What’s For Dinner?

Michelle Black/Braden

Life/Business Coach, wife and mother of two teenagers

www.msbcoach.com

The dilemma of what to have for dinner…. Am I the only one that get’s stressed when it comes to making the weekly dinner menu? Why, as the mom, is it our responsibility to be continuously creative with this daunting task? I know those of you who love to cook, (or you few men who do the cooking in your home) feel as though I am being sacrilegious here; however, I know I can’t be the only mom who finds this a chore. Cooking dinner is not as bad as creating the menu…. I am always stuck once I write down, tacos, spaghetti and…. Well I have a tendency to get lost after that.

Pondering this predicament, I created a clever way to get myself out of this responsibility, or at least lessen it. It also indirectly created family time, taught my children responsibility and life skills. And to think, I was only looking for a little help. If your children are infants, this won’t work, but if they are old enough to tell you what they like to eat, they can participate (it does get easier and more fun as they get older).

I first printed a large calendar for the current month; then I called a family meeting. I have two kids (13 & 15 at the time). Each had to choose two nights they would be responsible for cooking dinner. According to the nights they chose, they had to completely prepare the meal and the other family members were responsible for clean up. This worked great, and better received than I had imagined.

I now had two kids cooking four of the seven meals a week, what more could a mom ask? And if you have a husband or more kids to throw in the mix you may get out of cooking/menu making all together! The key to success is having each person write on the calendar the meal plan for their nights, make a grocery list of what is needed at the store, and wala…. You have creative help with dinner.

I must be honest there are a few pitfalls to this plan. The first being (as with anything that is done for the first, oh say million times) it takes practice to be a good cook, so you have to be willing to eat dinners that may not be the best. The other is holding each person responsible to make their grocery list, cook their meals, and be home in time to do so.

So give it a try, its fun, promotes family dinners together, life skills of: making a menu, creating a shopping list, food preparation, clean up, and cooking…. One of the skills my kids have out done me in, but that’s ok because no one has me beat me on tacos or spaghetti making!