Tips for getting dinner on the table night after night
By Ann Douglas
Ann Douglas is an award-winning journalist and the author of 27 books on pregnancy and parenting. She is the creator and author of the bestselling "The Mother of All" Books series, a well-known columnist and a contributor to numerous other parenting Websites and magazines. She is also a much sought after speaker who is recognized for her ability to entertain and inspire her audiences and to get to the heart of the issues of greatest concern to parents today.
Short answer: everyone doesn't. Lots of parents find making dinner a major challenge when there are little ones wanting and needing attention. That's why miracle products like salad in a bag were invented. Here are some of the survival strategies that have worked for our family and some of the many families I've interviewed over the years.
- Nurse your baby right before you think you're going to get busy in the kitchen, and then pop her in a baby carrier or sling so that she has a great view of what you're doing — something that may help to keep her entertained.
- Ask friends and family members to share their favorite recipes. Be sure to be explicit about your criteria: if it requires more than 15-20 minutes of kitchen preparation, it's probably not the right recipe for you right now.
- Set aside a particular kitchen in the cupboard for your toddler. It could contain toys, toddler-friendly kitchen paraphernalia, or a mix of both. Add something new to the cupboard daily (e.g., swap a couple of plastic containers for the plastic strainer you won't be needing for tonight's dinner). With any luck, this distraction will buy you at least a couple of minutes of mealtime preparation time.
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