Being a parent is amazing.
However, the rewards don’t always come easy. Many of you would agree that raising a child is hard work.
It can get even more challenging if you are a single Mom with a full-time job. Juggling deadlines at work, piles of dirty clothes at home, and your little one’s feeding routine can leave you feeling drained at the end of the day. Sometimes even simple things like taking a shower can seem challenging.
If you’re one of those superheroes of a modern age, we applaud you.
Since we know how crazy-making your life sometimes gets, we’ve put together an ultimate guide to super quick and healthy meals which both you and your children will enjoy.
1. Become a pro in time management
This is a skill every single parent needs to master if they want to fit everything they need to do in one day.
With so many obligations, it’s very challenging to find enough time for everything, including yourself. That’s why it’s time you start actively taking time to work on your time management skills.
Sit down and make a list.
This may sound unnecessary, but trust us – it’s a game changer. By doing this, you’ll be able to categorise and prioritise your tasks so you can allocate dedicated time to each one especially cooking!
2. Prep your meals and your kitchen, too
Probably the most difficult part of the day in your life of a single mother is coming home from a long day at work and stepping into the kitchen to make dinner for you and your little one.
There are lots of things you would rather do, such as spending time playing with your kid. However, preparing meals is something that shouldn’t be neglected. Luckily, there are ways that can make it easier for you.
Before you start preparing your meals, you need to make sure your baby is safely secured next to you. Putting your little one in a Mother’s Choice bouncer or a highchair will enable you to focus on your cooking.
Another useful tip is to prep your meals. It will save you not only time but much-needed energy as well. Preparing meals in advance or freezing is the perfect solution for those days when you don\’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen.
You could also invest in a mini food processor like thise reviewed by TheHealthyCuisine. That would definitely save you heaps of time when preparing a dish!
3. Meals which are both delicious and nutritious
Providing your family with wonderful meals every day can be challenging. Since you need recipes that are both quick and healthy, I’ve come up with several amazing suggestions for you to try.
1. Casseroles
They are one of the most popular dishes all around the world and for a good reason. First of all, they are easy to make, and there’s an endless list of variations to choose from. Whether you prefer beef, chicken, veggies or shrimps, you can throw in anything you like. Filled with your favourite ingredients, you can freeze and reheat it later which is a perfect solution for those busy nights.
2. Pasta
Carbs are an excellent source of energy. Pasta is a perfect meal for those times when you need a quick and healthy energy boost. Pasta dishes will make cooking stress-free while providing you with lots of essential nutrients. There\’s a great variety of pasta dishes so everyone can find the one (or many) that best suits them.
3. Chicken
Make it with a salad, pasta, or veggies, bake it, grill it, roast it, you can never get bored with chicken. Try making enchiladas if you’re into Mexican food, or simply grill the chicken with carrots and zucchinis for a quick and healthy fitness meal. Chicken is a great source of protein. Another great thing about it is that you can use leftovers to make chicken pâté or a tasty chicken salad.
4. Rice
This versatile grain is equally tasty as a main dish as it is as a side dish. It\’s fantastic for vegetarian meals as well. It is consumed all over the world so you can use to prepare Indian, Tai, Chinese or Mexican dishes. Combined with minced meat, it\’s a super tasty filling for cabbage or wine-leaf rolls. Whether you like it with meat or vegetables, it\’s a filling and delicious dinner meal. If you have a sweet tooth, go for a rice pudding topped with some fresh fruit.
Sounds yummy, right?
Bottom line
There you go.
Now you have all the important tips to help you organise your time around prepping quick and healthy meals. As a single mother, you are already busy trying to handle everything that’s on your plate including work, home, and time for yourself (you know you need it).
Achieving a perfect health balance includes dedicating some of your time to good planning and preparation of your meals. Although it may seem like a challenging task, with the right tips and time management, you’ll not only become a supermom in the kitchen, but you’ll also have more valuable time to spend with your baby.