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Working moms -menus

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amother

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:32 pm

Anyone else have tiny kitchens and work full time with little kids? I can't even imagine baking and cooking the amount of food I am seeing on these menu threads. How do you have space to store all this food and how do you have the time to cook it? I am feeling I guess a bit bummed about how lame my menu is even with guests coming.

amother

Amber

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:37 pm

I work full time.... I cook for sukkos at the same time as cooking for RH, and I begin a few weeks early. I cook a little bit every (or most) night and freeze in a spare freezer I have in my garage.

amother

Crystal

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:39 pm

When I had a tiny kitchen I got a chest freezer. I know people who put it in their living rooms even. Such a life changer when you can freeze ahead.

amother

Burgundy

Tue, Sep 26 2023, 2:59 pm

What don't you have room for? Only desserts. I just skip and buy ice cream with candied nuts to sprinkle on top of the scoops.

amother

Topaz

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 9:35 am

I don't feel bad keeping menus simple. A good roast chicken & potatoes & a salad with store bought ice cream & cake with a happier confident mother is really absolutely fine in my opinion!

And just more practically because I still don't think keeping it simple is actually so simple.

For frum homemaker in general I think a backup freezer isn't a luxery item, if at all possible.

Just a few things I do is bake & cook in larger amounts whenever I can & label sides of tins, & ziplocs with permanent markers, for as organized a freezer as possible (upright freezer easier then).

I'll freeze in small portions when relevant for easier retrieval like small container dips or dessert for just 1 shabbs vs freezing whole batches.

Can divide up chicken raw/marinated, or cooked, & freeze

Sautée lots of onions & freeze in small bags to add to soups/rice/pasta dishes - which all freeze very well too maybe freezes better with some fat added btw.

Make large amounts rice in "set it & forget it" instant pot & freeze in portions.

amother

Chartreuse

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 11:29 am

I'm not making yt this year, but what I would do:
Cook for a normal shabbos, but double the kugels. Buy lettuce, deli, and prepare taco meat and chicken cutlets for second night make your own salad bar. Take a chunk of meat out of the freezer Friday and on motzei shabbos put it in the crockpot (with seasonings) for Sunday lunch, serve with the extra kugel you made. You can serve the extra salad ingredients/ extra cutlets too if you want.

amother

NeonGreen

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 1:08 pm

amother OP wrote:

Please don't feel bad. I'm sure you have many other good qualities! Probably way better than me in other areas:)
Personally I do work full time and have teeny tiny kitchen but I make big gourmet menus because I LIKE doing it. It's a hobby for me and it is satisfying and fun, but to tell you the truth I really shouldn't because it comes at the expense of my cleaning which I don't like to do. So sometimes I have a really messy house and gourmet five star meals.
Everyone has their hobbies and activities that relax them.
Please don't fell bad if this isn't yours.

aaa2

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 1:09 pm

amother NeonGreen wrote:

Please don't feel bad. I'm sure you have many other good qualities! Probably way better than me in other areas:)
Personally I do work full time with little kids and have teeny tiny kitchen but I make big gourmet menus because I LIKE doing it. It's a hobby for me and it is satisfying and fun, but to tell you the truth I really shouldn't because it comes at the expense of my cleaning which I don't like to do. So sometimes I have a really messy house and gourmet five star meals.
Everyone has their hobbies and activities that relax them.
Please don't fell bad if this isn't yours.

amother

Puce

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 1:16 pm

I work bh I have a nice sized kitchen and extra fridge/freezer and I love cooking. However, I do t drive myself crazy and I make what my kids like. If it was up to me I would go very gourmet five course meals! I happen to be pregnant also so not feeling 100% myself so not going at all crazy. We are going to be very very simple!

I happen to not like cleaning and have cleaning help a couple times a week which takes care of that.

tichellady

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 2:41 pm

I don’t work full time and I don’t cook like this because I just don’t have the energy. You are not alone
I do make special things for each holiday. I make lamb for rosh hashana and simanim themed food. I don’t make the same stuff I make for shabbos on yontov. It’s different and special

amother

Heather

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 4:22 pm

I actually started a thread a couple of years ago about these elebaorate menus. My menu looks nothing like these and I personally think we have delicious meals. Simple, easy and not expensive.
I do have a large extra freezer, which I think is essential for a frum lifestyle.

amother

Aconite

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 5:07 pm

I have very simple menus. All those multiple sides, multiple mains, nope, I don’t have time lol.

amother

Goldenrod

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 6:41 pm

amother Puce wrote:

It’s great you’re sharing but I would be mindful, a lot of the women on here have no ability to receive cleaning help and don’t have a large kitchen

amother

Smokey

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 6:59 pm

I spread out the cooking I prepare meals early morning for a few hours like from 6 to 8:30 and then when I come home at night I prep some more I do this for a few days and then all set.

The fish, eggs, potatoes for the potatoe salad I cook on Thursday morning and the rest I cook in the afternoon friday when I get home but it's all prepped and ready to go in the oven.

amother

Pistachio

Thu, Sep 28 2023, 7:03 pm

I work full time. Tiny kitchen. Il be working erev Yom tov too. I do simple food that my family likes. No need to feel bad. It's all in your attitude and how you present it. I do make some special foods that are easy in advance that I freeze. And some cakes/cookies. Don't look at what others do. More elaborate menus doesn't equal more happiness.

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