[Daffodil]

Ok, I hardly ever cook...I feel like I don't have the time, but I'm probably just making excuses. But I am not a great cook so it takes me a long time to prepare everything and figure it all out...and like I said yesterday, my daughter is ALWAYS underfoot.

But she is eating too many snacks and processed foods and I want it to stop. So I was wondering...when do you all have time to cook? I know its a weird question but I honestly can't figure it out.

[Daffodil]

I should add I use her nap times to clean!

I just do it. I mean, it's a part of living here I guess. I make a list of meals, and every morning I pick when I will make, lay the meat out if needed, then figure out what time I need to start. Sometimes if it takes a while I start prep about 4pm, to have it done around 5, or if it's quick I just start it around 5, and eat when it's done.

I love cooking and trying new recipes or making my own recipes so it's fun for me.

[Daffodil]

are your girls ever underfoot? that's what is most distracting to me, she is always trying to get my attention. The only thing I can think of is to plop her in front of the tv but I'm trying to avoid it until she is 2. I think I might have to start though.

Yep, they follow me everywhere, and I also have a 90lb dog that follows me too LOL

I've just gotten used to it. I also have a doll house set up in the dining room (I know, tacky) but they play there a lot while Im cooking. Or they sit at the table and drawl or play with playdoh.

I remember it was harder with my first but I was also working so I cant really remember how I did it, I just know it was done.

[Daffodil]

I'm going to start, I'm thinking if its a daily thing, she will get used to it. Like I said, I kinda know that I'm making excuses, but its really come to a bad point when all I'm doing is feeding her cream cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches everyday.

I DO steam veggies for her, but she needs complete meals.

^Thats my lunch problem. I make big full dinners but I slack on lunchs and have been burning them out on the same things over and over

It's hard because Kaileigh doesnt have teeth ( well, 2 tiny ones) so she still cant eat a lot of what we eat or her sister. Today she just had baked beans, veggies and fruit . She loved it but I need to work harder on lunch meals for her.

[Vincent'sMommy]

Seema, you're not the only one. I've never been a cook either, even when it was just me and DH. I've never been able to get the hang of planning out meals and actually finding the time to cook them. It's just so overwhelming to me and I don't know how to do it either. I can't let Vincent play in our kitchen (it's the only unfinished room of the basement) so sometimes I put him in his high chair while I cook but he gets bored pretty quickly. I just don't have a good baby-proof area that I can see from the kitchen for him to play in. And I'll admit I do use the TV too much but I feel like I don't have any other choice or I'd never get anything done.

Shannon, I've got the tooth problem too. Vincent just has half of one and I still feel somewhat limited as far as what he can eat.

[Daffodil]

I'm lucky in the fact that Arie has a ton of teeth with a ton more about to break through! She is almost done cutting all her first molars and I see 3 bumps where her canines are coming in...I've been kinda cautious to give her certain foods, but my sister is more daring and it seems like she can handle more than I think. The biggest problem though is she likes stuffing her mouth full of things and then coughs and chokes on it. I read once they cut their canines they can handle a lot of different textures of foods so I'm looking forward to that.

Michele, I'm glad I'm not the only one in this boat! I think I just need to start cooking and get over my anxiety about it. Not everything will be delicious or even edible but I'm not going to get any better by not trying. I even have a slow cooker, I should use that.

[Vincent'sMommy]

Originally Posted by Daffodil

Michele, I'm glad I'm not the only one in this boat! I think I just need to start cooking and get over my anxiety about it. Not everything will be delicious or even edible but I'm not going to get any better by not trying. I even have a slow cooker, I should use that.

You're so right. I just need to start doing it more. I just don't know how to plan meals (on a very tight budget) when I'm really just cooking for me and Vincent and there's a lot of stuff he can't or won't eat.

I should dig out my crock pot too and find some healthy recipes for it.

[mommytokem]

You just have to do it, sometimes it takes longer than others because I'm referring kids or N. is underfoot. Sometimes I have to just let him cry for a few minutes so I can either get something started or finished up. I also sometimes give him a snack because we eat rather late, we try to always eat as a family so it's like 7.

[Jule'sMomInOR]

I pop in a Signing Times DVD, which is only about 20 minutes I think, but that gives me the time I need to cook. Juliana is riveted for the full 20 minutes. I don't make fancy meals. I usually double or triple the recipe so that we have leftovers. I cook on Saturday and use the leftovers Monday, and cook on Sunday and use the leftovers Tuesday, so that we don't have the same thing two nights in a row. At least one night per week we have something easy like pre-made quiche from Costco that you just heat up. I love the steamed veggie bags that you just throw in the microwave for 5 minutes for our sides.

[Alison79]

I use a site called The Scramble : Getting Healthy, Homemade Dinners on the Table While Preserving Your Sanity for meal planning. They have quick healthy meals with options for picky eaters. I usually prep what I can while the kids are eating lunch. I can chop veggies, set out the non perishable items, etc. I used to serve a lot of pre-packaged foods because DH works nights, but I started cooking from scratch about three years ago and now I enjoy it.

[.s.o.p.h.]

I don't always cook every night but when I do I'll generally start when Evas in her high chair. She eats dinner early, 5:15pm or there abouts. So while she's amused for a bit I'll start prepping. Then start cooking while she's in bed which is about 6:45pm