Economic woes = fake food?

[moolie]

When I first started teaching, I worked in a preschool that had a daycare and saw the same things. From time to time I would work with the younger kids--the infants under age 2--and actually had the experience of being the person to whom one little boy took his very first unassisted steps, and the person who got to hug him and tell him how proud we were of him. By the time his parents arrived that evening, I'm sure he was a pro at walking. I couldn't imagine missing those "firsts" with my own two girls, so vowed to do whatever it took to stay home with them.

I don't judge others who have tough choices to make, in one case there was a family with 3 kids in our center--an infant in the daycare and twins in the preschool--who hadn't wanted kids. The twins had been an "oops", the baby had come along after Dad got a vasectomy (then Mom got fixed!) They loved their kids, of course, but Mom was a high-powered business person who worked a lot of hours and who truly wanted the best care and education for her kids--something she didn't feel she could provide on her own as a stay-at-home Mom, and Dad traveled a lot.

Those kids were loved just as much by our staff as by their parents, and I have fond memories of every child I worked with during my two years at that preschool--I just didn't want other people to be the ones who made those memories with my own kids.

 

[FarmerChick]

yea that is me also. I want to be the memory. not a daycare or other babysitting situation.

 

[Wannabefree]

I'm still like that, and my youngest is a teenager I just think it's important to be the main role models in their lives as parents. Otherwise, why fuss when they pick up everyone else's horrid habits

 

[Denim Deb]

Yeah, that way they pick up your horrid habits.

 

[Wannabefree]

Yeah, that way they pick up your horrid habits.

See, I knew you'd understand!

 

[Denim Deb]

Perfectly! Both of my kids have my warped sense of humor, so I know all about it.

 

[heatherlynnky]

Part of the problem too,is if both mom and dad work, it's much easier to open a can or box to cook dinner then to make something. After all, if you work 8 hours, and that doesn't include your lunch break, then have to drive home thru rush hour traffic, do you really feel like cooking? And while the solution would seem to be to do the cooking on the weekend, then freeze it, if you throw a couple of kids into the mix that have sports all weekend long, there goes that time as well.

But honestly with planning the cooking and freezing can still be the solution. It doesn't have to be a cook all day marathon. I do this often, even though I don't have to, simply because it does save me so much time and money. I get up before they do and I will cook up 4 lbs of hamburger and 5 lbs of chicken breast. I can have taco meat, sloppy joe meat all ready and waiting for the coming week. I will have that nights chicken dinner and a tray of chicken enchilada cassarole. Usually some type of fruit cobbler. I can also whip up 40 egg rolls. Then I make breakfast and clean up the kitchen. It took me about 2 hours. My lunch and dinner is made. Also the makes for 4 more meals is done. If I happen to make waffles or french toast I will triple that recipe real fast and whip up extra of those to freeze. All this takes place before they wake up. Its so much faster when they are out of the way. It speeds up the entire dinner process. Sloppy joes consists of corn and green beans and adding that warming up the sloppy joe mix. Dinner is on their plates and waiting in less than 5 minutes.

Thinks like enchilada's, egg rolls, crab/tuna/salmon cakes, and pasta dishes are super easy and can be very healthy and economic. We have a special night each payday with egg roll night. I can whip up 40 eggs rolls fast for only $10. That feeds the 8 of us and there is enough to set aside for a 2nd meal. Precut cole slaw and broccoli slaw make it quicker and the kids get their veggies.

This was a topic we beat to death on the chicken forums I usually post on. If I can find them still I had a monthly budget and plan to speed up healthy family dinners on a tight budget. It is doable. Once the initial planning is done also, every months planning after that is easier because you just tweak it a bit as seasonal items become available and affordable.

Another way we save is to plan monthly budgets rather than weekly.

 

[Denim Deb]

Most of us on this forum will agree w/you. But, for the average American family, they don't want to be bothered w/that. Most don't know how, nor have any desire to do so.

 

[baymule]

Most of us on this forum will agree w/you. But, for the average American family, they don't want to be bothered w/that. Most don't know how, nor have any desire to do so.

Amen to that! Most moms just try to get home, slap a box around, add water, heat it up and call it "cooking supper". My dear SIL was raised on Spam, vienna sausage, and ramen noodles. He learned to cook when he left home and discovered REAL food.

 

[luvinlife offthegrid]

I have some time constraints because of my work schedule. For me, I try to make really simple meals from scratch. Cooking time takes about 20-30 minutes. I mix carrots and rice in the same pot. Sometimes i throw the chicken in too. It's only as hard as you make it.

Making pot pies, stews, roasts, or stuff with a lot of steps and beaucoup dishes is saved for Saturday or Sunday. Lots of people talk about how much of a pain it is to cook from scratch, but it doesn't take much time if you are comfortable in the kitchen. ('being comfortable in the kitchen' being the key.)

What many people don't realize is that a meal of something like hard-boiled eggs, veggies and dip, and bread and butter is a perfectly balanced meal and takes very little time to throw together. If I want a hot quick meal in the winter, I make a big egg fry with cheese and veggies and meat. Add potatoes or bread and there it is.