Cook from Scratch or Premade meals

[Christina72684]

How often do you truly cook from scratch versus premade meals? The closest I get to cooking from scratch is making spaghetti. We do store bought pizzas, fish fillets, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, biscuits and gravy, Hamburger or Tuna Helper, etc (none of this is cooked in grease, all is baked in oven). We do make salmon patties, but that's a can of salmon and saltines, so still not super healthy. I just don't see how people have time to cook from scratch while watching kids. And I don't want to give up my entire Sunday pre-making food for the week.

Any tips or tricks to help us out?

[SquirrellyMama]

How often do you truly cook from scratch versus premade meals? The closest I get to cooking from scratch is making spaghetti. We do store bought pizzas, fish fillets, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, biscuits and gravy, Hamburger or Tuna Helper, etc (none of this is cooked in grease, all is baked in oven). We do make salmon patties, but that's a can of salmon and saltines, so still not super healthy. I just don't see how people have time to cook from scratch while watching kids. And I don't want to give up my entire Sunday pre-making food for the week.

Any tips or tricks to help us out?

The more often you cook from scratch the easier it gets. I can whip up a homemade pizza very quickly. Quesadillas are super easy. You can make them ahead and freeze. They take hardly any time. I make enough of some meals to freeze extra. I do jar spaghetti sauce sometimes and homemade other times. I make my homemade sauce in the crock pot.

ETA- The first time I made homemade pizza it took forever. I've been making them for years now and have gotten faster.


Kelly

[Meyou]

I cook everything from scratch other than bread and crackers. I do make bread and crackers as well but I still purchase our day to day bread and crackers. The key for me is planning, having supplies on hand and managing my time well.

We eat alot of "hour in the oven" type meals for dinner because I can prep while kids are eating snack and throw it in the oven before we go outside. When we come in I just take it out and we're ready to eat.

I do alot of breads/muffins/granola bars for morning snacks because most of these recipes are one bowl and less than 5 minutes prep before it goes in the oven. Banana bread, carrot bread, granola bars and apple muffins are my go to's and I add other toppings to make them a little different.

[melilley]

I make most of my lunches from scratch. Snacks are sometimes homemade, but I admit usually aren't and I buy bread products. Sometimes I make extra portions at dinner and set them aside for dc the next day, this saves a lit of time! When I don't do that, I mostly make things that can be baked in the oven.

Instead of frozen chicken nuggets, I throw chicken into the oven and make homemade nuggets, for pizza I make English muffin pizzas ( one of their favorites)! I make homemade scalloped potatoes and throw some ham into them, meatloaf is fast to prepare, I do make hot dogs occasionally, but buy the all beef ones. Cheese quesadillas or bean and cheese burritos are fast and easy.. just some ideas

Most of the veggies I use are frozen with the exception of potatoes and sometimes carrots, just throw them in a pot and whala!

I only have up to 6 kids a time so making homemade foods is doable for me.

[Meyou]

The more often you cook from scratch the easier it gets. I can whip up a homemade pizza very quickly. Quesadillas are super easy. You can make them ahead and freeze. They take hardly any time. I make enough of some meals to freeze extra. I do jar spaghetti sauce sometimes and homemade other times. I make my homemade sauce in the crock pot.

ETA- The first time I made homemade pizza it took forever. I've been making them for years now and have gotten faster.


Kelly

Yes! It does get easier and faster the more you do it. I also use my crockpot alot. Chili, spaghetti sauce, stews, whole chicken or ham or soup are all made regularly here in the crockpot.

[jenboo]

The only thing I do not make from scratch for the daycare is bread, tortillas, pasta and bread crumbs.
I make:
-homemade chicken nuggets (same texture as the store bought ones)
-granola bars
-muffins
-pizzas including the dough
-pinto beans
-enchiladas
-lasagna
-applesauce
-soft pretzels
...thats just a few of the things. Its much cheaper to cook from scratch and healthier. I have 6 daycare kids (4 under 2) and it really doesn't take much time. I usually spend my first hour in the morning making/prepping food. I try to make large batched and freeze when I can.
Once you get the hang of it, its really easy!!

[melilley]

Yes! It does get easier and faster the more you do it. I also use my crockpot alot. Chili, spaghetti sauce, stews, whole chicken or ham or soup are all made regularly here in the crockpot.

crock pots are amazing! I also throw meals into the oven right before we go outside!

[jenboo]

oh, its also really helpful to have a rotating menu. I created a 3 week rotating menu that i switch up every 6 months. It allows me to get quick at making the meals/snacks and allows me to cook in bulk and freeze.
Some examples are:
-soft pretzels for snack (i make a large batch during nap one day and freeze them. Now i dont have to make them for another month)
-Pancakes/waffles (I whip up a large batch and freeze)
-Chicken nuggets (i make a large batch and freeze them)
-chicken (i cook up a package of children breasts and then cube it and freeze it. I only defrost as much as I need for one meal).

[SignMeUp]

Whenever I cook, either for family or dc, I make a huge batch. Then I freeze in quart-size freezer bags, enough for a small group. I pull two out for a larger group or older kids.
I freeze them lying flat, then I rack them in the freezer like it's a bookshelf.

I make a zillion different soups (more like a stew, to meet nutrition requirements) and different casserole type dishes. If it's something we don't eat often, I label with a sharpie before bagging the food so that I know what it is.
I can pull out day-by-day or pull out a week's worth of food on Monday to thaw slowly in 9x13 pan in the fridge. Sometimes I plan a week's worth of menus, other times choose what kids are requesting.

The downside: I usually toss the bags after one or two uses, not eco-friendly. I used to use re-useable containers, but they are not space efficient in my freezer, and I can't see what's in them as easily, even when labeled.

I tend to make a lot in the fall, then do some regularly throughout the early winter. In the spring, I try to use it all up so I can start fresh in the fall.

In the summer, we eat almost all separated food groups, raw foods, finger foods. Easy picnic-style meals.

[Oss_cc]

Whenever I cook, either for family or dc, I make a huge batch. Then I freeze in quart-size freezer bags, enough for a small group. I pull two out for a larger group or older kids.
I freeze them lying flat, then I rack them in the freezer like it's a bookshelf.

I make a zillion different soups (more like a stew, to meet nutrition requirements) and different casserole type dishes. If it's something we don't eat often, I label with a sharpie before bagging the food so that I know what it is.
I can pull out day-by-day or pull out a week's worth of food on Monday to thaw slowly in 9x13 pan in the fridge. Sometimes I plan a week's worth of menus, other times choose what kids are requesting.

The downside: I usually toss the bags after one or two uses, not eco-friendly. I used to use re-useable containers, but they are not space efficient in my freezer, and I can't see what's in them as easily, even when labeled.

I tend to make a lot in the fall, then do some regularly throughout the early winter. In the spring, I try to use it all up so I can start fresh in the fall.

In the summer, we eat almost all separated food groups, raw foods, finger foods. Easy picnic-style meals.

I often do leftovers from our dinner the night before - soups, casseroles, etc. Or cook extra chicken, shrimp, beef... and repurpose it the next day for the kids.

[kitkat]

The only thing I do not make from scratch for the daycare is bread, tortillas, pasta and bread crumbs.
I make:
-homemade chicken nuggets (same texture as the store bought ones)
-granola bars
-muffins
-pizzas including the dough
-pinto beans
-enchiladas
-lasagna
-applesauce
-soft pretzels
...thats just a few of the things. Its much cheaper to cook from scratch and healthier. I have 6 daycare kids (4 under 2) and it really doesn't take much time. I usually spend my first hour in the morning making/prepping food. I try to make large batched and freeze when I can.
Once you get the hang of it, its really easy!!

Can you please share your chicken nugget recipe? I've tried a few different recipes, but the kids haven't like any of them. I think it's the texture. Thanks!

[Jack Sprat]

Everyday! We never ate prepared foods before daycare so I didn't change it when daycare opened. I love my slow cooker and I always make enough to feed my family either that evening or the next.

[spud912]

Most of our lunch meals are prepared/cooked during nap time and served the next day (served that night to my family). I understand that it is technically "leftovers," but most of these meals taste better the next day anyway (soups and stews, spaghetti, lasagna, etc.). The other lunch-meals are prepared between outdoor time and lunch time (I put a quick educational show on for the kiddos while I do it). Breakfast is made from scratch in the morning while the kids are arriving. I can whip together homemade whole wheat pancakes in under 30 minutes (including cleaning the dishes used to make the pancakes).

[NeedaVaca]

I cook most everything from scratch and it really doesn't take long at all. Plus, if you start doing this you can advertise it! I know all of my families really love the food my DCK's get to eat and they comment on it often, it's a huge selling point for me

[Rachel]

I mostly cook from scratch, but easy stuff, not complicated. Anything complicated I do at least double, and usually more and flash freeze. I do meatballs approximately once a week, bake them, flash freeze & take out what I need that day. Same with fried & breaded chicken cutlets. At least once a week is a crock pot meal that I either do overnight or put up first thing in the morning for lunch. Things like chicken stir fry I do for my family and cook extra for the daycare kids. I do cheat and use only frozen veggies (microwave them in a bit of water), and also I buy 90% of the bread and cookie type products.