When talking about traditional slow real food, an issue that comes up often is, 'How does this work with working families?'. I know that I end up doing most of my cooking in the morning. If I forget something at the grocery store it's not a big deal to pack up the kids and go pick it up. I have the time to let bread rise for a couple hours during the day if it takes that long, to allow the yogurt to come to the correct temperature before putting in jars to culture, and I can let my chicken stock simmer all day.
To address the issue that working families, couples, and singles face I thought I'd try an experiment- I'm going to see if I can not do anything food-related during 'regular working hours' from7:30-5:00 (my husband works construction from 8:00 to 4:30... so our 'family clock' is likely shifted an hour earlier than most people).
I'm going to have lunches prepared and ready to go, all my grocery shopping done, and see if I can still get a wholesome dinner on the table by 6:00 p.m.- half an hour to prepare. I'll post the results of what we ate, and how realistic this was in our family.
I asked about this on Facebook (do you 'like' my page on Facebook? Click here to get to my facebook page) and got some great insight from working people who do this every week:
"Working parents can cook real food we just have to make it simple. I work full time and am able to feed my family well. If you prepare even 2 meals on Sunday it will last 4 dinners. One pastured chicken can go a LONG way (fried rice, quesadillas, soup). I go to the grocery only Sundays and shop for the week. I pack my kids lunches every morning. I get my veggies once a week (after work) from a CSA (consumer supported agriculture). Once a month we get our raw milk & butter. I get my grass fed meats from another co-op bi-monthly. If we all take baby steps finding nutrient dense sources for food, little by little, you will find a way that works for you and doesn't become overwhelming. Just a little bit of planning on the weekend will make the week much easier :)" Linda
"Small blocks of time --3-5 hours -- on the weekend. You can make a soup, home made yogurt or slow-cook oatmeal, hard-boil eggs and prep veggies for the week. I don't get home until 9pm on the weekdays, yet I eat a home-cooked, nutrient-dense meal every night by 9:20pm" Kate
Inspiring, isn't it?
Logistics for making this work for our family:
- Menu planning and grocery shopping on Saturday morning.
- Food prep on Sunday afternoon. I enjoy my time in the kitchen while dad watches the kids on Sunday afternoons, I usually do some meal prep then anyway.
- Prepare the next day's lunch the night before, easy breakfasts in the mornings.
- Keeping dishes down to a minimum too!
I'm looking forward to this week!
:) I think it will be a nice change of pace- we'll enjoy the new warmer weather, maybe craft a little bit, visit parks and friends, and spend 9 hours a day not cooking :) I enjoy cooking too, but sometimes it's fun to change things up a bit. Maybe my laundry will even get caught up!
Next up: My grocery list and menu plan!
I'll be posting this week what I got done, what we ate, and any random reflections.
I'll be posting this week what I got done, what we ate, and any random reflections.
Do you do traditional food while you work full time outside the home? What are some hangups you come across balancing healthy meals and a real family schedule?
Edited to add all parts of this series: Continue below
*Traditional Food in Real Lives- How can this be done around the work schedule?
Grocery Shopping and Menu Planning
Weekend Meal Prep
Monday
Tuesday and Wednesday
Thursday and Friday- the home stretch
Reflections on this week and how it impacts me as a stay at home mom, and adjustments I'd make if I did work outside the home
