Guest Post by Rebecca Ingram Powell from Mom Seriously
Dinnertime can be stressful! Whether you spend your day at work, at home with the kids, or in the van shuffling tweens from one activity to another, it helps to have a plan for this period of re-entry! When you do, it sets the tone for a peaceful atmosphere, a relaxing evening, and a wonderful time of connecting with those you love most!
Monday—Who arrives home first? Plan ahead and have something defrosting in the fridge that can be thrown on the grill or placed in the oven. Add baked potatoes and pre-cut veggies with dip. Think easy—Mondays are stressful enough without adding a complicated dinner into the mix!
Tuesday—Use the crock pot for everything from lasagna to low-cal vegetable soup. After your easy dinner on Monday, gather the ingredients for Tuesday so that they are ready to go. You can quickly assemble a crock pot meal in ten to fifteen minutes. Be sure to checkout one of my favorite crock pot recipes.
Wednesday—Often churches offer a family night supper on Wednesdays in order to encourage attendance at mid-week activities. Works for me! At our church, the Wednesday night meal costs $3 per person (7th grade and up), which adds up to $15 for my crew. Obviously, I could cook at home for a much lower price! However, the value here comes in the form of fellowship and friendship that is so generously passed around the tables! If you’re at home on Wednesdays, make a light supper. Anything that doesn’t have to be cooked—salad or sandwiches or even a chilled soup—makes the perfect fuel to get you through the rest of the week!
Thursday—Casseroles are easy to put together when you cook the meat ahead of time and freeze it. For example, I cook my ground beef upon returning from the grocery, adding seasonings (Italian, Taco, etc.) and labeling it appropriately before storing it in a zipper bag in the freezer. You can also take a baking day to put casseroles together, cook, and freeze. Then you have go-to meals available, which helps tone down the impulse to “just grab something” on the way home.
Friday—Celebrate the weekend by eating out or ordering in! Just be sure you use a coupon!
A little preparation and discipline will go a long way. If you can get yourself into the habit of meal-planning, re-entry can become your favorite time of day!
Rebecca Ingram Powell is a pastor’s wife, a homeschooling mother of three, and a nationally known author and speaker. For over a decade, she has inspired and equipped moms in every season of parenting. In recent years, Rebecca’s ministry has expanded to include Bible studies and conference events for girls. Connect online at www.rebeccapowell.com.
photo source: She Knows
