After 10 1/2 years of being a stay-at-home mom, I officially start a "real" job tomorrow...

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carianna-in-wa

Well-known member
(of course, it's student teaching... so the "real" doesn't translate into "real" money or anything.)

But, it does mean I'll be gone all day just like people who actually earn money! So today I'm making a list of favorite breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with the hope that I can figure out a system for planning our meals ahead. Getting home at 5:00 or 5:30 everyday with no ideas for dinner does not sound like a pleasant experience to me.

Anybody want to add to my list? What are some of your favorite go-to meals? I'd like to start out the school year with a big repetoire, so that half-way through the year when I start to hear "Smoked turkey sandwiches? AGAIN?" I can retaliate with something fabulous!

 
I used to do most of my cooking on weekends, freeze in batches and thaw as needed.

Lasagna, pot pie fillings, soups, taco fillings, marinated flank steak, etc. So much can be frozen. Roasts are easy. Just throw in oven with veggies. Can't help with breakfast & lunch, though. If I was working and the kids were in school, they were on their own. Always had fresh fruit, yogurt, cereals, Leggo waffles (my favorite stand-by), carrot & celery sticks with dressing, bagels and cream cheese, english muffins, and my favorite for a rushed meal in the morning was chocolate Instant Breakfast or Ensure or Nutriment - liquid nutrition.

Anyway, good luck on your new job.

 
I did the same thing. Once my kids were in school for most of the day...

I subbed then got my teaching credential. Know right now that the level of Mom-ness will not be the same. Kids can help more than you think as well as husbands. You will have to change your mind as to level of acceptance in chore quality. Otherwise you will go nuts. Many sandwiches can be made ahead & frozen for a short time. Kids can pack the other stuff in their own lunchboxes, fruit, drinks, yogurt etc if they are readily available. We gave each child a day when it was their job to put lunches together for all the kids. This can be done the night before if time in the morning is rushed. Good luck!

 
Exactly, Luisa, put the kids and hubby to work and don't stress too much about what you can't change

 
Congrats! I am a SAHM with two small kids and do most of my cooking on the

weekends and then we often eat leftovers. (5PM is a crazy time in our house) On a typical Sunday, I'll marinate flank steak (to grill mid-week), poach chicken and then cool and cut up (for chicken salad or with BBQ sauce for BBQ chicken pizza or BBQ chicken quesadillas), and make a fish dish for that night. You can also assemble a casserole or lasagna to bake Monday night. If it's preassembled, you can bake it as soon as you get home, while you assemble salad/help kids with homework.

We stock up at Costco on dumplings and shredded cheese.

I'll also do big batches of muffins and quick breads, cool and freeze for later in the week/month. Just take the quick bread/muffin/baked scone out of the freezer the night before and leave on the counter to thaw.
Frozen homemade waffles can go from the freezer to the toaster in the morning.

When my daughter was a baby, I worked outside the home and found big batch cooking on the weekend made life a lot easier. It's stressful when it's 5pm and you don't know what you are going to feed your hungry family.

Hope that helps! Good luck with your new job -- we need more good teachers!

 
Roasted chicken and pulled pork are your friends - they are versatile

and freeze well. Use them for fillings, or serve over rice or potatoes.

Congrats on being at the student teaching stage. I hope it goes well for you - what grade will you be working with?

I am taking the Fall semester off, and then have two more semesters until I do mine.

 
Dust off the crockpot. Tortillas, plain and flavored for wraps are fun in lunches. Yoshida's

Gourmet sauce is my go-to sauce for a quick marinade or stir fry. And I also love Costco for the frozen pot stickers and such.

 
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