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Original poster

Help! DH home alone for 2 weeks whilst I'm away....ideas for easy meals for DH & DS

32 replies

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 19:44

I'm going away for two weeks for work. I'm thrilled to be escaping but also filled with dread at the mayhem I may leave behind! I'm sure he'll cope brilliantly, but it will be DH's first time to cope single handedly so I would like to try and ease the blow with some easy recipes that he can handle whilst feeling potentially overwhelemed - frazzled - happy - depressed........
He won't have ready meals from any well known supermarkets so I'll have to do the prepared stuff.

Help! Suggestions welcome!

OP posts:

moondog · 05/01/2009 19:46

Would he cook for you if he was going away for 2 weeks?

janeite · 05/01/2009 19:52

When I go away (although it's only ever been for a couple of days) dp has managed things like:

baked potatoes with salad, dips etc
pasta, pesto and roasted vege
pitta bread pizzas with salad
sausage, mash and vege
chickpea curry and rice (using curry paste)
leek and potato soup

All fairly idiot proof!

Original poster

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 20:22

Moondog- probably not, but then again, neither would I fix the bathroom, kitchen or garden or 101 other things that he does without complaint. DH does his fair share. I'm not necessarily thinking about preparing every darn meal so he looks at a chart (!) but I will help DH the same way he would help me with things that he normally deals with!
Janeite - thank you!

OP posts:

seeker · 05/01/2009 20:25

He is an adult. He can feed himself and ds. And if he can't to start with he will be able to after a few days.

seeker · 05/01/2009 20:25

And think of the message you are sending to your ds about what men are like!

Original poster

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 20:32

Thanks for all the marital guidance - I simply asked for meal ideas!

OP posts:

randomcupsoftea · 05/01/2009 20:35

Can't go wrong with pasta, some frozen veg cooked in the pasta then pesto & cheese.

Also - Baked potatoes, Cheese on toast, Fried mushrooms on toast, Rice & then jar of curry sauce mixed with some veg

randomcupsoftea · 05/01/2009 20:37

Pizza made with bought pizza base, spagbol

DevilsAdvocaat · 05/01/2009 20:38

freeze potions of casseroles (sausage, chicken, beef) and serve with baked pots.

DevilsAdvocaat · 05/01/2009 20:38

also, easy things like scrambled eggs on toast or beans on toast are good.

randomcupsoftea · 05/01/2009 20:39

Will you meal plan for him & do a shopping list?

janeite · 05/01/2009 20:40

Oh for goodness sake! Swisscheese just wants to help her dh out a bit - give her a break! Surely marriage/relationships are a two way process where we do things for each other/utilise our strengths? If I go away, I write down recipes for dp and help him plan each meal. In return he does lots of things that I never do - the washing, taking the bins out, dusting etc.

Swisscheese - pasta is his friend! If he can do a curry with a jarred sauce, then bought in naan breads or chapatis are really easy, if he's likely to be scared by rice! Dp also likes those steam fresh vege, as they just need whacking in the microwave and he knows they won't get scurvy in my absence then!

Original poster

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 20:45

Janeite - Thanks for the moral support! You have expressed it so clearly! The ideas are fab too! It all helps when we are all busy and already juggling life and staying HAPPY as a family.

Hadn't thought of the steam fresh rice. He likes things like that.

Thank you!

OP posts:

randomcupsoftea · 05/01/2009 20:46

How old is your ds?

My kids have cookbooks that dh likes to use to make quick & tasty meals with. Perhaps it could be a good activity for them to cook together.

georgimama · 05/01/2009 20:49

Could you make a couple of casseroles and freeze them in portions before you go?

Same with chilli, bolognese, fish pie etc. These will all freeze.

cositjustisok · 05/01/2009 20:53

I know the feeling Swisscheese..you just wanna make it as easy for hubby as possible..been in this situation many of times in the past and I always stuck to the basics like
Pasta, chicken breast (bought cooked for ease), vegetables..couls add a jar of pasta sauce too, but my kids like plain food.
Rice mixed with veg and beef/ham (from deli counter so no cooking) could add soy sauce and scrabled egg.
You could make up containers of bolognaise that he could then just add pasta, veg, garlic bread. Or add kidney beans and few spices to it and serve with rice for a quick chili. Or even he could make a lasagne from it.
Cowboy pie...always a fav in my house at times like this..beans and sausages with mash potato on top so you cant see the sausage and beans (score potato with a fork..is a must)
Toasted sandwiches ..if no sandwich maker we make a sandwich usually with ham and chees and pop in a sadwich bag and put in toaster..these are available form the Pound Shop or could just be made in the grill..serve with veg and oven chips.

Hope th is helps and good luck

cositjustisok · 05/01/2009 20:55

Sorry for so many typos..jsut typed quickly to show you a bit of support..it is hard enough leaving to go work away..Fully understand

Dottoressa · 05/01/2009 20:55

Sorry - can't help much on the meal front as I'm a crapulous cook, but I just wanted to say good on you for being kind and thoughtful to your DH and DS!

Original poster

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 21:01

DS is 3. Bright and happy to help where he can. DH is up for any ideas on cooking together

OP posts:

Original poster

SwissCheese · 05/01/2009 21:04

Thanks for all the kindness and support everyone - and for the fab ideas! It's not just going to be put in the 2 week slot either! I'm going to use them for me too!

OP posts:

georgimama · 05/01/2009 21:07

I work full time Swisscheese and do lots of batch cooking of this sort of stuff, and put little pots of stuff in freezer for DS. I couldn't cope with cooking every meal from scratch all the time.

DH doesn't cook, but he does earn 4 x as much as me and clean the dog shit up off the lawn so like you I also feel he does his share!

moondog · 06/01/2009 00:06

wAS JUST ASKING.tBH, WOULD DO EXACTLY THE SMAE FRO MY DH AS HE (oops) also does lots of stuff I wouldn;t dream of doing. i like cooking. i like housework. i am in fact completely unreconstructed.

moondog · 06/01/2009 00:06

Although omelettes, boiled eggs, pasta and tins of nice soup not to be sniffed at weither.

notamumyetbutoneday · 06/01/2009 12:12

havent read whole thread so apologies if repeating

egg fried rice- take rice out of freezer and defrost (you ca cook and freeze in batches before you go if you want), fry spring onions and garlic cloves togeter, add veg/ham/chicken/prawns and loads of soy sauce and dash oyster sauce, add bbeaten egg and rice, et voila!

sausage bake
grill sausages, cut up if you want, place in oven dish with tin baked beans, tom puree and some herbs, top with mashed or thinly sliced potatoes

OhBling · 06/01/2009 15:57

My hint would be to provide him with recipes where he doesn't have to assess anything. eg - chicken pieces or roasts freaks DP out because he has to check manually if it's done. But pasta with pesto he can manage because even he can assess if the pasta is cooked. So maybe a basic lamb stew or curry where basically he just shoves it in a pot for a few hours? Ditto a chicken casserole - fry chicken. Throw in pot. Add herb x, y, z. Pour wine and stock. Cook. etc? All are also things DS could help out with.

Also, if he's nervous on rice, maybe stock up on those handy par cooked bread sticks/rolls/naans etc?

Good luck.

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