How is it possible that we are always making food and yet our kids never seem to be full? Keeping our families fed is not for the faint of heart! Today Sunny and Karen are answering questions about feeding your people day in and day out. Tune in for practical tips about cooking with babies and toddlers underfoot as well as the one thing Greg did that made dinner prep at the Stubbs home so much easier.

Question 1: Can I ask dinner advice? Like not what to make, I feel like I have that mostly covered. 

My question is how do you cook with kids? Like seriously with kids in the house by myself? Specifically a 1-year-old? Am I naive? Do I just keep trying until I figure it out? Will she get better? Are there little hacks that I’m not doing while I’m cooking?

Karen’s Answer: Cooking with children can be difficult.  Okay, here is what I did.  I had a cabinet right next to the stove that was filled with Tupperware.  I would open up that cabinet door when I was cooking and give Kelsey a wooden spoon, or a set of measuring spoons and tell her to play while mommy was cooking.  That usually worked. When she got tired, I would put her in the high chair and give her a snack while I finished up.  Another trick I had was I would start dinner while the one year old was sleeping, and then do the last minute touches just before dinner.  Another trick is you can prep your meals on the weekend, cut up all of your onions, carrots, celery, those types of things, and then that takes a longer step off the table.  Get organized!

Question 2: I get so tired of planning dinner. Any tips would be appreciated!!

Karen’s Answer: Girl I am the same way! I told Greg years ago, if he would tell me what to make, I’ll make it. So he started planning our meals for the week, and then I’d make what he wrote down, unless I couldn’t stand what he had. :) Greg ended up making a list of all kinds of dishes and he would choose from that list each week. Carve out about 30 min on the weekend to think through the upcoming week and plan your meals then.

Question 3: We actually do well with meal planning for dinner, but I am drowning in the planning of lunch, breakfast and ALL THE SNACKS. My two older kids are great balanced eaters (7 & 9) but my 5 year old would eat Cheerios and PB&J at every breakfast and lunch. 

Karen’s Answer: Keep in mind children’s taste buds change :) I switched it all up all the time.

Here are my ideas for breakfast: cereal, eggs, toast, frozen waffles, fruit, yogurt, peanut butter toast, granola and almond milk with fruit or left over pizza!

Lunch: all the sandwiches you can think of, left overs, hot dogs, salad, frozen pizza, quesadillas , nachos

Snacks: Fruit, cheese, crackers, pickles, olives, chips, yogurt, pirates booty, raisins, yogurt covered raisins, cheese sticks, veggies and ranch , get a muffin tin and fill it up with all different types of finger foods, the children love it. 

Question 4: I meal plan but when it comes time to cook somebody (usually hubby) doesn't want what I planned or the kids struggle to eat it or I just don't have the energy or time to cook the meal

Karen’s Answer: I would have a conversation with your husband that when he does that it bothers you and more importantly it defeats you.  Ask him to give you a list of his favorite things, and then please get behind you at dinner time.  Hang in there!!!!

Show Credits: hosted by Karen Stubbs with Sunny Williams, written & produced by Katie Leipprandt, edited by Kyle Cummings

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