How To Solve Your Dinnertime Dramas

How does dinnertime go at your place?  

Ours is usually full of spilt drinks, thrown food, loud declarations of I ‘DON’T LIKE THAT!’ and lots of pointing and yelling ‘HOT!’ But sometimes it works. 

I’m the cook in my house, which I really enjoy, but the rejection of my meals gets me down. My kids, like most of them, are so fickle. But sometimes the stars align and we have peace and chewing.   

I tried burritos for the first time and everyone loved them. San choy bau was another hit. But the following week when I tried to relive the glory, my kids turned up their noses. It hurt my feelings, so I ate all of their food too in protest. 

I need a new repertoire. I want to mix it up a bit. We’re stuck in a food rut and I want some inspiration for healthy, easy, kid-friendly food that adults can enjoy. 

I’ve found some great apps that not only help you plan a week of meals, but also organise your shopping list. No more food wastage and writing lists that you leave on the kitchen counter. 

Cook Smarts looks amazing. It has a huge database of recipes, and you can type in your requirements such as Paleo, kid friendly, vegetarian and gluten free. There are food blogs and cooking videos to inspire you and you can join their online community and swap ideas. It does cost $6 a month, but I think it’s worth it to change up the way we eat. I also think that with meal planning you would end up saving money on wasted food and takeaway as well. 

Some other high rated meal planning apps are Pepperplate and Ziplist, and these are free. 

I know a mum who recently signed up to a meal service that actually delivers your evening meal with all the ingredients and a recipe to follow so you can cook at home. She signed up for a month to try out some new dishes for the family, and then went back to shopping and cooking herself, with a whole new repertoire. Another friend buys a vegie and fruit box each week, which has recipes in it using the contents of the box. He loves trying out the different meal ideas. 

There are so many ways to feed our families fresh, easy and yummy food. I can’t wait to start the new regime. And I’m going to try and be a bit more mature about the inevitable rejection.

Source : parents[dot]nickjr[dot]com[dot]au