I'd like to make a few freezer items this week, particularly for the kids. We have a variety of tastes & preferences around the table, and they are making menu planning & dinner time a bit frustrating. I'll plan to have a few dinners everyone likes, a few healthier/more adult dinners, and then on nights where someone doesn't like the preferred dinner, they can grab something from the freezer (for example, homemade burritos, etc). That's the plan. I need to get ahead, so we can stock the freezer with options.
For the menu this week, I'm thinking of the following:
Friday - we had a sausage ravioli with red sauce, chicken & parmesan cheese, plus bread on the side
Saturday - calzones. Each person can customize based on taste/preference
Sunday - chicken fiesta rice
Monday - leftover ravioli
Tuesday - leftover calzones
Wednesday - leftover chicken fiesta rice
Thursday - tacos
Friday - I'm thinking of making chicken curry
In terms of being productive today, here's what I'm planning:
- Errands - Costco & produce stand
- Clean showers
- Clean bathrooms
- Clean kitchen
- Vacuum house
- Laundry
Make the menu- Work out
- Sweep the patio
- Clean my closet (bonus round, if time)
- Finish our Hawaii planning
- Find a freezer burrito recipe
- Call our insurance company for umbrella insurance
- Drop the car off to be serviced
Get a hair cutGet cash for the nanny
That should get me all the way through the day, for sure. What about you? What's on your menu this week? Are you have a productive weekend, fun weekend, relaxing, crazy? What's happening?
I like your idea of having something available for the days when you are serving something the boys don't like.
ReplyDeleteWe did something similar when ours were younger (their option was to make a sandwich.) However, we did require that they try one (reasonably) sized bite before opting out and if it was truly intolerable, they could spit it out.
My grandmother suggested this - her philosophy was that taste buds mature along with everything else and as they grow, they need to find out what they truly like and don't like as adults. If they never eat what they 'think' they don't like, they will never find out that what they truly do like.
Our only modification to the suggestion was that on New Year's Day each year, each child was given the opportunity to choose ONE item that they could completely pass on for the rest of the year and they did not have to try any dish with that ingredient in it.
At first they spit out the bite … every … single … time, but eventually they realized that some items weren't that bad and eventually, they ended up eating most of the meals I cook on a regular basis.
These are great, Aileen! I try to accommodate my non picky child, as he has a broad spectrum of foods he'll eat. He doesn't like shrimp or mushrooms, but eats almost anything else. Because he's flexible & will eat so many other things, I try to make sure most recipes accommodate.
DeleteAnd, we will keep trying, because I totally agree. My younger son used to shudder at the idea of goat cheese, but after us serving it (spread on crostini bread) for years, he finally tried one, and now he's by far the biggest eater. :-)
Well, after 30 years and many, many, many attempts, I still can't stand goat cheese, so 'kudos' to your little guy for coming around so fast!
DeleteWe will be in the final push to get a grant out the door. It will be a long work week. I'm planning simple meals.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your grant, and staying calm during a crazy week!
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