20 tips to simplify dinnertime

Jan 04, 2006 12:00 PM by Maribella Sandoval

Posted in Food & Recipes / Quick & Easy Recipes

DINNER IN
NO TIME

If the dinner hour is synonymous with "difficult" in your household, try these 20 tips to make dinnertime a lot simpler -- and less stressful!

Plan ahead. Use the weekends to lay out a menu, shop, prepare the vegetables and coordinate the week's activities.
Prepare ahead. I've tried this myself -- I spend a few hours once a season, prepare two dozen meals and freeze them. (My only problem is that I'm always saving them for the day when I "really" need a ready dinner!)
Feed the baby before anyone else. While the soup is simmering, feed your younger children, and they will be less likely to disrupt the main meal.
Keep the kids busy when you are. Dinner prep is a great time for homework, coloring, a special movie -- they can even help out by setting the table, making placemats or folding napkins into fun shapes. Kids who are bored will be looking to you for entertainment.
If the weather is beautiful outside and the yard is fenced, send them outside!
If not, keep the kids in and teach them how to cook. Eventually, they can become an asset at mealtime. The time spent learning as a team can also bring the family together at the end of the day.
Don't be a short-order cook. It's imperative that you set ground rules and tell the children they don't all get separate dishes. A variety of items on the table, two vegetables instead of one for example, can satisfy different palates.
Cook in the morning. Dust off that crockpot and put it to use. Stews, casseroles, even macaroni and cheese can be put in a slow-cooker in the morning and be ready when you get in the door.
Get the food groups in the easy way. Pizzas, casseroles, stir frys -- all are one-dish meals that contain vegetables, starches and meats. Add a salad and some biscuits and dinner is done. (The dinner-in-a-bag products in the frozen food section are worth the $2.89 price tag, trust me!)
Buy ready-made. Sure, it costs a little more to buy carrots already peeled and sliced, but the savings in time and stress are enormous.
If paper plates make your life easier, use them. No one will care, and the extra happy family time is worth it. (The chances of Martha Stewart dropping by for some goulash are pretty slim!)
Don't expect dinner to be quiet. This is a time for fun, for conversations. It's also one of the few times when the family can come together. Look at it as a chance to connect with the kids.
Be very flexible. Even if you are Super-Organized Woman at work, realize that there will never be a time when your whole day is completely planned and worked out. Reprioritize and find ways to deal with the distractions and problems.
On the other hand, try to be as organized as possible in other areas. I have my spices alphabetized and my canned goods arranged by food group. As crazy as that sounds, it speeds food preparation enormously.
Make time for yourself. Even if it's only a few minutes alone, those moments are essential to lower your stress level and recharge your batteries at the end of the day.
Let the house go. Hire a cleaner if need be.
Enlist other moms. Make your playgroup a dinner prep group, too! While the kids are playing, whip up a huge batch of spaghetti in the kitchen together and divvy up the dinner.
Stock up. An extra freezer is necessary to store those pre-cooked meals (if you follow tip 2). A trip to a wholesale club can also provide a wealth of already made dinners.
Let the kids have some input. Everyone is more likely to be happy if they helped plan the meal. If you involve the kids in the shopping and preparation, they'll learn how to prepare their own favorites.
Relax. Dinner shouldn't be a time of stress. The occasional lunch-meat sandwiches meal isn't going to ruin anyone's nutritional balance, neither is a meal served at 7pm instead of 5 on-the-fot. Enjoying the family and taking a moment to catch your breath is far more important than fretting about perfect fritters!