↑
  • Start Here
    • Home
    • About Practical Mommy
    • Work With Me
    • Contact Me
  • Work at Home
    • Detailed How-To Guide
    • Blogging Resources
  • Mom Hacks
    • Mom Hacks
    • Mommy Style
  • Parenting
    • Parenting
    • Parenting Lounge
  • Motherhood
    • Pregnancy
    • Relationships

Practical Mommy

  • Start Here
    • Home
    • About Practical Mommy
    • Work With Me
    • Contact Me
  • Work at Home
    • Detailed How-To Guide
    • Blogging Resources
  • Mom Hacks
    • Mom Hacks
    • Mommy Style
  • Parenting
    • Parenting
    • Parenting Lounge
  • Motherhood
    • Pregnancy
    • Relationships

5 Minute Meals You Need To Survive Mommyhood

By Kristen Miller | Disclosure Policy: This post may include affiliate links.

Share on Facebook
Facebook
0Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
0Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
0

Let me set the scene for you. It was 5:30pm, after a long day at work. I had just picked up my kids from daycare and shuffled them into the house. I was 8 eight months pregnant and EXHAUSTED. The house was a mess because we were packing to move in a few months (yes, I moved states with a newborn!) My kids were asking what was for dinner and like usual, I had no freaking clue.

But what I did have was a mental list of all the easiest meals I could throw together in literally 5 minutes for my 2 and 4 year old.

5 minute meals for moms of little kids

Now, I’m not saying these are awesome meals to have every day. Because to be completely honest, the nutritional quality of some of these meals is definitely questionable. But when you are in motherhood survival mode, then feeding them at all is a win.

In no particular order, we have:

5 Minute Meals You Need To Survive Mommyhood

Eggs and Toast – You will definitely see eggs on this list quite a few times. I thank my lucky stars that my kids will actually eat scrambled eggs because there is tons of protein and they take such a short time to cook.

5 minute meals

Snack Dinner – This one is my fave! I am probably not the first mom to come up with snack dinner, but I am quite proud of the fact that I made it up all by myself. Well, really my kids did, sort of. They wanted a cheese stick, grapes and crackers one night and I was like, “You just want snacks!” Thus Snack Dinner was born. It can be anything you personally have in your pantry that is usually a snack, but when placed next to a few other snacks on a plate – it becomes Snack Dinner,

Bag Meal – I tell people about bag meals all the time and they don’t know what I’m talking about. Do you? They are literally meals in a bag in the freezer section. They’re usually some kind of pasta dinner. You dump it in a pan, cover and cook for ten minutes. I know it’s not technically 5 minutes, but you don’t do anything except dump it in the pan, so it is on the list.

Frozen Dinner – Slightly different than a bag meal, although still found in the frozen aisle. They used to be called “TV dinners” but I think that dates me. I don’t think people call them TV dinners anymore. They’re just frozen meals. They are quick and easy and there are even tons of healthy options.

Leftovers – This is an awesome option especially if the kids loved it the first night. You’re almost guaranteed a stress free dining experience.

Quesadilla – What could be simpler than a tortilla and cheese? You might get a little fancy by adding some chicken, veggies or salsa to the ‘Dilla too, but definitely not necessary. And don’t forget the easy-peasy microwave version if you really need a quick meal.

Chicken Nuggets – Once upon a time, I told myself I didn’t want to be the kind of mom who served her kids chicken nuggets and Mac n cheese at every meal. Of course, that was the pre-kids version of me. Now I know what a godsend microwave chicken nuggets are.

Delivery – When even eggs and toast seems like an impossible task, you can try calling someplace to deliver. Helpful Hint: be sure to call about 45 minutes in advance of when you usually have dinner to allow for the delivery window.

Pasta and frozen veggies – Most pasta can usually be boiled fairly quickly. Boiling the darn water usually takes longer than actually cooking the pasta! Add some jarred sauce and frozen veggies and you have yourself a pretty healthy and quick homemade meal. Score!

Ravioli – Similar to the previous meal option (pasta and veggies), we have a delightful Ravioli dinner. You can find heathy fresh packages in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. They usually have a longish expiration date and cook quickly in boiled water. Add some jarred sauce and you have another winner of a quick meal for the family.

PB&J – This one I call a desperation dinner. It’s so easy to slap some bread, peanut butter and jelly together. Add a cheese stick on the side and you’ve managed to hit some major food groups – dairy, protein, fruit, and starch.

Easy Mac – At least I know my kids will eat it.

Here’s a post I wrote about not wanting to be a “mac and cheese mom” and then it happened LOL.

5 minute meals

More ideas:

Pancakes
French Toast
Hot dogs
Toaster waffles
Canned soup

What’s your go-to 5 minute meal? Let’s add it to the list.

Share on Facebook
Facebook
0Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
0Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on StumbleUpon
StumbleUpon
0

Filed Under: Mommy Hacks, Motherhood

Comments

  1. Beatrix says

    January 19, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    Smoothies, canned mac n’ cheese, soup, those are some of the things that are easy to make in desperate times.

    Reply
  2. Amber| Penandparent says

    November 12, 2017 at 9:15 am

    Well, I hear you as a working mom, struggling to find something to make for dinner. I use the eggs on toast one a lot. Another quick meal for my kiddos is broccoli with butter. Throw a bag in the microwave and there you go. Or avocado with cheese sticks. Or cucumbers with hummus. That is for the great meal ideas.

    Reply
    • Kristen Miller says

      November 14, 2017 at 6:04 am

      Great ideas! Our family joke is that breakfast for dinner is my specialty.

      Reply
  3. Dee says

    November 11, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    Grilled cheese sandwich, bean burrito (canned refried beans on a tortilla-salsa and cheese optional)

    Great ideas for hectic times.

    Reply
    • Kristen Miller says

      November 14, 2017 at 6:05 am

      Love these!!!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A 30-something Mommy to 2 darling girls (2 and 4) and a newborn baby boy. I love reading, writing, trying new beers with my husband and binge watching series on Netflix.

Looking for something?

Connect

Looking for something?

Connect

Most Recent Post

  • How to Create a Successful Work From Home Routine!
  • About Practical Mommy
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Contact Me
© Practical Mommy 2015. Permission granted to use images with a clear link back to the page. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.


Copyright ©2021, Practical Mommy. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs