Food economics
One of the things that probably takes up most of my time is meal planning/prepping/cooking. It can take me anywhere from 1 to 4 hours to research, shop, prepare, and clean up a meal. But did you know it only takes about 15 minutes to eat a meal?!
While those stats are a bit depressing for someone who loves efficiency ... I do enjoy making things that are good for my family and taste good too!
So when I stumble on a recipe that is quick, healthy, budget-friendly, easy-to-clean-up AND that the family enjoys, I get really excited!!
Five star ... or five days a week
Early in our marriage @ironmanmatt and I came up with a rating system for meals. Instead of describing the meal or giving it a star rating, he tells me how regularly he'd like to eat it:
- Daily (this means he REALLY likes it)
- Weekly (good enough to eat regularly)
- Every other week
- Monthly
- Annually
- Um, you can probably leave this off the menu (much to his credit, he's never used this rating)
This system spares my feelings if he didn't like it and helps both of us by giving us something practical to measure by.
I give the meal my own rating based on my tastes and the expense/easiness of the meal. Then I put a note with the recipe so I know how often I can use it on the rotation. If the girls enjoyed the meal, I'll also add it to my "baby-friendly" list.
When a recipe receives a "daily" rating from all of us, I know I can use it as a backup if another meal falls through!
Fork vs fingers
Right now, the girls really like being able to feed themselves. While I can usually give them whatever Matt and I are eating, I also try to prep some things they can feed themselves.
In general, I try to have on hand:
- snacks
- fruit/veggies
- quick meals
that they can feed themselves.
@chrisrice asked me for some of the foods the twins eat, so I'll share my lists below. If you'd like to see recipes or extra notes on any of them, just let me know!
Snacks
I try to have a variety of filling snacks on the girls' menu that are low in sugar and incorporate whole wheat or oats. Processed carbs (cereals, bars, cookies, etc.) can become a hard habit to break so I try not to buy them for our sakes and the girls.
Along with applesauce pancakes, I like to make:
- yogurt pancakes
- breakfast cookies (pictured - packed with oats, veggies, and fruits)
- french toast
- healthy muffins (with either fruits or veggies)
- fruit, oat and chia chews
The girls also like having peanut butter on bread or tortillas and they go crazy for cheese and crackers!
Fruits/Veggies
Right now these are the fruits and veggies (or versions of them) that the girls are most interested in and that are easy for me to keep on hand.
- blueberries
- strawberries
- cucumber
- guacamole
- dried fruit
- roasted veggies - sweet potato, eggplant, cauliflower
- tangerines
- banana (hit or miss)
- steamed carrots (hit or miss)
I'll still try other fruits - pear, dragonfruit, etc. - but because they are expensive and don't last long, I only buy them if Matt and I are eating them too.
Quick meals
Sometimes the girls can't eat whatever meal we're having. Or sometimes Matt and I have to eat later. On those occasions, it's nice to have something on hand. These are "daily rating" meals that I can count on the girls eating (almost always), so it's not a waste to make them up and freeze them. Or they're quick enough for me to whip up in a couple minutes. I'll usually serve them with fruits or veggies.
- Cheese quesadillas (with chicken or avocado)
- Egg bakes with cheese and veggies
- Omelette or scrambled egg
- Cooked chicken (marinaded or with garlic/herbs)
- Chicken quinoa pancakes
- Strata
Healthy guts
With solids come digestion problems. And even though the girls are older, new foods (and sometimes new environments) can still cause tummy trouble. I really noticed a difference when I first started giving them water kefir (just after we introduced solids). Squish was especially much happier and her constipation issues went away.
I still give them water kefir with their rice cereal at night. It helps them stay regular and I notice we have fewer sicknesses when I keep up with it.
Sharing ideas
I know it takes a lot of time to look up recipes and experiment, so I hope this post was helpful to those with growing eaters. Please let me know in the comments if you want the recipes or have any questions.
I'd also love to hear what meals work for your family and why you love them!