Im going back to work part time and I need some ideas on how to be organised

[inthepoo]

as I have a two children and I will need help with a menu planner.

I have two days free at the beginning of the week ,and three days of working I also confess I can not cook.

Im so worried,please help me wise mn{wink}.

ask in the employment section, or even the specific "going back to work" topic.

Will the dcs be fed at their childcare? How many meals will you need for the working days?

Obvious thing is to do your main shop on the first day off, and batch cook. Tbh, I'm more likely to stick a jacket potato in the oven on timer.

Don't panic about bring organised, it's totally do-able!

Will your DC be going to school or child care - what sort of meals will they have there, cooked or packed

One thing I've found helpful is prepping as much as possible the night before, eg preparing sarnies for packed lunches. A routine in the morning is also vital.

Also, grocery shopping on-line is your friend. I'd be really stuck without it.

The dc's will both get a snack each before I collect them.

I am planning the following

Sunday- Ironing,lay at school clothes,make sandwiches.

Monday-do the food shop,batch cook and freeze some food.

Tuesday - Cook a roast with veg and roast potatoes etc.

Wed,Thurs and Friday working.

What do you feed them now?

I'm not much of a cook (though my mum was amazing and I did pick up some skills there) and I developed at least some ability to produce regular meals by using the recipes on the sides of food packets. They tend to be quite straightforward and are tested to destruction, so well worth having a go.

For example, on the side of the Stork for Cakes packet is a very simple and good cake recipe. All you need is a good quality cake tin.

A few basic techniques will take you a long way. E.g. roast meat/roast veg (all piss easy and massively varied), a basic stew, stewed fruit, pastry for pies (frozen pastry is fine but tbh I find it genuinely more of a hassle than making my own, plus it costs about 4 times as much), bolognese-style meat sauce, a good tomato sauce, white sauce (for cheese/ mushroom sauce options as well).

oh x post - if you can already do a roast dinner then you are a cook IMO

The dc's will both get a snack each before I collect them.

I am planning the following

Sunday- Ironing,lay at school clothes,make sandwiches.

Monday-do the food shop,batch cook and freeze some food.

Tuesday - Cook a roast with veg and roast potatoes etc.

Wed,Thurs and Friday working.

I'm sure you'll do fine inthepoo.

Also, echo joans comment about cooking a roast! You can do some really nice meals from leftovers.

My ds will have a breakfast in the morning ,he will also get a breakfast at breakfast club,when dp drops him of,if he does not get time to eat.

He will go to afterschool club where they will provide a snack.

Dd is younger so she will be dropped to the cm,she will give her a breakfast and take her to school three days a week for us.

She will pick her up as well, and provide her a snack before I pick her up.

I can do a roast,but Im trying to think of quick meals for when I have collected them both,I guess im worried as I am trying to think of quick meals.

I will cheat on a Friday and get fish & chips or take away.

If you are batch cooking then make some sauces for pasta. Do jacket potatos with toppings, keep back some chicken and do stir fry or noodles or pesto pasta with it. It's a lot easier than you think. Many people work FT and do dinner every night - it is doable. The stress is coming from the unknown not the task ahead.

Buy jars of sauces, spaghetti bolongase can be done under 20 minutes same as chilli ect.

Get everything ready the night before and if possible get 3 sets of uniform

I make the following
Spag bol
Tuna & pasta bake
Jacket potaoes with beans and cheese
Chicken korma and rice
Lasagne,salad and garlic bread -I cheat with this
Enchiladas
Sausage,mash and veg

quick meals:

scrambled eggs on doorstops of toast with frozen peas
pasta carbonara (put the pasta on to cook, fry the bacon, drain the pasta not too carefully so it's a little bit damp, cut the bacon with scissors into the pasta, break a couple of eggs into the mix and stir til cooked)
cold meat (from that roast) with hot boiled potatoes and salad
pasta and... cheese sauce, mushroom sauce, tomato sauce, cheese and mushroom sauce....
pie made with cooked meat from that roast plus leftover veg they refused to eat yesterday

Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food is your friend. Plenty of stuff you could batch cook in there, and I'm rubbish at cooking but stuff still comes out nice. Pork and cider stew is highly recommended.

Agree. Ministry of Food has some great recipes.

If you have a slow cooker, you or DP could pop stuff in in the morning and then a casserole ready when you come home.

Dsiclaimer - I don't have a slow cooker so don't know how practical this would be.

If you have a breadmaker, you could pop stuff in to make a pizza dough, stick it on a timer and have it ready to go when you get in. Stick some topping on (whatever you fancy) and takes about 10-15 mins to cook.