Help.....I just need a boost of some fresh ideas for my family. I used to cook at home so much and really miss it, but those were the days were our nights weren't split 3 different ways and our kids were little.
I've read through pages and pages of ideas, but man, I just guess my family is wwaaayyyyy more plain/picky than I thought.
5-7nights a week are at soccer training, most week nights training could be anywhere from 5:30-8:30, could be as short as 90 mins or as long as 3 hours, and then games are on Friday nights, Sat & Sunday. The fields are approx 20 mins away, but most nights takes approx 35 mins due to traffic.
DD17 got a part time after-school job that she could have to go in as early as 4 or as late as 6. Takes 15-25 mins depending on traffic.
DH works clear across town, so I usually drop DD off at work on the way to the fields and DH meets us there. Some nights we both stay the entire time, and I do my walking laps, other nights I stay until he gets there and then go home and start cooking dinner, or some of us moms are in a rotation group to look after the kids for the duration of the training, so some nights I get to drop off and head back home, but DH still drives there to pick up.
So we have :
DH - a man of all meats, lol, I'd say typical mid-western tastes, would eat steak and potatoes 21 times a week, year round, likes almost anything out of a crockpot, just about any kind of casserole, very hearty meals, he's the only one..
Me- I strongly dislike most things that come out of a box (hamburger helper, stove top,
etc) I do not like tomatoes or tomato sauce, I would say I like seasonal eating, spring & summer I want fresh veggies & fruits, not hot heavy crockpot meals, not too keen on frozen foods either, no straight milk
DD17- is a lover of all salads, would rather starve all day that carry a lunchbox to school (idk)
DS12 - athlete - can't get carbs fast enough, would eat plain cooked pasta for B/L/D - has a strong aversion to any type of condiment or sauce, highly distrustful of cheese (except goldfish, cheeze-its & cheetos, lol) small amounts of dairy, recently opened up to the world of protein bars after years of trying
DS10 - athlete - either pecks like a bird or eats like he has a hallow leg, nothing in-between. weirdly enough likes fish sticks
So, my cooking times could potentially have to be as early as 4pm, and be something that can be held hot, until I can wrap it up and make a plate to bring DH at the field, OR as late as 8:30 at night.....kids pretty much shower & straight to bed on the late nights.
The extent of my custom orders is either omitting something small or adding something small. Such as cheese or no cheese on your sandwich, or sauce or no sauce on your pasta, I'm not looking to make 3 different meals each night.....
m, it was only about 40 mins round trip for her. 
) On our list: Pine State Biscuits and Trifecta Tavern ! (Any other recs?)
just want to give encouragement that you can do this!! It's amazing how much you save. The more you learn how to cook, the less you will want to eat out.
