Getting prepared

[crazyinme]

As I was just finishing off baking the last of the chocolate chip cookies I got to thinking of what I can do once September comes and the kids go back to school and I start back to work to make things easier. At that point I will be 6 months preggo with twins so I know I will be exhausted come the end of the day so I was thinking of taking a day to bake up a bunch of cookies to freeze for snacks. Any other things you ladies have done to help make things easier on you and your families once you come into the third trimester. Especially being preggo with multiples I am a little nervous about what I am and am not going to be able (or want) to do.

[tm501]

I would really suggest that you start freezing meals. Even if you make a few huge batches of sauce and freeze that, I'm sure boiling pasta wouldn't be too bad to do. You can also start buying frozen cooked chicken breast now when it is on sale and then when you also have the sauce throw it over thawed cooked chicken breast and reheat with cheese and you have chicken parm. Casseroles would be great also. If you don't have crock pot, invest in 1 now and start playing around with it. Its great to throw stuff into in the am and in a few hours you have a wonderful meal.

I don't know how old your kids are, but if they don't have any chores as of now, maybe get them used to doing 1 thing say folding their own clothes and putting them away. This was by the time school starts they will be used to having to do it and its 1 less thing you need to.

[crazyinme]

Thanks Tina for the suggestions, anything I can start doing now to make things easier later I think will be a blessing. And as far as kids doing the laundry, we just started having my 8 year old take up all the folded laundry upstairs after I fold it.....she has even started putting her own away and her sisters to help out, and I must admit it is GREAT!! It saves me from carting it all up over the stairs, which being preggo, I must admit, wears me out pretty quick.

I also wanted to say congrats on the birth of your surrobabe........Hope you are home recovering well with your family!!

[tm501]

Originally Posted by crazyinme

Thanks Tina for the suggestions, anything I can start doing now to make things easier later I think will be a blessing. And as far as kids doing the laundry, we just started having my 8 year old take up all the folded laundry upstairs after I fold it.....she has even started putting her own away and her sisters to help out, and I must admit it is GREAT!! It saves me from carting it all up over the stairs, which being preggo, I must admit, wears me out pretty quick.

I also wanted to say congrats on the birth of your surrobabe........Hope you are home recovering well with your family!!

Thanks Nicole!!!

[babymakes2]

I agree with Tina on freezing meals ahead of time! I didn't do a ton of this but was grateful for every one I was able to pull out when I was really big and PP. For whatever reason, I did mostly italian foods. I made up a couple of different kinds of lasagna then froze in appropriate sizes (I was usually only making meals for 2) and I'd also get sourdough bread and prep it for garlic bread, then I'd just have to throw it in the oven and bake or broil it. Also, I'd buy a big bunch of spinach and the same day I would separate it into salad-sized portions and add whatever I wanted except dressing so I coudl always pull a couple out for dinner or one for me for lunch without having to think or prep. I also pre-made marinara and pesto sauces and froze them. I stocked up on packages of torillini and raviolis on sale and kept them in the freezer for quick meals too.

For chicken, I saw Rachel Ray say to buy it on sale and then pound it out like for chicken parm or picatta, then it will stack and freeze easy. I don't eat chicken but when I was cooking it for others, I'd do this and even made a filling for stuffed chicken and prep it all ahead of time, then freeze.

While I"m assuming you have tons of free space in your freezer you can also make freezer jam since its about to be time for berry picking, just because its delicious. And freezer breads along with your cookies for snacks.

I'd make burritos in big batches and then wrap individually in wax paper then foil, and freeze in big ziplocks. I did this for breakfast burritos and some with beans, cheese, rice, olives and avocado.

Whenever I made pancakes or waffles, I'd freeze the extras (with a pc of wax paper between them in a stack) for later.

Stock up on fresh frozen veggies so you don't have to think about fresh produce as much.

And for one suggestion that won't take up space in your freeze, lol, I also went to Costco several times and double stocked things I already like to keep on hand (TP, PT's, dried goods for snacks and anything that has a decent shelf life), so I had less trips to the store and never ran short of stuff for lunch boxes or the staples).