How Do You Cook?

My LO is 7 months old and I'm still having difficulty cooking... I feel like I don't have enough time to make a decent dinner. How do u guys find the time to cook? Did u have to wait until ur LO was a little older to be entertained with something while u are cooking? I only seem to have enough time to wash dishes but not to cook.

How Do You Cook?

You can do a lot of the prep work during their afternoon nap.

Try putting them in the highchair in the kitchen and talking to them about what you're doing. That's entertaining for them.

How Do You Cook?

Agree with pp.

I also cook a bunch on Sundays when DH is home to use all week (make chicken cutlets, prep a baked ziti, cook up taco meat). You can also roast a chicken in your crockpot which is super easy!

Re: How Do You Cook?

My kids are almost 4 and 1 and I still find it hard to cook. It just doesn't happen. Dh and I eat after they go bed. So usually he cooks after work. He's the better cook anyway lol. For those night we make simple quick dinners. But we cook big on the weekends and eat leftovers all week. Last we made pizza. So we have leftovers for Monday night.

Re: How Do You Cook?

At that age, I would make most of my meals on Sunday. If I didn't, then I would try to do stuff around nap time or his playtime, or if I had to I would wear him.

Re: How Do You Cook?

At that age I found it so much easier to cook. I plopped him in his exersaucer or high chair and let him go to town while I cooked. Now that he's an active 2 year old that demands my attention 24/7 I usually do most of my prep and cooking while he naps. If i do cook while he's awake I give him a few pots and let him play on the floor in the kitchen.

Re: How Do You Cook?

I still can't. I'm hoping it gets easier when they start eating actual food like us and I have to cook.

How Do You Cook?

If I don't have something prepped/ready when I walk in the door from work it doesn't happen...

Re: How Do You Cook?

Re: How Do You Cook?

Either DH watches him while I cook something, or I put him in his high chair in the kitchen with me while I cook. I don't spend a lot of time cooking or make anything elaborate though. I make simple things.

Re: How Do You Cook?

Oh boy so it sounds like I'm going to have a tough time cooking for years to come

Re: How Do You Cook?

I love to cook and when my DD was under 7 months, I found it extremely difficult to get any cooking done. DH had to pick up the slack for a while. She is 11 months now, but I find I am able to get a lot more done. I work FT, so I found it helpful to have my meals for the week planned out ahead of time so I'm not scrambling for a recipe or idea for dinner last minute. I also only plan about 3 meals a week, so that we have leftovers in between. DD is easily entertained, but I do have to watch her. I typically put her in front of her FP laugh and learn house while I'm prepping dinner and kind of run into the room every now and then to make sure she isn't getting into trouble. It's been working for us so far!

Re: How Do You Cook?

Simple recipes.

I look down to make sure I don't trip over DD.

How Do You Cook?

Prep/cook on weekends for the week. If it's something new during the week my husband does it or he has to watch our son while I do it.

Re: How Do You Cook?

Simple recipes. I only cook things I've done a million times on weeknights. I cook one night and we eat the leftovers the next night. That way I only have to cook on 2 weeknights. My kids watch tv while I cook.

How Do You Cook?

What about using the slow cooker? That way you can throw a bunch of ingredients in, set it, and let the cooker do all the work.

How Do You Cook?

We are huge fans of the slow cooker. If anything needs prepping, we do it the night before, after DD is in bed and then just throw everything in in the morning. We make a lot of quick meals; veggie burgers, salads, pasta, baked fish. We plan our menu on the weekends so we don't have to think about it during the week

How Do You Cook?

I used to bring the jumperoo in the kitchen with me and now I just have him play on the floor or he is in the living room playing and I just check on him. And now if I call him he will come tell me what he is doing and tell me he is ok.

How Do You Cook?

I have twins that are 2 1/2 & do lots of slow cooker/ ribs are AWESOME cooked this way.

Re: How Do You Cook?

I'd say I cook 4x a week and it can be tricky! It was fed easier when she was smaller and not mobile. Now she comes in the kitchen and pulls on my legs! I usually try to make something easy and quick like grilled or baked chicken and a steamed veggie or froZen bag of veggie that can be popped in the micro. I also will make big soups or something bigger like meatballs 2x a week and I prep and cook during nap. It makes a lot so we have meals for a few days or can freeze some!

Also when they get older and can have tv time it helps a lot! I save DDs tv time for days she is pulling on my legs in the kitchen or just needing a lot of attention.

The other days I don't cook we make a frozen pizza or go out!

Re: How Do You Cook?

Out kitchen is quite open so there is space for DD to play. When she outgrew the exersaucer we bought the laugh and learn house and kept that in there for her to play with. She's not into it so much anymore. She loves her dolls so we let her play with them in there. Just leaving the tray off the highchair is great because she sits her dolls on it. Just some ideas as your LO grows. She also loves to close cabinets and the fridge doors so we always ask her to do that. it's cute and engaging and we can still work in the kitchen.

Pinterest is a great place for easy recipes. And the steam in the bag veggies are great for sides.

Re: How Do You Cook?

Slow cooker, quick prep meals, leftovers, weekend cooking!

- last week at night I put together mini-meatloaves so that i could just pop them in the over when i got home. And they were individual size so they would cook faster

-yesterday I made sausage, pepper and onions and made enough for us to have 2 nights this week

-slow cooker, i will chop everything the night before and put it in a bowl in the fridge and then just dump it in in the morning.

-Fish - super quick cooking and prep is only 5-10 minutes while DS plays with the tupperware cabinet.

-small Roasts - took me 5 minutes to season rack of lamb one night and then just pop it in the over.

- pork, chicken, cutlets - I have breaded them in advance while he was napping so that I just have to cook them at dinner time!

- microwave veggies are always in our freezer!

Message edited 4/14/2014 9:36:05 AM.

Re: How Do You Cook?

I would put my kids in the highchair next to me with a snack or toy so I could cook. Or they would play in the den which is right next to the kitchen.

When they were really little I'd prep what I could while they napped. If I was making a Crock Pot meal I would put everything together the night before and in the morning I'd just have to take the Crock Pot out of the fridge and turn it in. Super easy.

I also BBQ all year long, it's fast and easy and there is no clean-up.

Sometimes when I cook I make double (meatloaf, sauce, etc) and freeze the extra. When I need a meal I just take it out of the freezer and warm it up.

Re: How Do You Cook?

Plan ahead of time. Prep ahead of time.

Do simple meals. You'll eventually get some of your time and freedom back to *really* cook but until then keep it simple.

And the crock pot is your friend.

Now that warmer weather is coming make use of your DH and the grill.

How Do You Cook?

LOL I don't cook anymore He does. Love my hubby
But when I do my dishes we trade off, he gets her or I got her. Its always been this way. Now that she's 5 we can both cook and she is ok on her own (of course).

But even before AJ was born we've always traded off cooking or one does the main dish and the other the sides. Just something we do. But I will say I cook a LOT less these days. Between homework and bath, feed and bed time. There's just not enough time. I have 3 hours of time with her. So its hard.