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Ask the Expert: Finding Balance Natalie Gahrmann is a success coach and owner of N-R-G Coaching Associates, a private coaching company that specializes in helping working parents achieve mastery of work and life. Her clients experience more clarity, direction and alignment while reducing stress in their busy lives.
Dinner RushVanessa writes, "I will be going back to work for the first time since my children, now 5&7 have been born. I am worried about the dinner rush. Is there a strategy to getting this together: recipes, grocery shopping, cooking... I can't go to the grocery store every day anymore and I will need to have healthy, well planned meals ready in about 1/2 hour. Can you help me get this started?"Answer: It will take time for both you and your family to adjust to the new routine now that you are returning to work. Planning ahead is the best solution to the dinner dilemma. Determine your meals and do your shopping once per week (I personally prefer Sunday mornings). Choose simple healthy recipes that you can prepare ahead of time or in under 30-minutes. Double your recipe and make an additional meal you can freeze when you have extra time. Some busy working moms prefer to spend the day cooking on Sunday so that they have a week's worth of meals prepared ahead of time that can easily be reheated during the week. Some even prepare their children's lunches and freeze them or prepackage them for the week ahead. It's important to keep basic ingredients on-hand in your pantry, cupboards, freezer and refrigerator. Save time preparing your grocery list by re-using your previous lists and stock-piling the staples when they're on sale. Have a nutritious snack on hand for you and your family that you can pick on while you prepare dinner. A mix of raw vegetables works great for this! There is an abundance of recipes available on the web that are fast, easy and healthy. You can find some in the "FOOD" section at Blue Suit Mom and you can also pick up recipes from other working moms. Stir Frys work well because of the delicious mix of vegetables that you can cut up ahead of time and throw in when you're preparing dinner. Casseroles also work well because you can prepare them ahead and simply put it in the oven while you spend some time connecting with the kids or having a few minutes to yourself. Grilling is usually fast and convenient. Rest assured, there are plenty of easy-to-prepare meals that you can make in under 30 minutes. Be willing to experiment with new recipes using ingredients your family likes. Resist the urge to eat out or bring in frequently and concentrate on preparing fast nutritious meals. Besides having more time together with your family, making dinner at home also decreases food expenses. Let your kids (and spouse) pitch in and help around the house. Your kids are old enough that they can help so give them the opportunity to participate in the meal preparation and planning activities. Seek their input when planning the weekly menu and let them help with dinner preparation or table setting. Hope these ideas help!
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