If you want to cook (not just fix things) and you work Full time plus a kid how can you organize yourself?

Answer 1

try food networks...30 minute meals

foodtv.com

Answer 2

I am a nanny and the woman I work for has me cook for her...which isnt a probable solution for you, Im sure. But what I do for them is when I cook something, I make sure there are at least two nights worth of food there. That way, they can either eat the same thing two nights in a row, or freeze some and have it another time.

What I do at home, since I basically have three hours at home a night to make dinner, eat, clean everything up, and get ready for the next day, is I make recipes that are fairly easy. I save the more involved recipes for the weekend.

On Saturday I write a list of everything I want to cook during the week and put it on the fridge so I can easily see what my options are instead of trying to remember everything. Then I make a list of everything I need to make those things and go to the store. That way I have everything I need to cook everything for the week.

Also, there is nothing wrong with stopping at a restaurant once a week if you dont feel like cooking. There ARE healthy choices out there.

Answer 3

I'd suggest that you do a bit of research in cook books that specialize in quick meals...30 minutes or so prep and cook time. There are many good ones. There are many good recipes on-line too that are quick to fix. Your desire to cook things rather than fix them can still be exercised, but you will use quick to cook items.

If you want something that takes a while, like a nice pot roast, you will probably have to do that on the weekend. Most take three hours or so. Crock pots work well too, if you can get something started in the AM.

Work on a nice brunch on your days off. Fix some really great brunch items that are special. Invite friends over for the brunch, and show off your meal.

Make bread for a real treat, and serve it on the weekend. It is becoming a lost art, and there is nothing like the smell of baking bread. That will satisfy your urge to cook for sure.

Good luck! Make it fun if you can. Involve your child if old enough. They love to kneed bread and add ingredients to recipes.

Answer 4

If you don't already have one then get yourself a crock pot. They are wonderful! I use mine quite a bit because it's just so hard working all day, getting home late and then having to prepare a meal. You put everything in the crock pot before you leave for work in the morning. Lets say for instance you want to have a roast beef for dinner. I usually start off by putting baby carrots on the bottom. Next I'll add about 2-3 stalks of celerly chopped about a 1/2" long. Then you can slice one good size onion and add that followed by some sliced mushrooms. Add salt & pepper to taste. Then you want to place your roast beef on top of the all the vegetables. I usually take a pack of mushroom or onion gravy mix and add a tablespoon of flour with a about a cup and a half of water and pour that on top of the roast beef. Set your crock pot on low and when you get home from work, dinner is done! I do the exact same thing with boneless and skinless chicken breasts and use a pack of chicken gravy mix instead of the mushroom or onion gravy mix. You can omit or add whatever vegetables you like. If you want more recipes, www.foodnetwork.com has plenty. Hope you'll give the crock pot a try. Good luck! : )

Answer 5

Plan a weeks menu.
Get all the things that you will need in one grocery trip. When you get home rinse and chop all the vegetables you will need for each meal. Store them in glad containers and write the date you bought them and the date you plan to use them. Separate and rinse your meats in a similar way. You can freeze in freezer bags. Pull out the meat you want to use for the next day and put it in the fridge to thaw overnight and through the day. If you want to have mashed potatoes you can make them ahead of time and refrigerate them until you need them. If you want to make things that take several hours to cook, try a crock-pot.
You can also prepare a lasagna before hand and freeze it. Then you just cook it longer.
Try not to stop at the store after you get off work. Go on a day off. You can keep a magnetic notebook on the fridge, and anytime you think of something you will need the next time you go to the store, write it down.

Answer 6

I work and have two kids & still manage to cook most nights. The key is having a plan and to know some quick meal recipes! I set up meals in advance and know what options we have for that week. I make ahead and freeze homemade pasta sauce in meal sized containers( 3-4 meals out of one cooking time), and then I have it on hand- doesn't take long to boil water for pasta or heat up. Check recipes like Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals. And keep key ingrediants on hand... chicken stock that you can quickly add noodles & carrots, etc.. for a soup & grilled cheese dinner. pasta, thin sliced chicken( it cooks faster), fresh, frozen, canned veggies, rice... Winter is perfect for using a crock pot - meals that cook while you are at work- Can't get better than that!
Most of all - have fun- explore things that you all like - and take a night off - order pizza or chinese to reward yourself!

Answer 7

o.k. i work f/t and so does my husband and we just had our fist baby 4 months ago....we started realizing that we needed a plan and this is what i came up with..

i sat at work (shh, don't tell!) and created a spreadsheet of all dinner ideas i could think of and all side dishes i could think of. then i went to some recipe websites, like www.yummyeatsplus.com and found some really great quick dinners...seriously, i LOVE this guy's recipes.

now, each sunday i sit down and look at my list of dinners and sides and make up my dinner plan for the week. then, i include on my list anything extra we need, like lunch items. we eat basic stuff in our lunches, like lunch meat, pb and j, carrots, apples, chips, cookies, etc....i take the baby to store and then my husband stays home, jams to some music and cleans the house.

we have been doing this for about a month-ish and it's working really well! there's no more "what do you want for dinner?" there's no more running to the store after work and not eating until 8pm.

i also, try to do any prep work the night before if i can. like if i want lasagna on monday night, then i will make it on sunday and keep it in the fridge so i just come home and put it in the oven on monday!

also, i constantly add to the list if i think of something new and we usually do pizza or take out of some kind about once a week. that helps us really spend more time with the baby.

oh, and we alternate nights, so one night one cooks, dishes, a few chores and the other takes care of the baby. we always stop our chores by about 8pm b/c that's when the baby usually goes to bed.
then, it's relax and quiet time.

hope this helps and take care!

Answer 8

Way to go on wanting to cook your own meals!
Your family will be healthier and wealthier for your efforts!
One way to do it is to get together all the ingredients for meals for the whole week--first plan your menus, then shop. Then you can pick a day where you'll have the time available to do so and make say a huge pot of tomato/ground beef sauce. You can use this sauce to make a meal of Spaghetti, one of Chili con Carne, Pizza Sauce, etc., according to your familys' needs and tastes. I've simplified this, but if you Google on Once a Month cooking or FlyLady, they have a very detailed plan for weekly or monthly make-ahead meals.

Answer 9

Definitely organize! Plan your meals ahead, clean the kitchen as you're cooking (then the dishes after the meal), get your kid to help! Yes, lots of 30 min. meals. and slow cookers for stews and such. Cook on your days off, and freeze for later! I was a single mom of 3.
Now, I'm single, it's hard to cook for just one, so I cook for 6, portion it and freeze it.

Answer 10

Betty's ideas are good.

I used to prepare food on the weekend in quantities and freeze for those nights when I was extra tired or the evening's events caused a lack of prep time.

I also would prepare larger than needed quantities when I was cooking a meal from scratch . For example, if we had chili on Wednesday I made enough to freeze for a future meal.

It takes a little time to get your mind around what and when, but you can do it. I never tried freezing in TV tray containers, but I know people who did. They said it worked well. Especially when one child was at football practice and not at home but one child was at home but had to leave for a Scout meeting. You just grab the "TV" meal and zap it.

Answer 11

If you have time chop your veggies ahead of time. I do mine first thing in the morning and then when I come home all I have to do is put things together and cook them. I make large batches of things and freeze half so next time all I have to do is pull it out and reheat. Works well for lasagna, sturffed bell peppers and chicken pot pie. Make a meal plan for the month and stick to it write out all the ingredients needed and shop accordingly.