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-   -   Portable Dinners? (http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/community/showthread.php?t=523995)

Naxi 10-17-2017 04:01 AM

Portable Dinners?
 
Please can you help me with ideas for portable dinners?

We are out across dinner time several nights a week with Girl Guides and my boys' sports. We are looking for options that do not require us buying dinner out, living on pot noodles or waiting until 9pm to try and feed cantankerous children.

I should point out that my kids are picky eaters. Soups and casseroles are not really winners. I have even tried macaroni cheese in travel mugs, but apparently the "noodles are the wrong shape". I know this is another problem that needs to be addressed, but not at the same time.

:shrug3

Please help before DH pulls the plug on some much loved activities.

Thank you!

Natalie

mipennsn 10-17-2017 04:11 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
We just finished soccer season and my son wants to play basketball, but I don’t have many ideas. I have the same struggle for work lunches as I drive for work and eat while I drive. Think about lunch ideas and how they could be added to for dinners.

- sandwiches
- pizza pockets
- salads

WanderingJuniper 10-17-2017 04:14 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
What are things your children will eat?
Maybe we can brain storm to make them portable.

tempus vernum 10-17-2017 04:16 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
I answered the wrong question :shifty

But we eat at 3:30 if needed and dh reheats food. (We do not eat messy food typically in our cars. )

knitlove 10-17-2017 04:53 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
What are your normal meals?

We end up doing hummus and stuff a lot when traveling.

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mipennsn 10-17-2017 06:18 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
We have done quesadillas in the past for a portable meal.

Virginia 10-17-2017 06:38 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
Roll ups or wraps
Calzones
Salmon cakes (or something with a similar consistency... like a hearty pancake)

How would your kids respond if you said "we can either quit your fun activities or you can help me brainstorm portable dinners you'll actually eat?" And explain why you need them to eat portable dinners?


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MaySunflowers 10-17-2017 06:53 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
Do you have food thermoses or insulated bento boxes (Amazon sells some). Those make it possible to broaden heated meals, pasta, cottage pie, curries, stir fry...

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The Tickle Momster 10-17-2017 07:16 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
I gave up "fancy" dinners out. We do turkey hoagies on our regular night out. I also use my instant pot. It has a timwe so food is ready when we return. I'll do chicken in bbq sauce, teriyaki chicken (I make the rice ahead. It's usually still warm when we are ready for it.), soup, etc. You could premake pancakes and eat with pb cold.

tempus vernum 10-17-2017 07:17 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginia (Post 6111469)
Roll ups or wraps
Calzones
Salmon cakes (or something with a similar consistency... like a hearty pancake)

How would your kids respond if you said "we can either quit your fun activities or you can help me brainstorm portable dinners you'll actually eat?" And explain why you need them to eat portable dinners?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If I'm reading correctly, they are 11, 9 and 7? Unless there are SN, I would say the 11yo and 9yo are capable of responding to this. The 7yo not so much.

Depending on whether these are activities that help w mental health (for u or for your children), I might add a specific timeline to solve the problem. "We may need to quit if this isn't fixed by thanksgiving. I really need your input"

ViolaMum 10-17-2017 11:23 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
I agree, to at least ask the older ones and get their feedback. One of my friends has her kids pack their own lunches and meals out. She has guidelines they have to follow, but that way they at least get a choice. My older two will do that (12 and 10) but I pack for the other two. It's tough, because they are all picky in their own ways and even when they choose, they don't always like their own choices when it comes time to actually eat.

My kids won't eat soup or most casseroles, either. Things that work, at least occasionally:

Hand pies (you can make ahead in a big batch and keep in the freezer, reheat when you need them)

Muffaletta (basically a BIG pressed sandwich made from a whole loaf of bread that includes some sort of pickles)

yogurt parfaits (yogurt and fruit layered in mason jars)

spanakopita triangles

mac and cheese can be made into "muffins" by adding an egg custard - basically eggs and milk - and baking in muffins tins. You can add tasty things like bacon or sausage to entice them, or change up the cheeses. (I used to make them with leftover mac and cheese and add pureed squash/veggies to the sauce until my kids stopped eating mac and cheese.)

Cut up veggies and fruit

crackers, cheese, deli meat

anything on a stick - cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls, for instance, or even cold chicken satay

I use my crock pot and rice cooker so that food is ready when we get home if it's going to be a reasonable hour (before 7ish).

Aerynne 10-17-2017 11:35 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
Pizza rolls- like cinnamon rolls but with pizza stuff

My kids like Thai spring rolls and those travel so well

Cous cous and quick oats could be prepared when you need them with boiling water

Chips and bean dip

Little toothpick kabobs are fun and lots of options there.

Chocolate chip pancakes are good plain

2sunshines 10-18-2017 07:47 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
I cook big dinners when we are home so I never feel bad when we do simple on the go.

We mostly rely on things that are typical in sack lunches. Sandwiches, cheese and crackers, fruit, veggies and dip, granola, muffins, nuts, etc.

Any variety of salad is easy to eat on the go.

ECingMama 10-18-2017 08:17 PM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
what do their snacks look like?

My kids will eat anything when we are out IF THEY ARE HUNGRY. I use this to my advantage and only bring healthy food. They eat it. :)

Naxi 10-23-2017 08:54 AM

Re: Portable Dinners?
 
Thank you!

There are some really great ideas here. Not all of them will work for us, but even those have got my mind ticking away.

I do like the idea of needing to get it sorted by a date and getting the kids to help me. We are overloaded with activities this term (we have just moved to a different region of our city and are still doing things in our old area while we try and get established in the new), but we are planning big changes for the new year. I think they will understand that finding things to work during this term will have a significant impact on which activities are continued next year.

Thank you again. :)


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