Leaving home
By Modestah
@Modestah (11179)
United States
May 10, 2008 12:51am CST
I will be leaving home, taking the children with me and leaving my beloved to "fend for himself"
I am going to visit my mother for a few weeks, it is a long trip and the first time I will have seen her since my fathers passing last autumn.
Anyhow, my dear husband works awful hours and usually if he is not at work he is getting ready for work or sleeping.
I want to make him some easy to grab meals in advance so that he does not have to worry about taking time to cook or even think about what to cook while I am away. Of course most of the meals will have to be frozen... but they only need to be single serving dinners (or maybe double, he has a good appetite) we just have a small freezer on the fridge to use for this purpose so I want to plan well - and maybe utilize some of the tips people who do once a month cooking might have.... for smaller portions.
I always made a month of meals before having my babies so that I could take the time to bond and heal... but I am out of practice, lol.
Any suggestions of simple meals I can put together in advance for him - that will take very little effort on his part to heat and eat ?
He likes nearly everything but does not care for beans very much.
important to note: we do not have a microwave
but, we do have a large toaster/convection oven that he can use to heat things up in quicker than the stove oven.
Any and all suggestions welcome and appreciated!
you are a very resourceful group here!
2 people like this
7 responses
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
10 May 08
lasagna and casseroles always seem to work well with my family..some meatloaf to be cut up for sandwiches..precooked soup? or maybe a tupperware full of pre mixed egg salad or tuna,if he likes those.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 May 08
I love the casseroles too when I was making meals in advance for the family... but this will be just him and if I make a huge lasagna he is likely to get sick of it before too long... I wonder...
I betcha I could make a few pieces of lasagna in a small casserole instead - OR! if I can find jumbo shells anywhere around this town I could just cook up a one person portion of those stuffed like a lasagna! hey! great idea, thanks scarlet. He does like egg salad, but I do not know if that can be frozen, do you?
I am going to stay at moms for as long as I can... I mean, with all the money it is going to take in gas fees alone I want to get the most out of the trip...
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
10 May 08
um..i'm not sure about freezing it,but i do know it keeps pretty well in the bottom half of the fridge as long as it's sealed in there.
i usually buy some canned food just in case too if i go on vacation because my brother..is like leaving a puppy with a big bowl of food and expecting him not to eat it all in one day LOL
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
10 May 08
Hello Modestah. I have to say that you are a very nice wife, daughter and mother, so considerate and thoughtful as to think of how your hubby will live on during the days when you are away from home to see your mother with your kids.
Your nice discussion reminds me of a very nice and interesting story of an ancient Chinese story saying that the wife made a very huge cake for her husband and hung it around the neck of her hubby so that he could eat it whenever he felt hungry. The huge cake lasted him quite a few days before he finally consumed it and would have to start to cook his own meal as there was no more left...
Anyway, may you and your kid a very nice holiday at your mother's. Happy traveling, friend.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 May 08
how very kind your reply is, and such a joy to read. That is funny, hanging a cake from the husband's neck.... he did not have to search very far to find food for himself, haha.
Thank-you William jisir for your reply and sharing a bit of a story with us.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
10 May 08
I like to make plates of food, so I can put on the plate enough food to feel full, but not overeat. I use the divided dishes to make some quick meals. Also have freezer containers that can quickly be thawed for a meal.
I make pasta sauce and freeze it. You could freeze sandwiches, so he has them for lunch. My freezer always has a pie, which is cut into slices, so ready for a treat.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
10 May 08
I like the idea of freezing divided plates - not sure though that there will be enough room in our freezer...
I was thinking I will freeze the meals (as flat as I can) in foil packs - that way he can just place the foil pack in the toaster oven while he is getting dressed for work.
some things I will have on hand for him to grab for smaller meals or to go with a meal will be fresh fruit, sandwich fixins, tossed salad and cereals. I am sure he will also request big honkin space bags of chips!
@mummymo (23706)
•
12 May 08
Casseroles are always a good way to go sweety and I know they don't take too much time to defrost and reheat - easy if you bag them you can plonk them in a pot of boiling water and when ready just cut a corner of the food bag and pour the contents on to the plate, would also fit into awkward spaces in the freezer far better than a tub! Steak and mushroom is our favourite! When do you go? xxx
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
13 May 08
lets see you could make a pot roast, so you could have roastbeef and veggies for one meal, roast beef sandwich with a salad,
roast beef chopped with potato for a roast beef hash, pasta with veggies and some roast beef with italian tomato s auce.
Ham with veggies, creamed ham on toast.just a few ideas for
lunchs.
@vickmahon11 (32)
• United States
14 May 08
i can tell you exactly what to do sweet child! take the man to the store with you and say , 'you can have anything you want for yourself to eat while i am away. what would you like?' i betcha he'll hit the hungryman tv dinners, the cereal isle, the pb & j, and the sliced deli sections. what do ya think? or is he more of a steak on the grill kinda of guy? my man grills, he fries chicken, he makes spaghetti, loves tossed salad , so anyway i would not have the same issues with him that you do with your guy. he would just do his own thing.
just a thought. when you leaving?
luv ya
mama vickie
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
14 May 08
I am afraid he will be more likely to say - oh, whatever you think - or don't worry about me, I'll figure something out, don't go through any trouble. the last time I listened to that line he ate almost nothing besides cold cereal and peanutbutter sandwiches for 2 weeks.
So far all I have been doing is with each meal I prepare I have been saving aside an individual plate's worth and placing it in foil and then to the freezer - labeled with a sharpie as to the contents.
I figure he can just put the foil pack in the toaster oven as he is getting ready for work (he works late shift)
not quite sure of a departure date yet, waiting on some things before I go.
@vickmahon11 (32)
• United States
14 May 08
you sound like you are doing the smartest thing for yourself [peace of mind] and for his health, but the catch is, with all the good food there just like usual when you are at home.....hubby doesn't get that rare privelege of missing you and all that you do for him. there is something to be said for being appreciated and there is nothing like having what your used to....being gone for awhile....to make you very glad when the wife comes home again.
that was always my greatest joy when i came home from a trip to see my hubby's face break into a great big shining smile when his eye would catch sight of me coming down the ramp from the plane. he's self sufficient, but would rather i do it. so i didn't have to worry about him, but always enjoyed a very warm welcome home.
lots of luck sweet girl with hubby and the trip,
love
mama vickie
@itsmepinky (1300)
• India
12 May 08
Probably you can make him sandwiches , pasta , keep corn flakes for breakfast and some fruits to eat at night.
~Pinks~
