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Sometimes we eat frozen pizza 3 nights in a week. We all like the current brand of 'meat lovers', and if it's an afternoon of hosting science class, reading to kids, answering emails, and helping teens read their history chapters, an easy dinner makes everyone, especially mom, happy.
But aren't there plenty of healthy easy dinners? Of course there are, we just happen to be on a pizza kick right now. Salmon, asparagus, and rice is nearly as fast as a frozen pizza, with a bit more hands-on time. Some other week we'll be doing that.
In our efforts to do right by our kids, we can put too much pressure on ourselves to make the food nutritious and delicious and varied all the time, when just 1 or 2 of these might be more realistic.
If kids get one really nutritious meat and potatoes meal per day, they are often fine. If they eat non-sugar cereal for breakfast, pb and j and fruit for lunch, and a really great dinner, they will be fine. If they eat homemade hash browns, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit for breakfast, and salami, cheese, crackers, and vegetables for lunch, it won't matter if they eat frozen pizza for dinner yet again.
Put the effort where it makes sense for you, and of course let the kids do what they can. Teens may take more initiative for breakfast even if the younger kids eat cereal. Some days you'll get two or three balanced meals on the table, some less. Most nutrients can be stored, and the ones that can't, like Vitamin C, are easy to get every day if kids have fruit and vegetables for snacks.
A family I know bought the large bag of juicing carrots each week and put the bag in a lower cabinet that the kids could reach. I was surprised to see toddlers pull out unpeeled carrots for munching, but they were used to it, and it couldn't have been easier for mom. I peel a cucumber for me and share it with my toddler, and we all eat lots of fruit. A cucumber takes 2 minutes to peel and eat and doubles my vegetables for the day. A "mom salad" of dressing and one extra vegetable (cucumber or tomato) over mixed greens is almost as fast.
Don't go for perfection, just find the little things you can add in for a good overall result. Enjoy the shortcuts and how much frozen meals have improved. These are good times.
