So, I’m going to level with you guys. Dinner has been hard lately. Like, really really hard.
I’ve been keeping up with C’s Picks because I feel like so many are counting on it for their meal plans, which I simply love. But we are coming in at about maybe 20% of actually following through with the line up.
It’s not that my love of cooking has shifted. Or my belief in sitting down as a family to dinner has gone away. It’s this thing that has crept into our world that I like to call ‘big kid sports.’
Look, it’s not T-Ball world any longer. Baseball season consisted of 22 games, 6 practices, and an all star game. But then that morphed into a mini travel league that includes three five day tournaments and practices. Literally, at one point were on a baseball field for six evenings in a row.
And we love it. We do! L’s love for the sport runs deep, so that travels up through all of us. We’re all in. And hey, when it’s the dead of summer you kind of just go with the flow anyway. Sometimes I tried – real hard – and would pack homemade dinners on the go. But let’s get real: sometimes dinner was simply the concession hot dog.
So, my view on it all was a big sigh. Ahhhhh, it’s summer. It will pass.
Ha. That’s funny.
After a week away in Montana, we came home to a very rude awakening. Tackle football began and we are back on a football field four nights a week from 6:00-8:00. Which, let’s be honest, is more like 5:30-8:30. Wait… what?
So that’s when I really began to think (and sulk), I have to tackle dinner differently. Not only in terms of what to cook and when to serve it, but to actually think about the concept of dinner in a whole new way.
I reached out to my neighbor and pro, Gretchen. With a just graduated senior who was on the high school soccer team, and two boys who play tackle football and travel/high school baseball, well, ever since moving in I have watched her and her husband’s cars go in and out of their driveway roughly 6 times a night during the after school hours. Meanwhile, I was chasing L around as a toddler, and a few years later, bouncing B on my legs as a chubby baby. I was exhausted myself, but it was a whole different type of exhaustion I felt from watching her.
See, as hard as the baby and toddler stage can be, there is the magic of you controlling their day. And, obviously, 7PM bedtimes. Talk about the ideal cooking situation! Yet as soon as they enter big kid sport world, that all fades away along with their delicious toddler chub. Get yourself to practices and games or you’re not on the team. Dinner shifts to, at times, 9PM and it looks nothing like it used to.
I told Gretchen I felt sad. Dinner has always been the highlight of my day. It’s what I do best, it’s my thing. But now it’s just one more item to try and shove in before (starting soon) homework, bath, and bedtime.
Then she filled me in on a few things. First, dinner doesn’t have to be THE meal. She said if we all happen to be around together one or two mornings on the weekend, make that the meal to connect, even if it’s over cereal. Sometimes it’s as basic as physically sitting down together. That counts.
She then walked me through how she planned her meals weekly. I’m with you, sister. But it looked different than my C’s Picks version. She had a calendar of what field Luke is on, where Eric was training, where her husband was coaching, etc. She’d find those rare nights when it was possible to actually have the entire family eat at a reasonable time, and those were her more ‘special’ meals. And yes, they do happen. Just not nightly. Let it go.
Most of the days go something like this: 4PM – bam. Kids are home from the bus (starting soon). And they are starving because lunch is for socializing, am I right? Dinner number one happens. Yes, she serves two dinners. Not full out complicated meals with an excess of dishes two meals. But two basic, hearty, ‘boys need protein to play sports’ heavier snacks or meals.
So, it might go something like this: triscuit ‘sandwiches’ piled high with sharp cheddar and salami, along with sliced apples and peanut butter. At 8:30PM, crock pot Italian beef and pepper sandwiches on whole wheat rolls.
The key in it all is the prep. You can’t be standing over a stove for two hours because you’re at a ball field. Or at least driving back and forth to one, or more. So most of her prep happens during the day. Chopping, getting out the right cookware, lining it all up. So come their 4PM arrival dinner(s) are well on their way. Also, crock pots rule.
No, it’s not the traditional concept of dad walks in the home from work at 6:00, pours himself a scotch, and everyone sits down at the table over a hot meal. But the love, care, and thought in this new little routine of two dinners(ish) still means something. And physically sitting down together – even if it’s only a few times a week for a random breakfast or lunch – it matters.
So where does that leave us? I’m still meal planning – weekly – but it’s just going to look a little different. My hope is many of you can relate to the mad dash that is the hours 5:30-8:30. If not, hey, get ready for an abundance of quick cooking ideas around here. Still a win, right?
To moms still bouncing their babies aimlessly around the home during that dreaded witching hour, I was so there. It feels like yesterday. And I’d give anything to have Logan back home with me now during that hour. I truly miss him, so much.
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Courtney
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Obviously my nights are a tad different than yours, but I get the lack of stability these days. I was JUST thinking about (and writing about) the same thing. How there is just a total lack of structure and it kind of makes me nuts! I guess that’s what boring old winter is for, right?
Tia G. recently posted…Weekend whirlwind
Twitter: charminglyuncmp
says:
Your neighbor is totally right. For us it’s crazy work schedules, not insane sports schedules that preclude weekday dinners but Sunday is our day. At a minimum we sit down together for a big breakfast and dinner but a lot of times lunch after church too. Admittedly I’m not a huge dinner person but once you get used to the routine you’ll find the whole quick cooking thing isn’t that bad 🙂 (and get a rice cooker for grains if you don’t already have one!)
We love family dinner time, but you’re right – it’s a dying art.
Twitter: _Everyday_Life_
says:
I know the feeling when high school started our family dinners ended. Son either eats at the band room after practice or late at night after homework. I still try to have Sunday lunches together.
Rebecca Bryant recently posted…10 Things I Love #TravelBloggers #LivingInTheMoment
Once the kids are grown, it’s so hard to get them to eat dinner with you. I just make sure that we eat together on Sundays.
Ourfamilyworld recently posted…The Best Bibs for Drooling Babies
We love family dinners. We do them every single night. But right now we are moving on the 24th so it’s been a bit crazy and we haven’t been having many dinners beyond quick meals and off to go. It hasn’t been fun.
Twitter: Lisa Galuna
says:
I Know What You Mean Never Enough Time For Everything In The Day Constantly In The Kitchen I Give The Cheese Pepperoni To The Kids To Hold Them!!
Twitter: girlgonemom
says:
I hate that we don’t all get to eat together all the time. My husband tends to work late.
Heather recently posted…M&M’S® Crispy at 180 Calories
Yep, I remember the softball days, especially if she was on a good team that the season dragged on forever – and then playoffs and like you, we’d be at the softball field 5 nights in a row. We usually ended up bringing sub sandwiches from home and a little cooler with snacks as we sat on the sidelines – not gonna lie – my husband did used to add vodka to his lemonade to get through the cheers that only girls softball gain repeat over and over again!
Biz recently posted…The Chocolate was Insulin Worthy!
My kids are adults now but they played sports starting at the age of 5. They loved it and so did we. My one son played baseball through college. We traveled across country several times for tournaments. My older son played basketball through high school. Both sons played several sports but when they reached their second year in high school they each settled on one…mainly because they wanted to give it their full attention. Where we live both sports are played year round at some level. Family dinner? Non existent on many days but we did the best we could. Now we have family dinner together one night a week…we make it a point to make sure we get together that one night.
Twitter: knowdifferent
says:
This is such a great read and an important reminder. I try so hard to make this happen a few times a week and love the ideas shared here. I tend to make dinner more complicated than it needs to be with prep and am going to look at ways to make it easier.
I love your site too!
So many things interfere. Still love the family dinners.
I love family dinners and even though my children are grown and I now have grand-babies we still pick a night to have a family supper, might be formal or be simple we are all still together and that is the best for all I believe
Twitter: dedastudios
says:
I totally understand….I don’t seem to be able to get anything done like it is suppose to be. I guess like everyone else I am trying to fit too many things into a 24 hour day.
Debbie L. recently posted…Get #InspiredByCrafted ~The Best For Your Pet
We make sure that we have dinner together. It is a new thing that we started, even bought a dinning room table so we made sure that this time was allotted.
Twitter: ckrusch
says:
We love family dinner and I make sure it’s not something we negotiate, it’s always something we do it together! Even if it’s around take out!
Twitter: hautepeople
says:
This is sadly so true! The Family Dinner is starting to disappear thanks to “devices”. Kids need to have the family sit down dinner and I really like this post
Twitter: censiej
says:
Our family dinners really do depend on the day of the week. Between work, school and sports we try everything possible to still have a family dinner.
Censie recently posted…8 DIY Home Projects
It was pretty difficult to get everyone around at the same time for dinner. Particularly my two kids who had massively different schedules.
Liz Mays recently posted…Jackson County NC Outdoor Adventures #PlayOn
Twitter: Fidoseofreality
says:
I have a small family but we always eat together – it really is sad how families are losing the meal together.
Carol Bryant recently posted…Crash Course: What To Do In a Dog Emergency
Seriously it’s disappearing so quickly. I don’t like it. At all. Dinner at the table is about so much more than eating.
Twitter: NePa_mom
says:
This is SO my life, right down to the two dinners! Four of my kids are competitive swimmers so during swim team we are at the pool every night so we have a heavy snack before practice and then dinner at 8:30 when we are all home. I too miss the nights of just being able to all eat dinner together but we make sure to connect other ways, like leisurely breakfasts on the weekends and family movie night and pizza on Fridays. Thanks for the great post.
MEgan recently posted…Play, Stow and Go with Playskool Toys!
Twitter: LauraT_Funk
says:
This is exactly my life and my kids have not even started sports. I cant even imagine.
Laura funk recently posted…Back to School with Carters #CountMeInCarters, #IC {ad}
Twitter: &adventireswith4
says:
We fight to keep family dinners alive.
With everyone headed in a million directions it’s our only way to know what’s going on in each others lives.
Twitter: AunestyJ
says:
We are working on trying to do a sit down family meal 5 days a week. It is hard, and I often feel guilt when we don’t get them all in.
Aunesty Janssen recently posted…Saving Money with Target’s Cartwheel App & $100 Target GC Giveaway