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I've had an epiphany - cooking varied meals from scratch does not a good mother make...

156 replies

handlemecarefully · 16/03/2006 22:40

I really make the effort with my lo's nutrition. Cook from scratch, varied menu etc. But it takes so much frigging time up - even simple meals from the Dinner Lady cookbook or Ainsley Harriot's 'Meals in Minutes'; there is still chopping and peeling and washing of pans etc.

With an absentee husband (working all hours), two preschoolers, a puppy and 3 chickens to look after it's too much. I feel shackled to the kitchen and find myself snapping at the children and telling them to bog off because I am busy clearing up the post meal carnage.

Yesterday however I was visibly relaxed because Dh was going to be home early (18.00) and suggested bringing home fish and chips. I had time and energy for the children.

Whilst I am not going to go down the turkey twizzler route Grin, I shall be introducing far more fishfinger and (good quality) sausage type quick meals.

I'm also going to cook only a limited repertoire of a few meals from scratch and keep repeating these(so that I become lightning fast at doing these)...I remember suggesting doing this before on here and someone counselled me not to as I would be stultifying my children's 'nutritional' development...however I reckon that's bunkum. I ate only processed peas as a child (eschewing all veggies) and favoured Bernard Matthews turkey burgers - but now have a very refined and adventurous palate.

Have you heard that expression "No one on their death beds regrets that they didn't spend more time in the office" ? I reckon that applies to the kitchen too.

My children won't remember the meals I cooked - just a mother who never had time to play with them. So hang the fecking food fascism. They will be getting healthy food (all the food groups represented) but it will be low effort and simple from now on. And they will have an unstressed mother who will play with them!!!!

OP posts:
rosylizzie · 22/03/2006 14:02

I think it is part of being good mother to think hard every day about whether we are feeding our kids good food, encouraging them to eat a wide variety of healthy tasty food, and educating them about seasonality, food miles and fairtrade in the process.
for me that means cooking from scratch - but it does take time and effort, though mainly the shopping bit - if youve got the food in the house its not that time consuming.
we cant trust anyone else to feed our kids properly, school dinners are awful, advertising of food irresponsible and most places serving food think all kids want is fried crap
so cooking for scratch for me

gillbean · 23/03/2006 20:07

I totally agree with you, rosylizzie - my DD had nothing but home cooked healthy food for the first year of her life (perhaps I was a bit obsessive). Now I'm back at work full time and DH and I share the cooking (lots of freezing, slow cooker etc.) but the food DD gets at nursery is shocking. She has had loads of cakes, chocolate mousse, tinned spaghetti, ice cream, garish coloured icing and jelly etc. She'd never had any of those before starting nursery. I don't know what to do - cooking at home is one thing but the alternative to nursery food (which I feel we're paying plenty for!) is to provide my own. Is that too much work? Perhaps I'm being too fussy but I really don't want DD to grow up used to junk and convenience food.

diapergenie · 24/03/2006 15:33

I think you just have to be sensible about it. I am a great fan of beans on toast and don't forget the humble sandwich if you don't have time to make anything hot. I too find it is not the cooking that takes time and causes stress, but the washing up, especially in a pathetic little sink with no water pressure and never enough hot water.

flapperjack · 26/03/2006 20:04

handlemecarefully, just read your stuff at top of page. Shock. Sounds like you need to chill.
Try compost soup. Cabbage, onions, carrots, potatoes, beef (diced), olive oil, herbs and seasoning and flour to thicken.
Takes no time to prep cooking time is 30 mins max.

3catstoo · 28/03/2006 21:06

I bought yet another cook book last week. It's fab and I can't stop flicking through it. We've tried something from it everyday (not all main meals !). Simple stuff but really tasty.
The River Cottage Family Cookbook. £15 from Waitrose.

herbiesmum · 29/03/2006 10:09

I finally got round to taking my slow cooker out of the cupboard (after only 6 years) after DS was born and now couldn't live without it.

Curries, rice pud, stews, whole chicken, beef joints - pretty much anything you can think of ...

Bung it all in, switch it on and forget about it until you get back from doing something fun and smell the wonderful meal when you walk back in the door!

There are lots of books around, or try surfing the Net for ideas.

If you haven't got one yet, I'd really recommend it - the best thing I've ever used.

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