“I didn’t want this for dinner tonight…!” “I wanted my toast cut into strips (pronounced “frips”).” “Mom. Mom. Mom. Mooooommmmm. I’m hungry!” If you are juggling cooking for your family and the barrage of appeals for attention + battles over food coming from the littles, I created this blog for you. The struggle is real: you want to cook wholesome meals, nourish your family, and try new, healthy foods but it can be an uphill battle. You may have thirty minutes to get dinner on the table before the meltdown starts and cooking whole foods feels impossible. Or maybe you just feel like a short order cook, making one healthful meal for you and a separate, “kid-friendly” meal for your family. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed and discouraged at mealtime. As a full-time working mom with an infant and preschooler I get it and I want to help transform your nightly struggle into a time you enjoy.
I believe that cooking wholesome meals can be simple. I believe you can find meals that everyone will love. I believe that you can get everyone involved in preparing them with you, making memories while you make dinner. And ultimately, I understand how important it is to feel like you are nourishing your family and that is why I have created simple, whole foods recipes the whole family will love.
Here’s my approach:
- Plan ahead. I find that when I plan my meals for each week I always have the ingredients I need, I can think through my game plan even before I start to cook, and we can eat something everyone will love each week. I also believe in giving ourselves a break – we don’t make something new and special every night. Weekends include meals that take a little longer or that are new to us. Weeknights are all about ease and sometimes include elements from Trader Joes – sometimes we start with a package of TJ’s ravioli and “elevate it” with a homemade sauce and sides.
- Buy quality food. I feel better about the food I eat when it is grown responsibly, without pesticides, and with minimal packaging. I want to nourish my family and respect our environment at the same time.
- Stay in your lane. You won’t want to try new foods if they are too far outside of your family’s comfort zone. Choose dishes that are similar enough to things you know the family will love. If you know your family likes spaghetti, maybe try a lentil spaghetti sauce and see how it goes.
My hope is that I inspire you to make food that is accessible, comforting, and appeals to your family. Make sure to subscribe to Honey Creek Kitchen so I can share my tips and recipes with you as regularly as I can (remember…full time working mom with two kids!). And thanks for stopping by!