What's for Dinner?

There is one question that does not get easier with time, "What's for Dinner." So far, "Whatever you are making," has not worked for an answer.

We have a limited menu, which makes my job as the one who prepares dinner difficult and just plain boring.

Things on our option list are pasta, tacos (with lettuce and cheese), cheese pizza, grilled chicken breasts, chicken legs (and only Chris, Addi and Asher eat chicken), deli night - where I make something that resembles subway sandwiches, breakfast night, pasta bake, an occasional hotdog (for Chris and maybe one-two of the kids will eat that - why I don't know) and that is about it. YAWN!

Eating out is something we rarely do. Don't get me wrong, I would love to eat out. But, with our picky eaters, they end up coming home and eating anyway. So, eating out is a total waste of money at this point. We are leaving eating out to the kids' special dates with Chris and I for the time being.

At lunch time, Addison and Asher will eat just about anything. We love soup in the winter, any fruit and any vegetable. Their favorite foods are steamed broccoli and a broccoli, cheese and rice dish. Seriously, if it is a healthy food item, Addison and Asher will eat it. Now, if Alivia is home for lunch, she will not eat any of their favorite foods. Come on, I am not a short order cook. Actually, I am not a cook at all!

We don't eat any red meat at home. Alivia only eats a cheeseburger from McDonalds and Turkey peperoni, by her choice only. She is just really picky. Addison and Asher generally will eat chicken and sometimes turkey. Addison actually loves chicken and her new love, shrimp. I don't eat meat generally. I usually have chicken or shrimp maybe once a year. I would like to eat more seafood, but I would never buy it for just myself (nobody else likes seafood). I get my fill of fruits, vegetables, salads, and carbs.

I am bored. I need to find more food options so I can stop yawning through dinner.

Any suggestions?

Picky Eaters

Even when I have pots and pans to cook with, I am challenged to find something the entire family will eat without complaining. The 2 things the kids will eat now without complaining are McDonalds and Mamas Pizza. I would like to find something I can make!

I have been trying to find new things to eat with the coupons I cut. If I match sales with the coupons, sometimes we can try things for a little bit of nothing. So, there is little risk involved. I typically try out things with Addison and Asher first. If they like it, I move to Alivia (who is the most picky eater of the 3, even more so than Chris!). In our house, we make one meal and you eat it or go hungry. The only exception is that we do make Alivia something else when we have pasta because she does not like it. I can not possibly prepare something for each person or I would never leave the kitchen. Besides, I was brought up on meat, corn and mashed potatoes and gravy and I lived. I may not eat any of those things now, but I lived. :)

Keep in mind, right now we are limited to a pasta pan, sauce pan and a pizza pan. So, we have limited preparation options. The latest things that get the Addison and Asher seal of approval are: Ham and cheese lean pockets (they eat 1/2 each), strawberry applesauce (no sugar added and it is quite good), chocolate mini muffins that comes with the muffin pan (really good but only makes 12 really tiny muffins. Again, I only bought these because we do not have a pan), whole grain rotini shells n cheese, banana yogurt, yogurt tubes (very messy though), and the saucy steamed vegetables. I have a stash of other new things to try with them this week and then I will begin the process of trying these things with Alivia. Now, keep in mind, Chris will eat none of these items and I will not eat meat. So, we are not finding anything yet that we all will eat.

So, what's for dinner? Please do share?

Tonight: Deli night: Deli turkey/cheese sandwiches, baked chips, mandarin oranges, Addison requested steamed broccoli while Alivia will have carrots and dip.

Friday: Friday is pizza night. Yeah! I don't have to think. However, everyone only likes Mamas. We do try to get other pizzas, but it is rare that everyone eats it. We all like cheese, but we find the girls liking beef at Grandma and Granpas' houses.

Saturday: New food - Popcorn shrimp

Sunday: Chicken nuggets, steamed veges, grapes w/ yogurt (the kids use the yogurt as dip).

Monday: Monday is Pasta night, garlic bread, salad.

Well, we will end there since next week is a Holiday and may be our moving week. If we are moving on Wednesday...we will probably eat out on Tuesday night. We are trying to introduce the kids to new places to eat out at, too. Before we just never ventured out. Now, we have been forced to from lack of resouces at home. Any suggestions of kid friendly places?

I am waiting to hear what everyone feeds their family. Perhaps when we get into a house with all of our stuff we can try some more new things!

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