Meals to feed people at different times?

[clare8allthepies]

Until the schools went back this week I had forgotten how much of a pain it is fitting dinner times around everybody’s activities. There are 2 adults and 2 kids and next week there are 4 evenings where either 1 adult is getting in too late for the kids to eat or the kids have to be out for activities before one of the adults is home from work.

Currently either I make something like a curry or chilli that’s easy enough to reheat (but my youngest isn’t keen on these) or I eat with the kids and their dad has a ready meal when he gets in.

Does anyone have any other ideas that don’t involve me cooking 2 different meals each night? It did occur to me that I could batch cook something like a cottage pie and freeze it in portions for him but I’ll need to make some space in the freezer first.

A slow cooker is great for this as you can make one meal and just leave it in there for people to eat as and when. As well as curry/chilli you can do things like veggie bake/lasagne and lots of meat dishes. Easy to pick one up cheaply on FB marketplace.

I was going to say slow cooker also.

However, you have reminded me of the joys of cottage pie and I think that is what we will have tonight. Thank you!

Yes slow cooker, have a chicken curry in mine at the minute.

DH often eats at different times to us as he has work in the evenings.

Pretty much most pasta dishes can be easily heated up.

Fajitas - everyone just heats their wrap (and filling if needed) when they need it. If it's halloumi, DH fries his in 2 minutes rather than me doing it hours before.

Similarly steak/chops - I'll cook all the veg and meat just get quickly fried as needed.

Stews and casseroles with rice/mashed potato

Chicken tray bakes

Basically, the only things I specifically plan to have on days we're definitely all eating at the same time are things like fish, or stir fries which can take time to cook and deteriorate rapidly once made.

‘Wet’ things tend to reheat best. Sausage casserole, pork tenderloin with apples, shallots, mushrooms, cooked in cider, chicken chasseur,
Fish pie, pasta bake, cottage pie,

Quiche - fine eaten hot or cold
Puff pastry tart www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/leek-cheese-bacon-tart ditto
Naan pizzas - assemble them all together and put in the oven as needed realfood.tesco.com/recipes/naan-bread-pizzas.html
Fish cakes - make them all together then cook as needed.

Also, if you got some small oven dishes, you could assemble meals like lasagne and cottage pie in individual portions to keep for a few hours in the fridge until they need to be cooked. I’ve got these and we eat straight from them!