Amber, I haven’t yet pulled out my laptop to comment on this post & the rest of the book, but your remarks about sensory overwhelm in meal preparation landed close to home & I wanted to share a few things that have really helped me (I used to be a raging bear in the kitchen).
1) I try to do meal prep like veggie chopping, broth making, dough making or meat marinating ahead of time (the previous night or earlier in the day). Whatever I can do before the official dinner prep time eases overstimulation greatly for me.
2) The crockpot is my favorite kitchen assistant & whenever I can I make our evening meal the evening before, pop it into the crockpot in the fridge, and then take it out and turn it on in the morning.
3) I make big batches of lunch foods like egg/tuna/chicken salad, sandwich meats & veggies, salad toppings, cold rice, & deviled eggs and then store them in the fridge for easy midday meals throughout the week. Big batches of muffins and sheet cakes also make great midday desserts or tea time snacks.
4) If I am hungry when it comes time to cook, I begin meal prep by first preparing myself a snack or a nutrient rich drink & then sitting down for 5-10 minutes and having that. Sometimes I share with the kiddos, sometimes I do that alone, but it changes the whole dynamic in the kitchen and then at the table.
I don't like cooking and did little of it as a single woman. Marrying into a Vietnamese-American family has shifted my view of food as I have experienced so much love, care and welcome via food from my husband's family. I'm working on shifting my own perspective as a mom and cultivate the ability to give that gift of connection through food to my kids.
I don't understand sourdough so I can't vouch to it or anything, but a lot of her other advice on the blog has served me well so I figured it was worth a share.
I have really enjoyed reading your notes and thoughts on this book! I was someone who maybe (probably) took too much pride in feeding my husband, church community and friends before I had kids, and got very burnt out when I couldn’t sustain that after my first child was born. It’s been a slow, meandering journey back to reclaiming my joy in cooking but I’ve finally found simple, sustainable rhythms and routines that that work for our now life. And reading your post on this book has been very inspiring and affirming.
I'm so glad! Cooking is truly such a joy, but it's also a lot of work, and I feel like when you have kids you learn that your standards have to be adjusted or you will go crazy :) I would say that I started cooking in earnest around the time right before we had our first baby, and then was able to continue that for a little while. But once the kids kept coming, I really had to adjust (and still am adjusting!). No more sweet potato noodles with homemade peanut sauce - one of my faves from those early days - just takes too long and is too involved.
I'm happy to hear you've found some simple, sustainable rhythms! I'd love to hear some of those if you'd like to share and I'm sure others would, too!
Thanks so much for sharing! I wondered if I was missing posts during the summer so thanks for clarifying. I have also started simplifying my meal offerings, rotating through the same 3 breakfast options for a week for example, so that I could devote more of the mental meal prep energy to how I serve, rather than what I serve. I have also noticed my 3yo more receptive to what we offer her, and less battles at mealtime just by serving from a posture of love instead of “just eat”
Hey Emily! Shoot, I tried to reach out to everyone I knew was reading along to let them know. I maybe missed you! I'm going to reach out via DM to make sure you have the Zoom details!
Love your reflections! Yes! I also have aspired to some simple rotations but haven't quite gotten there. I like cooking so much, and I also get bored easily, so I'm fighting that! But I do think it's what needs to happen. Thanks so much for sharing
I have loved what you have shared about how we show love and seek connection through preparing meals from this book though I haven't read it myself. We also do Azure Standard! They are so many items that I can't find at Costco - how lovely they have a drop in Mitchell!
Ah I'm so glad you were able to still benefit from the discussion here! It's a powerful book; you'd love it (as if you don't have enough books to read, lol). And yes, I know! I need to take advantage of it. I'd take a peek at your list of what you order if you want to share ;)
Amber, I haven’t yet pulled out my laptop to comment on this post & the rest of the book, but your remarks about sensory overwhelm in meal preparation landed close to home & I wanted to share a few things that have really helped me (I used to be a raging bear in the kitchen).
1) I try to do meal prep like veggie chopping, broth making, dough making or meat marinating ahead of time (the previous night or earlier in the day). Whatever I can do before the official dinner prep time eases overstimulation greatly for me.
2) The crockpot is my favorite kitchen assistant & whenever I can I make our evening meal the evening before, pop it into the crockpot in the fridge, and then take it out and turn it on in the morning.
3) I make big batches of lunch foods like egg/tuna/chicken salad, sandwich meats & veggies, salad toppings, cold rice, & deviled eggs and then store them in the fridge for easy midday meals throughout the week. Big batches of muffins and sheet cakes also make great midday desserts or tea time snacks.
4) If I am hungry when it comes time to cook, I begin meal prep by first preparing myself a snack or a nutrient rich drink & then sitting down for 5-10 minutes and having that. Sometimes I share with the kiddos, sometimes I do that alone, but it changes the whole dynamic in the kitchen and then at the table.
I don't like cooking and did little of it as a single woman. Marrying into a Vietnamese-American family has shifted my view of food as I have experienced so much love, care and welcome via food from my husband's family. I'm working on shifting my own perspective as a mom and cultivate the ability to give that gift of connection through food to my kids.
I must read, highly sensitive mumma here who gets overwhelmed/ overstimulated around food time and stressed about quality of food. ❤️
I need to read this book! Thank you Amber for your summary and reflection 💛
To your point about sourdough, one of my favorite homemaking blogs posted this - https://likemotherlikedaughter.org/2024/09/no-discard-sourdough-starter-start-your-journey/
I don't understand sourdough so I can't vouch to it or anything, but a lot of her other advice on the blog has served me well so I figured it was worth a share.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing. Yes, it is a little overwhelming to begin with. I was lucky enough to have people show me in person.
I have really enjoyed reading your notes and thoughts on this book! I was someone who maybe (probably) took too much pride in feeding my husband, church community and friends before I had kids, and got very burnt out when I couldn’t sustain that after my first child was born. It’s been a slow, meandering journey back to reclaiming my joy in cooking but I’ve finally found simple, sustainable rhythms and routines that that work for our now life. And reading your post on this book has been very inspiring and affirming.
I'm so glad! Cooking is truly such a joy, but it's also a lot of work, and I feel like when you have kids you learn that your standards have to be adjusted or you will go crazy :) I would say that I started cooking in earnest around the time right before we had our first baby, and then was able to continue that for a little while. But once the kids kept coming, I really had to adjust (and still am adjusting!). No more sweet potato noodles with homemade peanut sauce - one of my faves from those early days - just takes too long and is too involved.
I'm happy to hear you've found some simple, sustainable rhythms! I'd love to hear some of those if you'd like to share and I'm sure others would, too!
Thanks so much for sharing! I wondered if I was missing posts during the summer so thanks for clarifying. I have also started simplifying my meal offerings, rotating through the same 3 breakfast options for a week for example, so that I could devote more of the mental meal prep energy to how I serve, rather than what I serve. I have also noticed my 3yo more receptive to what we offer her, and less battles at mealtime just by serving from a posture of love instead of “just eat”
Hey Emily! Shoot, I tried to reach out to everyone I knew was reading along to let them know. I maybe missed you! I'm going to reach out via DM to make sure you have the Zoom details!
Love your reflections! Yes! I also have aspired to some simple rotations but haven't quite gotten there. I like cooking so much, and I also get bored easily, so I'm fighting that! But I do think it's what needs to happen. Thanks so much for sharing
I have loved what you have shared about how we show love and seek connection through preparing meals from this book though I haven't read it myself. We also do Azure Standard! They are so many items that I can't find at Costco - how lovely they have a drop in Mitchell!
Ah I'm so glad you were able to still benefit from the discussion here! It's a powerful book; you'd love it (as if you don't have enough books to read, lol). And yes, I know! I need to take advantage of it. I'd take a peek at your list of what you order if you want to share ;)
We order organic raisins, steel cut oats, dried beans, supplements, plant based soap, popcorn, etc
My husband accidentally threw away my sourdough starter and this post reminded me of that. 😆
Nooooo. Mine throws away other things of mine sometimes (why!?) but he mostly stays out of the kitchen