For parents who can’t cook, struggling with meal planning from week to week is a real issue, but you are not alone. Here’s a guide for those parents!
by Stephanie Snyder | Stephanie Caroline Snyder graduated from The University of Florida in 2018; she majored in Communications with a minor in mass media. Stephanie currently lives in Utah, where she works as an Author, Freelance Internet Writer, and Blogger.
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Imagine you are a new mom or new dad, quickly learning the ins and outs of parenthood. For many, primal instincts take over, and they begin filling their new role as a caretaker without any issues. For others, it can be a massive learning experience, especially when it comes to keeping children fed and well-nourished. So how do you make the best out of this situation?
Let’s take a look at some of the food challenges that parents who can’t cook tend to deal with, and ways to help succeed in those moments.
Food Challenges for New Parents
Picky Eaters
Are your children picky eaters? You’ve just started getting used to this new parenting thing, but your kids have shown disgust for certain colors, textures, and tastes. In a situation like this, cooking meals that everyone will enjoy and be happy with can become frustrating.
Time
One of the hardest things about being a new parent is that you don’t have time for anything. You’re so engrossed in your children and this new schedule you may often forget to feed yourselves. If a parent continues to work, they might have access to lunch breaks and still have regular meals, but for the one staying home with the baby 24/7, it isn’t easy to cook a proper meal for yourself.
Suggestions for New Parents
Meal Subscription Plans
Are you aware of meal subscription plans? Some businesses provide you with a catalog of meals and recipes along with the exact ingredients that will be needed. If that’s not convenient enough for you, consider the fact that these meals are generally done in 15-20 minutes. All in all, meal subscription plans can save you time that would be otherwise spent on planning, shopping, and cooking. If cooking isn’t your strong suit, food delivery in Victoria or wherever you live may be just what your family needs. You can’t beat fresh meals delivered right to your doorstep.
Meal Preparation
Let’s say you aren’t a big fan of cooking or just never honed your skills. A good solution is to utilize the one or two ingredients you might know and make do with them the whole week. Let’s say you know one chicken recipe. You can make enough for a week and have different vegetables, carbs, and sauces in each Tupperware. This can give you a bunch of different meal options made with far less effort.
Passive Cooking
Parents who can’t cook doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t know how to do basic things on the stove. Confused? Well, passive cooking is basically when the food cooks while you either take care of the new baby or do some chores. So how do you get this done? The trick is to get a large pot or a pressure cooker where you can combine various ingredients while they cook at once. After a certain period, your meal will be ready, and you must put in little to no effort.
Some Easy Meals That Require Less Effort
Pasta
Pasta is one of the easiest dishes to make and is very well enjoyed by children. They’re soft and chewable and can easily be enjoyed by adults. The best thing about pasta is minimal effort; all you need to do is boil some pasta and add any store-bought sauce according to your liking.
With your kids, however, let’s say you want to sneak in some vegetables. A great way you can do this is by blending some boiled vegetables into the pasta sauce. Vegetables don’t necessarily have a very strong taste and can easily blend in the cause and its textures. The colors of the sauce will stay the same, and your kid will never know.
Oven Baked Macaroni
The best dishes are those that don’t require too many dishes to be utilized and can be made while you make other dishes. Did you know macaroni can also get cooked in an oven and doesn’t need to be boiled separately? All you need to do is mix some raw macaroni in milk so it can cook, and cheese, for a cheesy flavor. Next, add your seasoning and vegetables and check after every few intervals to see how far your meal has cooked. All you need is one simple dish.
Casserole
A basic chicken casserole recipe is simple to prepare, very tasty, and inexpensive. Generally, you need very few ingredients and only about 20 minutes to cook this dish. you end up creating a comfort dish that is very popular with children.
Conclusion
For parents who can’t cook, struggling with meal planning from week to week is a real issue, but you are not alone. Whether you’re trying to satisfy the picky eaters in your family or simply don’t have the time to make every meal amazing, there are ways to combat this. With the suggestions mentioned above, you can start exploring new ways to ensure your family remains fed and satisfied.