Meal plans for nursing students with families

amoLucia · Apr 22, 2015

I'm one person alone. I make big casseroles in the 13 x 9 dishes and then I break them up into smaller servings. Make several DIFFERENT casseroles at a time so that you'll have variety.

"Dump" dishes are good as they offer variety with easy ingredients.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2015

Picky stops being picky if he gets hungry enough. :) When my kids were picky, I didn't go out of my way to feed them food I knew they hated, but I put simple, nutritious food on the table and if they ate it, they ate it; if they didn't, they didn't. If all they wanted was the mashed potatoes and not the veggies or the meat dish, then they ate mashed potatoes. They didn't get something else, though. And no dessert. Well, we hardly ever had dessert anyway.

It takes the average human about three weeks of actual starvation to die. I found that a useful statistic when I was dealing with picky.

Picky seemed to go away pretty quick if I served myself with something new but didn't give them any, starting when they were around two. Suspicious looks ensued. "What dat?" "Oh, it's broccoli, it's grownup food, you wouldn't like it." "I want dat. You give me some of dat." "Well, OK, I guess." (Broccoli is tasted. Indignant looks ensue.) "Dat good! I want more of dat!" "Well, there is a little more in the kitchen, so I suppose I could share with you."

And if they didn't like it, no problem. I was able to keep them off sushi and sashimi until they were like 8 and 11 with this, "grown-up food, you wouldn't like it," but then suspicion got the better of them and it started getting expensive. :)

Another approach is to get "Bread and Jam for Frances," a wonderful little book that should be about right for a 7 year old (or even younger). Frances announces that all she wants to eat is bread and jam. Her mom says, "OK," and gives it to her for breakfast and in her lunch box for school that day. Ecstasy, bliss! Classmates are jealous! When Frances comes home from school, her snack is waiting for her on the counter: bread and jam. She likes it well enough. She gets bread and jam for dinner, and for breakfast the next day, and for lunch and snack. She isn't ravenous for lunch, and doesn't actually finish the snack.

That evening the rest of the family is having pork chops, green beans, and mashed potatoes with gravy, her former favorite meal (if memory serves... my "Frances" is 35 this year!) and she is happy to see it, but her mother gives her a plate with bread and jam on it. She breaks into tears and says she's had enough, and her mother says, "Well, there is another pork chop in the kitchen if you want it." Moral of the story is clear.

As to meal planning: It's as easy-peasy to make 8 qts of spaghetti sauce as easily as two. Pack extra in freezer bags in one-meal sized portions.

Likewise a big pot of stew, macaroni and cheese, chili, or the like.

We would buy a small turkey or a huge chicken and make a game of taking it apart, mixing the meat with gravy (no one will censure you if you buy a jar of gravy or two), and some frozen mixed veggies, and freezing the lot in serving-sized freezer baggies. Thaw and top with some biscuit dough (homemade or in the can) and bake in the oven ... instant pot pies, and who doesn't love that?

Two words: Crock pot.

Payday pizza was always big around here.

OWL stew (no actual owls are harmed in making this recipe): Big dutch oven. Layer:

1) lamb, beef, or chicken meat cut into (or bought as) stew-sized pieces on bottom

2) Cut up potatoes and carrots next

3) One large can plus one small can cream-of-anything soup; pour over top, do NOT stir

4) One can of cranberry sauce or jelly; push down in the center of the pot. Do NOT stir.

Put the lid on and throw it in the oven at 250* or so for a couple of hours, or prepare it ahead and set your oven for time bake so it will have been in there for around 2 1/2 hours when you come home from school. Yummy stew. I learned this in Scouts and still make it sometimes.

Tinfoil dinners: Kid can make his own and I guarantee he'll eat it. Heat up the oven to 425* or so.

Every person gets two really big pieces of tinfoil, one on top of the other because you're going to make a double-layered pouch.

Each person adds what s/he wants for dinner. Suggestions:

hamburger or other meat or fish, cut small

canned or frozen vegies

pineapple bits (yep!)

instant rice or potatoes, a few Tbsp (it grows) (add an equal amt of juice from the veggies or pineapple if you use this)

applesauce

shredded cheese

Fold up the sides and ends of the foil, and seal it at the top and ends. You're going to be steaming the contents, so make it tight. Label each one with marker! Put them on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven until you can smell the steam, probably around 20 minutes. Put packet on a plate, cut open (watch out for hot steam), add condiments. Bonus! If you're careful, there are no dishes to wash.

edmia, BSN, RN · Apr 22, 2015

Completely agree with Green's advice for the picky eaters. I simply cooked nutritious food for the family and served it. Didn't make a big deal if the kids decided not to eat something, but never made them a special meal. That's what causes picky eating.

A slow cooker is great for cooking ahead and there are many healthy recipes out there now.

Plan things out and it will be ok.

Sent from my iPhone -- blame all errors on spellcheck

amoLucia · Apr 22, 2015

GrnTea - just love your Mommy approach to Picky's pickiness!!!

Your recipes are like my 'dump' recipes. Easy does it!

e16nurse · Apr 22, 2015

Oh I don't make anything special. But I do try to incorporate something she may like. She's gone without dinner on occasions. We say the "you get what you get and don't throw a fit."

e16nurse · Apr 22, 2015

Thanks for the suggestions! ðŸ˜‰

mirandaaa · Apr 22, 2015

PINTEREST!!! :up: