I don’t mean to mislead you with the headline above. Andrew and I have been happily married for nearly 15 years. But these days Andrew works in NY all week, leaving the kids and me to eat dinner without him. In a few months Andrew will be back in town all week, but in the meantime I have a small window to see what many single parents go through at dinner time. Here’s what I notice about dinner in Andrew’s absence:
- I’m not as drawn to some of the more creative recipes I usually make. Knowing that I’m just cooking for the kids and me, I’ve mainstreamed our dinners a little more and am less inclined to make a dish that I’m skeptical that the kids will enjoy. When Andrew’s here, I can be pretty certain that at least two of us will enjoy creative cuisine. But I am pushing myself to intersperse more exotic dishes into our meal to keep the kids trying new flavors.
- We have so many more leftovers. Andrew’s got a big appetite and it’s not uncommon for a dinner that serves 8 to be polished off by 7. Without Andrew here, we often have half the dish or more leftover. I’ve compensated by eating more leftovers for lunch, freezing half of some meals, and recycling the food into future meals during the week.
- I’m tired of cooking and cleaning! I hadn’t even realized what a big help Andrew is after dinner. This is giving me the much-needed incentive to get our kids to help me cook and clean up more after dinner.
- I appreciate my weekly plans and grocery lists more than ever. Life is even busier without Andrew around, so I don’t have time for extra stops during the week. Staying organized, especially with food, is helping me keep my sanity.
You single parents who try to get healthy homemade dinners on the table most nights, as well as take care of all the other tasks of daily life without an adult partner, have my deepest admiration. I hope The Scramble’s weekly dinner plans and grocery lists make your lives and your dinners a little easier.
Single Parenting makes Dinner More Challenging | Healthy Family ……
I don’t mean to mislead you with the headline above. Andrew and I have been happily married for nearly 15 years. But these days Andrew works in NY all week,…
My husband is away one to two nights a week. Most times, I’m with you - the simplier the better, definetly something the kids will eat. However, because my husband is not that adventerous with food, I sometimes take the opportunity to try a new recipe, or use ingredients I know my husband will not eat.
Really interesting article. Thank you.