I try to cook 4-5 days a week for all of us, then for dinners the rest are leftovers or out to eat:
Breakfast = fresh fruit, yogurt, eggs, pancakes (I cook a lot of silver dollar sized ones and freeze to use when I don't want to cook), waffles, cereal, or granola bars, breakfast sausage
Lunch = fish sticks, leftovers, grilled ham/turkey cheese sandwiches, veggies (cooked AND raw), chicken nuggets (tyson), steak fingers, diced chicken (I cook in oven),etc.
Snacks = yogurt, carrot sticks (julienned), raisings (older child only), fresh fruit, graham crackers, animal crackers, whatever else is in the pantry
Dinner = I try to make cooking easy not necessarily quick. Let me explain, I have a big crock pot that I love to use. I cook a base of roast (cooks for 8 hours), chicken (6 hrs), ribs (8 hours), pork (6), pizza (45 minutes including delivery time..hahah). Then you just add in whatever else you want with it veggies, noodles, rice, soup, and voila! Dinner that makes your house smell like you've slaved all day but with little prep time.
2007-04-11 09:07:56
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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I am not a stay at home mom, but when I was staying home, I made a nice breakfast of fruit, eggs, and toast (we don't eat pork at our house). That took about fifteen minutes. Lunch was always sandwhiches and salad or fuit. So maybe another fifteen minutes. And although I work now, dinner still takes the same amount of time: about thirty minutes or so.
If you are having a hard time finding time to cook, may I suggest getting a crock pot? There are these wonderful crock pot creation dinners that you can buy in the freezer section at the store. You put them in the crock pot, add some water, and let it simmer throughout the day. Add a salad and maybe a desert and there you go! If you grow bored with those, there are many cook books out there with slow-cooker recipies alone.
I don't use my crock pot every day, but I do use it at least twice a week. I love it! It takes the pressure off, and when it's slow cooked, the meats are always juicier and the tastes are so yummy.
Right now, my daughter is three. She'll be four next month. I put her little apron on her and let her "help" me cook. She pours the noodles into the water (hold the pot far enough away so she doesn't get burned). She butters the rolls, she sets up her dinner plate at the table and makes her chocolate milk. Depending on your children's ages, they will be able to do some of this.
Hope this helps! Good luck to you!
2007-04-11 09:09:39
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answer #2
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answered by Summer 5
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I'm a SAHM of six kids. Ages 14, 12, 9, 7, 6 and 4. I try to keep things simple but healthy. I use the crock pot often for dinners. Just toss everything in in the morning, turn it on and leave it be all day. There are some wonderful web sites with healty and simple recipes for crock pots. Great for cold weather meals. Weekday breakfasts and lunches are usually "non-cooked" meals. Cold cereal, fruit, yogurt, etc. On weekends I usually make pancakes, eggs, etc. I don't really know how much time I actually spend cooking though. Never really thought about it.
As for activities for the kids and family time. We do day trips when possible. Picnics at the park, story time, crafts, family movie night, etc.
2007-04-11 18:27:30
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answer #3
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answered by mom2cjbsrnl 2
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Lunch is usually whatever we decide at the last minute, but usually just sanwiches or something similar. My daughter (who is 12) has gotten into cooking, so lunch time has become her chance to experiment and learn the basics. Dinners are another matter, although I generally prefer meals that I can prepare quickly. We eat lots of stir frys, pastas, baked or broiled chicken and we grill year round. I do plan "big" meals once or twice a week, but only on nights I know I am not rushed to be someplace or do something. I do plan out my menus before I grocery shop, and that makes a huge difference. Several of my friends have found that cooking one weekend a month, and making enough frozen meals for the entire month, works best for them. A google search should turn up info and even some recipes that work for that!
2007-04-11 10:21:05
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answer #4
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answered by Annie 6
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I really dont spend much time cooking. I have one child, 2 years old. I do quick things for breakfast and lunch. We often eat fresh or dried fruits and veggies, oatmeal, etc., for breakfast and lunch. Crackers, cheese and deli meat are also a great lunch option. I usually dont spend more than a half an hour on dinner. I find that now that my daughter is a toddler and more independant, I have a lot more time. My house is always spotless, and our meals are always healthy. I'm sure it will become a bit more complicated when we have another, but my mom managed to work at home AND raise 6 kids, so I know its possible. Good luck!
2007-04-11 09:45:59
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answer #5
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answered by Bomb_chele 5
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On Sundays I cook up a huge batch of waffles. Then I wrap them in foil and keep them in the freezer. During the week, I pop waffle squares in the toaster to make a quick breakfast for my kids, my husband and myself (usually accompanied by fresh fruit) I pack a lunch for my husband while he is in the shower, generally a ham and cheese sandwich, some crackers and fruit. Later (after my son's nap) We have yogurt, crackers and fruit for our lunch. I start dinner around 5:30/6:00 and when my husband comes home from work we all have dinner together! Most nights we have something like, pork chops with baked potatoes and green beans or roasted chicken with yams. Stuff like that (occasionally pasta...a favorite of my husbands!) although tonight I am making salmon and I am very excited!! :)
During the week I generally make muffins or cookies (today a sponge cake!) just to have a few tasty goodies on hand! (and because I enjoy baking!)
Overall I would say I don't spend more than two hours a day in the kitchen (give or take)
2007-04-11 09:08:18
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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I am a stay at home mom of two. A 14yr old terminally ill daughter and a 10 month old son {summers and holidays a soon to be 7yr old SD}. A portion of my day is dedicated to careing for my daughter making sure she is comfortable and has meds and such. Playing with my son. I cook breakfast for my son every day either oatmeal, pancakes, french toast, eggs simple things you know and on weekends I cook for myself the baby and my husband. Lunch is usually quick chicken fingers, rice, a veggie or one of those toddler micro meals or chef boyrdee for my son and dinner is done when my husband walks in the door. I also make cakes, cookies, brownies and am often elected to contribute to bake sales for my neighbors son {single father}. Also a crock pot can become your best friend, I started using one a month ago and have made everything from roast, soups, stews, corned beef, whole chicken, hot wings to pork chops in it and they come out soft and juicy everytime! I dont use it all the time but I have found myself using it more and more maybe 2 times a week sometimes 3
I clean alot so that my daughters lungs arenot irriated by dust. I read to my son we watch TV. We dont go outside much during the day for a few reasons. Kinda hard to take my daughter AND my son since neither is able to walk but we do get out on weekends when it is nice out. I will admit there are some days I am so bored and some weeks I never set foot outside of my house other then to check mail or let the dogs in. But I am doing the hardest job in the world and that is raising my children and making sure my daughter whose time is limited is loved and well taken care of.
Weekends are different we always go outside for walks, the park, measums and such weather permitting since we now live in ND where its cold as hell and neither kid likes the wind
2007-04-11 09:30:09
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answer #7
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answered by texas_angel_wattitude 6
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I cook most dinners. I don't make complicated things so on average I probably spend about 30 minutes on dinner. Some nights a little less, some a little more. My husband takes leftovers for lunch during the week so his lunches are easy. All he does is grab a container from the fridge. I cook lunch for my daughter and the girl I watch during the week, and if I am lucky I manage to make something for myself. Frozen meals are great for that! Lunches are quick and easy, they have to be with two girls under the age of two running around underfoot. Things like mac and cheese, grilled cheese, lunch meat cut into pieces, canned pasta are great.
As for things to do I joined the MOMs club to meet other stay at home moms. We go to playgroups at other people's houses sometimes. During the nice weather we go to the park. I also try to go to activities at local boys and girls clubs and libraries. And you cna't beat indoor play areas like McDonalds that are clean, or some malls have play areas too.
2007-04-12 10:03:14
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answer #8
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answered by minde2780 3
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I don't really eat much so I just "cook" for my three year old. he's very picky so usually lunch is nothing more than lunch meat and string cheese on a plate. He also likes sandwiches cut like a "butterfly" and carrot sticks ... I spend about an hour on dinner, though, 3-4 times a week and the rest of the time we have take out or go out to eat. My husband is super healthy so dinner is usually fish or chicken or salads and occasionally stir fry, so it isn't time consuming.
2007-04-11 09:38:32
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answer #9
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answered by Anonymous
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my children are 3 and 4 and I babysit a 2 and 4 year old. The 2 year old takes a long nap and that gives me time to do things with the older ones like workbooks, ABC's etc. although we make games and fun of it. they all like play doh, playing outside etc so there is really no special way I divide my time. I try to give them all a little special one on one time here and there. We go to play groups and library story hour. I spend anywhere from 20 min to 45 min cooking dinner and I try to cook large amounts for leftovers the next day for dinner or sometimes lunch. we usually have sandwhiches (or leftovers) any kind of fruit and a veg for lunch.
2007-04-11 09:08:44
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answer #10
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answered by samira 5
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