The 15 minute dinner is a definite Mommy Treat. There are some days where everything seems to go awry. You know what I mean? Hectic afternoons following an over scheduled day requires that you pull out what I call the Rescue Meal. Rescue Meals are dinners you can whip out in a snap that. and here is the catch: EVERYONE WILL EAT. I always keep a couple on hand in case I’m having one of those days.
Before you stash away a rescue meal, make sure it meets three criteria…
- Obviously, you have a food item that can be ready to eat in 15- 20 minutes- duh!
- Select food items with a long shelf life- freezer and pantry items only. So what if you don’t use them this week, you’ll have them on hand in case your in a pinch next Tuesday. I also check out my left overs to see if I can sneak one item into the menu. If so, you’ve saved yourself the trouble of cleaning them out of the fridge next week!
- These have to be crowd pleasing, family favorites. Nothing tops off a crappy day like hearing everyone whine that they don’t want to eat what you’ve prepared.
Yesterday was one of those days. My daughter needed extra help with homework when we finished it was already 5:15 pm. No worries because I pulled out one of our rescue meals…
- Corn Dog minis
- Sauces -ketchup, mustard, BBQ, honey (My kids enjoy sampling different sauces)
- Steamed broccoli florets (from the freezer)
- Kraft Macaroni and Cheese (sometimes we use leftovers of homemade mac and cheese)
- Canned pear halves
- Dessert: 2 Chips Ahoy cookies
Viola’. Everyone has eaten and we are back on schedule for our regular bath and bedtime routine.