OT-How many of you make dinner?

[Country Kids]

I read on here now and then about things people do after work. How do you manage to do things after work? Do you not really eat dinner or anything like that?

Dinner takes a big part of our night up! Like last night we double teamed and by the time we were done it was 6:15. We sat till about 6:45 then clean up takes probably another 30 min so your looking at close to 7:30 (we started at 5:30).

Our dinner routine is about 2 hours a night (no dishwasher either). So it leaves no time to do really alot in the evenings. Then once school starts forget it-with homework and sports also, our nights are shot.

We do try and go for walks but thats about it because I still need to get home and make sure everything is ready to go for the next day, shower and get to bed.

[Meyou]

I usually prepare dinner at naptime so all I have to do is throw it on the bbq, stove or in the oven. I start it cooking sometime after 4:30 so it's ready at 5:30 when I'm done for the day. We've eaten and cleaned up by 6:15. The kids do the dishes.

[Blackcat31]

My DH does ALL the cooking. When I get off work, dinner is on the table. lovethis

I clean up.

[safechner]

I start cook around 5:30pm to 6:00pm and it is ready for dinner by 6:30pm. On the weekend, we go out eat so I like to take a break for cooking on the weekend. happyface

[Crazy8]

I cook most nights, but sometimes they are quicker and easier meals than other nights. Sometimes I start them during nap and just keep them in the oven till dinner time (if its not a meat that will dry out, etc.). Other times I just start them later in the afternoon. This month we have football and are out the door at 5:15ish. I have dinner on the table by 4:30-4:40, but I can't usually sit with them - DH does though. Its a sacrifice I am willing to make for an activity my boys love. During the school year its homework after school, dinner right after the dc kids leave and then off to whatever activity they may have. Dinner is not a 2-3 hour event here though. We eat in a reasonable time, but not super rushed either. We talk over dinner, we talk in the car, we talk during snack before homework. We manage to fit it all in. :: If DH can take them to practice I will load the dishwasher, clean up while they are gone. If I'm doing the driving I will just get everything soaking and clean up when the kids are in the shower later in the night.

[itlw8]

I try to fix 1 meal on Sunday to be used later on in the week. This week I made pulled pork. Unfortunately it smelled so good and I was busy we at it Sunday. LOl there were leftovers so we will have it Tomorrow.

Dh usually cleans up and I cook. We have th grand kids here most evenings so we keep the meals simple to be ready for the little ones bedtime at 8

I also prep some stuff on weekends to speed up dinner later on in the week.

[lil angels]

I hate it when dinner takes up my whole evening. I use my crock pot often fill it the night before and plug it in when the kids are eating breakfast. Or put something in the oven at snack so it's ready when I am off at 5. Or have something ready to go on the BBQ grill. My husband will put it on at around 430 and I am done at 5. I will have a couple of big meals a week then we can eat left overs a couple of nights a week.

[SilverSabre25]

Depending on the meal, I start cooking it between 4 and 5 and dinner's on the table by 5:30 at the latest so DH can leave for his second job at 6. I'm usually off by then right now and I'm LOVING it, because we get to eat as a family--something that's been rare in our life together!

I meal plan for a week at a time--though I'm trying to stretch that to two weeks at a time. I did that last week and did the shopping for two weeks and came in just over budget for one week! happyface I hate the act of meal planning but love the effect.

[daycarediva]

because I make hot breakfasts & lunches, ESPECIALLY in summer, we usually do a cold/lunch style meal for dinner or toss something on the grill. Like yesterday we had BLT's with turkey bacon and tossed salads. It took 15 minutes to make, 15 minutes to eat and 15 minutes to clean up. Still a substantial amount of time but not crazy! Today we are having turkey burgers (on the grill) with cucumber and tomato salad, and paper plates since we are eating outside.

I find myself jealous of my daycare parents who take off 2 hours early, pop in unexpectedly to pick up their kiddo and take them to the pool or beach. My poor kids.

I close at 6 but try to get daycare cleaning, paperwork and curriculum stuff done during the hour between pick up times, dinner is usually done by 7, cleanup included. Then we get an hour until bathtime and bedtime routines start.

I do take comfort in the fact that although crazy busy, atleast I see my kids all day! I feel bad for the parents who don't!

[Crazy8]

I hate it when dinner takes up my whole evening. I use my crock pot often fill it the night before and plug it in when the kids are eating breakfast. Or put something in the oven at snack so it's ready when I am off at 5. Or have something ready to go on the BBQ grill. My husband will put it on at around 430 and I am done at 5. I will have a couple of big meals a week then we can eat left overs a couple of nights a week.

oooh I forgot about the crock pot!! I don't use mine as much in the summer months, but during the school year I use it a ton. LOVE it!! I have also tried once a month cooking - it was neat but I don't enjoy cooking enough to spend a whole day doing it, LOL!

[Breezy]

Either DH or I cook dinner depending on what we are having. Lastnight was a lasagna which I started about 30 mins before DCB was picked up. DH browned hamburger while I vacuumed and picked up the house. Dinner was in by 5:45 and done by 6:45. We ate and then DH bathed DS while I got his room picked up and his jammies ready. Then I did lotion, jammies, hair and teeth brushing while DH did the dishes. We watched a show together (the rest of it.... we had started it earlier).

Around 8:00 the tv went off and DH went to do his homework (he's finishing his bachelors degree in criminal justice) and I read DS a story and laid him down to go to bedby 8:30. He was asleep by 9:45 (transitioning to big boy bed so falling asleep is taking longer). DH cleaned up the last few things while I was helping DS fall asleep and DH and I were in bed by 10!!

[AmyLeigh]

I make dinner almost everyday. When we have activites in the evening, I use the crock pot or do something simple. Thirty minutes is all that is really needed to prepare a nice healthy dinner. Rachael Ray has made a nice career put of that fact! Lol.

[mema]

I do both depending what we are eating and what is going on in the evening. If the kids activities are at 5:30, they just have a bigger snack when they get home from school and we eat later. Right now dh doesn't get home until 7:45 and by the time he showers and cleans up, it is 8:15 so the kids do a bedtime snack while he eats. Come fall he will switch to working nights and will have to leave the house by 6:15, so we will probably be doing supper right at 5:00.

[cheerfuldom]

I make dinner most of the time. My hubby helps watch the kids starting around 4:30 or 5. We usually sit down at 5:30 and sometimes there is still one or two daycare kids still there. We eat when eat and I dont worry about cooking or eating at the end of the day when the kids are still here. This isnt really a feasible plan if you have a large group though.

[SunflowerMama]

I've fallen in love with pinterest and freezer crock pot meals. On the weekend we'll grocery shop and prep 5 meals in large ziplock bag. Stick them in the fridge the night before I'm going to use it and then just pop in the crockpot each morning. Then all I have to do is sometimes make a side (pasta, rice, etc.) And volia...we're eating a yummy dinner at 5:15/5:30p. Also no prep dishes to clean since we did that all on the weekend. We're usually done and cleaned up by 6p.