (you shouldn't cook tomatoes on a non-enameled cast iron). I use the Instant Pot for rice, shredded taco meat, and hands-off slow cooked soups, and the cast iron pan for searing steak, eggs, and pizza.

Dutch oven is an investment piece, you can get one from Lodge that's less pricey than Le Crueset but still good quality (and my regular cast iron pan is from Lodge).

THEdirtyDotterFUCKr · 2019-03-24T10:04:11+00:00

When my wife and I went grocery shopping, when we got back before putting food away we would chop, cut, slice, dice. Trim everything and store them in meal prep containers. One of us would buy meat on our way home from work depending on our mood that day.

come meal time we just had to heat, season and serve as most of the work was done before the food was put into the fridge in the first place.

Aside I would Highly recommend an air fryer and an instapot. Game Changers

Umsandly13 · 2019-03-24T17:19:22+00:00

Best advice I ever got- everyday, cook dinner before you leave the house. after bfast and the kids are off to school, first thing I do is prepare dinner. Then I have the rest of the day for cleaning, errands , gym , whateves There’s no way I can wait to make dinner after I pick up my kids from school . Chaos time

cilachi · 2019-03-24T20:04:29+00:00

I did things your way for a while and I know it is hard. I would suggest what my late mom and mom in law taught me: Don't cook everyday. Make a big pot of meal for the entire week or at least 3 days. Do this on weekend or in the evening.

In my parents house, just like you, we were 5. It worked for us. Always go for one pot meals. They need less work. Look online for recipes from a wide variety of countries. That's how I cut my cooking time. Asian foods seem to cook the fastest and need least amount of ingredients.

carolinagq24 · 2019-03-31T01:50:07+00:00

Check YouTube and Pinterest! They are the best sources. There are many crockpot recipes that you can prep in bulk and freeze in ziplocks until you need them. Also, just crockpot recipes in general and casseroles are great. You can also freeze a lot of leftover crockpot meals to heat up later.

Title	How to cook good meals for husband and family with limited time?
Author	hannahxs
Upvotes	30
Comments	24
Date	March 22, 2019 4:01 PM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/RedPillWomen
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/RedPillWomen/comments/b46t2p/how_to_cook_good_meals_for_husband_and_family/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/RedPillWomen/how-to-cook-good-meals-for-husband-and-family-with.222921 https://theredarchive.com/post/222921

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