Working Moms: do you still have time to cook?

[asia]

I know that a lot of families now have both parents working. I'm just curious if the working moms still find the time to prepare meals for the family -- especially kung hindi maiiwasan magovertime sa office. How do you manage to find the time to cook dinner on week nights, or prepare lunch sa mga bagets naiiwan sa bahay? Do some of you choose to buy take outs on the way home para hindi na kelangan magluto? Hindi ba masyadong magastos naman kung laging take-outs or lutong ulam?  Share naman your strategies/recommendations, experiences or frustrations.

[aquacharly]

Of course, there is time to cook for family, BUT not all the time.

I am a businesswoman, my husband and I co-manage our businesses.   I have a cook and more, but I still want to cook for my family occasionally.  The time my cook had a medical emergency, I did cook more often than usual, but again, not all the time. "Cook all the time - and die", that is what I tell my husband.  hehe

Strategies: 

1.  Keep breakfast simple.  Tapa and eggs, bacon and eggs, cereal.. you get the drift.  Add fresh fruit.. there, that is as healthy as healthy goes. 
When all else fails, there is McDo or  Jollibee (no, not krispy Kreme pls). 

2.  Lunch out for everyone!  Weekdays -- easy to enforce.  Weekends, lunch out as in eat out at his parents' or my parents' home.  We are always welcome, actually, it is the grandchildren that are always welcome, hangers on lang kami ni hubby

Since we own the office, kids out of school by lunchtime eat with us at our office.  IF we render overtime, kids eat with us at the office too... usually, we order Kenny Rogers/Jollibee chicken/Via Mare food for the staff and the family.

3.  Cook/marinate double batches of multiple dishes when in the mood to cook.  That is the operative phrase: when in the mood.  Like adobo, kaldereta, korean beef ribs, pork chops, tapa,  sinigang (add veggies when to be served), tinola, etc etc etc...  My menu is such that dishes are like close friends... you say hello to a dish again in 2 weeks.  (cook double, freeze half for another round in 2 weeks)

When i get around to cooking, I cook at least 5 dishes at a time... kasi sayang oras ko pag bantay or standing in front of the hob.  Actually, I do not really enjoy cooking, but i enjoy feeding my family food I cook. 

4.  Discover short cuts -- marinated meats at S&R;  the roasted chicken and ribs at the rotisserie are  good.  Just reheat.
Pasta sauces are a good standby.  The times I  would rather starve  than cook.. or eto,  pag everyone expects a hearty midnight snack... pastas are a good standby.  make different pasta sauces.
Even the bottled sardines can do for emergencies. 
I always have homemade (my home, or my mom's or MIL's home hehe) chicken soup as standby.  All the time.  bahala ka what you want to add:  noddles, veggies, bahala ka.

5.    Text after breakfast to MIL or own mom:  Ano ulam nyo later?  Pls send coz I am not/cook not feeling well.  They have only their cranky husbands to feed, and believe me, they like to send  food lalo na pag sinabi nang apo: wow, mamita, your ____ is the yummiest!    Appreciation will get you far along your meal requirements, believe me.

6.  Maintain a clearbook of menus of restaurants that deliver.

7.  Sunday is always eat-out day.  Wala akong paki kung may EDSA 4,5,  or 6, or binabagyo or may earthquake... basta kelangan eat out lunch or dinner on Sundays.   You gotta contribute to GNP

8.  Start training the kids to feed themselves.   
They can make hearty sandwiches, pwes no need to cook.  Plaza Ham (best so far), salami from Santi's, cheese... etc.  anything they can just get out of the chiller.  Yaya can operate the panini press or toaster, so one meal down!  Basta add fresh fruits, and milk of course. 

IMO, it is cheaper in the long run for us to eat out or have food delivered, quesa ma harass ako when forced to cook... I will be in a very foul mood, our relationships will suffer, or the businesses will suffer. 

  Pag wala si hubby, meal = chocolates, chicharon,  mangoes,  krispy kremes,  and juice (coke for me)   O major food groups na yon, winner! 
Sometimes, good bonding with kids is over weird meals.  The infrequent/once-in-a-blue-moon unhealthy meal  is fun, it isn't gonna kill your kids ... so don't feel guilty.

 At kung talagang ayaw mo magluto, you resent it, do not enjoy it, are too tired  or what... do not force  yourself to cook -- your resentment will age you faster.  There is always a way to get food on the table.  When all else fails kasi, face your husband and cry.  It always works.  hahahaha

[asia]

Thanks, Aquacharly. Those are really good tips! It's always a wonder to me how supermoms do it! Of course we all want to give the best for our families - meals and time included. But it's really a challenge to juggle things. Mahirap naman yun harrassed ka na from work paguwi mo sa bahay tapos mahaharrass ka pa pagprepare ng meals. So instead of enjoying dinner time with family, ubos na yun energy mo. It's good if moms have household help, pero kung wala, it could be really stressful. I would think cooking during weekends, is ok - even fun and stress-reliever when you really love to cook. Pero if on week nights, it's a different story.

One interesting point you gave though - "it is cheaper in the long run for us to eat out or have food delivered, quesa ma harass ako when forced to cook... I will be in a very foul mood, our relationships will suffer, or the businesses will suffer." I think this is true. It's just challenging to find reliable food deliveries na hindi magiging repetitive ang menus.

So great, thanks again. Any other insights from other supermoms out there?

[melmedrano]

we always learn from sis aquacharly... thanks for the inputs! magagamit ko rin yang mga tips mo. :-)

in 2 weeks i will be the official cook since we'll be moving to our own house... excited na ako at the same time expected ko na rin that it will be very tiring for me lalo na ngayon that we already have a toddler. Somehow cooking is therapeutic for me... pag stressed ako, I cook; pag masaya ako, I cook, pag bored ako, I cook... But I dont rely on that since kakailanganin ko ang consistency ng mood to cook or else maguguton ang anak ko, so what i did was to make a 3-week menu plan, yun muna ang paiikutin ko, i make sure na pasok sa budget, easy to prepare, cook and re-heat yung mga dishes at higit sa lahat gusto ng mga papakainin ko para hindi masayang. Included sa menu plan ang dining-out / take-out meals during Saturdays para naman may rest ako.

also, since toddler pa yung anak ko, bagay sa kanya yung mga soup and porridge, kaya yun ang plan ko na iprepare for breakfast, tapos sama na rin meryenda dun.

for diner naman, more on salad na lang kami at fruits para pumayat na rin... hehe

yung para sa lunch na lang ang ip-prepare ko ng husto before leaving the house sa umaga or the night before, depende sa klase ng ulam.

[asia]

You really have to set a time to sit-down and make a menu plan ahead of time noh? Mas nakakabawas din ng stress yun iisipin mo palagi kung anong iluluto mo - na hindi mo lang kakaluto 2 days ago. Those "10-minute cooking wonder" kind of shows are really helpful! Minsan lang, ingredients are hard to find.

Are there working moms here who are not really fond of cooking? How often do you resort to take-outs or food deliveries?

 

[honey_iya]

^Ako weekend palang bago pumunta sa palengke,gumagawa na ng menu for 1 week.

Working mom din ako, 5AM gising na ako para magluto. Maaga din kasi pasok ng anak ko at nagaalmusal siya ng rice. Ang niluluto ko sa morning eh until dinner na Nagbabaon din kami ni hubby para tipid at sure pa ako na malinis. At kahit gabihin kami ni hubby like biglang magkayayaan manood ng sine or magikot sa mall,panatag ako na may kakainin anak namin sa bahay.

Hindi ako marunong magluto dati,natuto nalang ako kasi kelangan..di naman pwede palaging bumili ng lutong ulam at gusto ko healthy at malinis kinakain ng family ko

[asia]

^ I also have a friend who had no interest in cooking before she got married. And she was very outspoken about it - na hindi dahil magaasawa na sya eh required na syang matutong magluto - dahil marunong naman ang hubby-to-be nya. Then 2 weeks into the marriage, she already found herself in the kitchen, starting to learn how to cook. Hehe.

[tabbru]

^ I am 32 and I am getting married this January 2012. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO COOK. Walang exaggeration. Kahit simpleng dish wala akong alam. And I am scared kasi nga dahil mag-aasawa na ako, kailangan matuto ako kahit paano. I am scared of the responsibility. Oh well, bahala na hehe.

[asia]

Oh don't worry, Tabbru. I'm sure you're not alone sa fear na yan. Yung friend ko rin, kahit basic cooking, walang ka-idea-idea sa kitchen. Ayaw din naman nya mag-aral nun or kahit tumulong sa kitchen sa mom or sis nya kasi wala talaga syang interest sa pagluluto. Pero nung married na sya, hindi naman sa napilitan syang matuto, but more like ginusto na talaga nyang matuto para pareho sila ng hubby nyang magpeprepare sa kitchen - at nagsawa na rin sya sa take-outs. There were a lot of disastrous meals sa simula, pero she eventually learned the basics. Hehe.

[smoothie]

Mga sis, pare-pareho lang tayo! I got married in 2004. i did not know how to cook and did not have plans on learning. aside sa home economics nung highschool, wala akong naging training.
we were living with hubby's family so hindi ko inaalala yung pagluluto. But when I gave birth to my 2nd child and naka-leave ako I started cooking kasi walang food pag lunch. I started enjoying it.
Now that we moved out, nagluluto na ako.

Yes, I still have time to cook. If weekdays, it's usually bread or cereals for the kids tapos spread lang. My daughter goes to school at 5:10 in the morning so mauubos ang time ko kung lulutuan ko pa siya.
Lunch naman sa office. Dinner is my responsibility. I always start from scratch, I just cook what's enough for us. Hubby does not like leftovers. Pati sa rice pihikan siya. He only eats freshly cooked rice.
I only cook 1 ulam. Happy to say that meron pala akong talent sa cooking kasi sarap na sarap sila. haha! pero minsan sablay din. I just get the recipes from the internet. But sometimes pag wala talagang time, we just have the food delivered.
Pag weekends naman, I cook breakfast to dinner. Sundays, we have lunch outside.

So don't lose hope mga sis.

[aquacharly]

^^TABBRU.... the unfortunate reality is --  once married,  you gotta learn how to cook. Lol  It is satisfying to feed your family.  Now, the trick to keeping your sanity, for people like me who have no passion for cooking, is to have a lot of reliable  fall-backs for the times you just don't feel like cooking.  Plus, to master a couple of dishes you can turn out to perfection. 

Start with a workable menu of least resistance. That means food your husband wants to eat, and foods you can prepare or provide without aging faster due to stress/extreme effort.  Now, stretch the translation of "provide" beyond your own cooking to include home-cooked dishes (home-cooked as in other people's homes, hahaha) and take-out or food deliveries, and prepped food that need minimal cooking. 

A good starting point for menu planning is not a nutritionist, hahaha, but your MIL/your husband's family cook.  The phrase: "Like my mother's cooking/(name the dish...)" is double-edged. See, your husband grew up on a certain mix of flavors...  May taste like kanin-oink oink, lol, but he will look for  that taste he grew up on. So, never take it personally when he looks for his mother's cooking. Eventually, as you improve... You will hear:  "better than my mother's...". Or, not hear it anymore, lol -- my husband complains but keeps quiet when it's ok/better. Your appreciation will mostly come from your  kids who boast your cooking is yummy! .

Get a list of his comfort and favorite foods. Starting married life is challenging enough, so do not
complicate life by undertaking a re-education of his palate. (leave that for another year).  Try to  learn how such are cooked  from   your MIL/their cook.  Both will be flattered and willingly teach you.

Now, there will  be dishes your husband craves for that you just can't  cook, even  to save your neck.  I hate fish,  the sight  of uncooked fish makes  me hold my breathe . Weird coz I can clean and cook slimy pusit.  So my coping strategy is to hire cooks who are experts at cooking fish.   You will find your own strategy, for sure.   

Then, there are dishes too troublesome to cook for just 1 or 2.  Buy these from good restos/suppliers or request your mom or MIL to send you some when they  have such cooked in their homes. Examples: pancit palabok, kare-kare, sweet sour pork, etc..

TABBRU, I was once where you are now... then,  got to expeience "the joy of cooking"
So, do not say  you will never learn, you will.   But  make it easy by always keeping in mind the approach of "least resistance", and keeping it simple. 

[satisfiedgirl]

dinner lang usually.

[honey_iya]

Hindi din ako nagpursige matuto magluto dati kasi marunong magluto asawa ko,nung nag abroad siya sa IL's ko kami kumakain ng anak ko then naisip ko hindi naman pwedeng laging ganun, hindi habambuhay ganun ang set up kaya nagaral ako. palpak pa nung una,imagine yung sarsiadong isda nilagyan ko toyo hahaha. pero now puring-puri na ng asawa ko luto ko pati father-in-law ko na masarap magluto

[brownpinay]

Yup po ako I still cook...ang aming routine: paguwi ko from work dapat naka slice na ang mga dapat islice na veggie at meat. Pagkapahinga ko I will cook it, ito naman ang magiging ulam namin kabukasan.

Sa isang araw isang ulam lang naman kami kasi 4 lang naman kami sa house : Me, 2 kids (17 & 7 yo) at si maid since hubby is an OFW.  Madalas sa gabi na nga lang kami nakain ng akign dalaga sa house.

Si maid naman ang task sa kanya is mga prito prito.  Ayaw kasi ng aking mga anak ang luto ni maid, tinuturuan ko naman kaya lang iba talaga hindi sila nasasarapan...kaya pinagtyatyagaan ko talaga kahit na ang layo ng Marilao(house) at pasig(work), Para sa pamilya kahit na latang lata hehe

[honey_iya]

^Sis,ganyan routine ko dati sa gabi nagluluto ng ulam kaya lang mas nakakapagod kaya sa umaga nalang medyo malayo pala work mo,ako QC pero malayo parin

[brownpinay]

^late riser ako kasi sis at talagang lugo lugo sa umaga heheh...kaya sa gabi ako kasi Owl ata ako mas active ako sa gabi

[xiansmom]

yup...pero dinner lang
im sooo not a morning person kasi talaga,
ipagawa mo na sakin lahat sa gabi wag lang
sa umaga...tulaley ako nyan parang nakalutang ang katawang lupa ko

[dmarius18]

Sobrang nakaka-relate ako sa thread na ito!    Ako din, I started as a no-cook-wife LOL!  As in egg or hotdogs lang nasusunog ko pa.  Pressure din kasi my husband is Kapampangan at super galing magluto (think kaldereta, sisig, pinoy food galore).  Kaka-insecure talaga.  The past 2 years lang ako nag-aral magluto after 6 years of being married hehe.  Na-enganyo lang ako ng mga cooking shows.

Pero true na ang hirap talaga humanap ng time magluto.  Ginagawa ko mga ibang tips nyo dito - like cook in batches or cook during weekends.  I work at night kasi and madalas work from home ako.  Kaya when I finish work early, around 4 or 5am, I cook breakfast or anything na puede for the day.  Pag nasa mood lang ako LOL! 

May maid kami sa house pero paulit-ulit lang din ang niluluto like adobo, sinigang etc.  Minsan naman para maiba I search for recipes and try them out.  Ayun medyo benta din naman sa mga kids ko. 

Yung mga baon pag may time I cook in batches, like spaghetti or mga ulam.  Most of the time, sandwich for snacks, cereal for breakfast.  Pag weekend talaga may time to make a full-course meal - full production ito: salad, main dish pati dessert bake din ako!

Sana nga mas may time to cook kasi recently ko lang din nadiscover na nakaka-release sya ng stress at super enjoy ako.  I document my misadventures sa cooking in my blog hehe.  When I read it parang narerealize ko na natuto na din pala ako, fulfilling sya 

[young _lady08]

Yes talaga ako ang nagluluto ng dinner namin mas gusto ko kasi ako yung ngprepare at cook para sa asawa at anak ko sarap ng feeling

[hunny_ally]

I'm a stay at home mom now. But before when I was still working full-time with no maid, I don't have any choice but to the cooking for my husband and little girl. Some tips that help me survive working then cooking when I come home:

1) learn some easy to cook dishes. Something that you can whip under an hour (prep and cooking time). One such dish is steamed fish. The night before I marinate fish and veggies and place them in a foil. When I come home from office the next day, I place this inside the steamer basket of my rice cooker and let it cook together with the rice. less hugasan pa.

2) pagkabili ng meat from the grocrery, cut it immediately into serving sizes. it will be easier to defrost. I also prepare staples such as garlic and onions.

3) and speaking of defrosting, para di maubos time ninyo, before you leave in the morning, ibaba na ninyo sa ref part whatever meat you'll cook in the evening. Para pagdating ninyo, you won't wait pa for the meat to get defrosted.

4) i make a set menu every week. Then every weekend, pinapalambot ko na whatever meat I plan to cook. So on a work day all I have to do is add the veggies and other rekados

5) on nights when I don't feel like cooking (bad day at the office, etc), I take out. It doesn't need to be mcdo or jollibee. You can take out ulam from the canteen (good thing our canteen before serves really good food) or from stores such a pixie's or like what aquacharly said the chicken (and liempo) too from some supermarkets' rotisseries are good alternative. I just add mixed vegetables (corn, carrots and peas...I always have this) cooked in the microwave with a little butter or I prep soup to go with it.