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Cooking for people eating at different times - favourite recipes

5 replies

Feathered · 26/06/2013 13:00

Hello! I'm constantly obsessing about what to cook for my family. I have 3 children (twins aged 5 and a 7 year old) -They eat at about 5pm - or sometimes my 7 year old is at a club and eats at 6.30 . . . then I have a husband who gets home at 8, hoping for something exquisite to eat. He can't have gluten and my 5 yr old can't have dairy (Selfish of them, I know)

I'm just wondering how other more organised people manage this sort of juggling of cooking . . . I would LOVE to do one meal for everyone that they all like and that can be somehow served up at different times. I am often cooking 3 DIFFERENT meals to keep everyone happy. There must be a better way!

Please help me . . . can you suggest any brilliant recipes and how to do the staggered time thingy?

Thanks x x x

OP posts:
dancemom · 26/06/2013 13:06

Something that you can leave on the job? Chilli and cook up some rice at the time? Spaghetti Bolognaise and just cook fresh spaghetti? Or have cooked chicken and put on some stir fry ingredients which only takes a few minutes? Or prep for quesadillas and make up a few at a time?

Vibbe · 26/06/2013 14:23

My boyfriend comes home quite late sometimes, meaning that I'll eat dinner at 7, and he'll be having his dinner at 10 or 11 if not later.

I either make dishes that can be reheated, such as stews, chilli con carne, bolognese, lasagne, osso buco and so on, and then cook rice, pasta or potatoes for mash when it's time to eat. For reheating, a microwave is really useful.

Or I make a salad, alternatively have the different ingredients in different bowls to avoid some things getting soggy.

Or we have sandwiches or just bread with cheese/ham/whatever.

Or just make something that can be eaten cold or hot, such as pizza. A cold piece of omelette on a piece of toasted rye bread is also quite nice.

Sometimes there are parts of a meal that can be made ahead and then parts that just need to be fried, which will take a couple of minutes. For example if I'm having this dish: Smoky paprika salmon with avocado, tomato & jalapeño salad I'll make the salad for when I want to eat, as well as cooking one piece of salmon. When done with my dinner, I'll put the salad in the fridge, and when my boyfriend comes home, I'll take it out as well as cook a piece of salmon for him.

I'm often cooking a whole chicken in the oven, then having a leg (hot) with my dinner. The cold leftovers are nice in sandwiches, in salads, in a simple curry sauce with rice (like a colonial curry).

Feathered · 26/06/2013 18:38

Thanks for those ideas and I love the link . . . the good food site has got much better, hasn't it. I love that it links to internet shopping.

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ShoeWhore · 26/06/2013 20:30

Agree re casserole type food.

We had a couscous salad last night with salmon - we ate the salmon warm but could work cold as well. Couscous salad had blanched peas and broad beans, sautéed cubes of courgette, loads of parsley and mint, dressing made with lemon olive oil and a little garlic. Cherry toms optional.

ShoeWhore · 26/06/2013 20:31

Whoops sorry forgot about the gluten free bit - guess the couscous wouldn't work.

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