Working mums

I am going back to work after baby 2 what i would like to know from mums who work until 5pm what time do you have dinner or how do you work dinner?

Ethan is usually ready for dinner about 5.30 but i won't have it ready by then.

SAHM's please feel free to add your comments.

I get the other half to make it

My DH is SAHD so he usually does dinner. Also I take a short lunch break and am home from work by 4.30pm each day. It is enough time for me to organise dinner by 5.30-6pm (our usual time) to give him the odd night off. I think if you live close enough to work you'll be able to have dinner ready at 6pm but as an alternative, can you knock off at 4.30pm to start?

Thanks ladies.

My DF works later than me so that doesn't work. I think I just need to start meal planning and being more on to it.

meal planning and crockpots - but also having "dinner-ish" snacks the kids can have if they are hungry before tea is ready - carrot sticks and hummus - easy to prepare the night before; fruit cut into pieces. I let them snack on those while i prepare tea for them - I often will make them something different on work nights from DH and myself

I'm home at around 4.30 and to occupy Caitlin I get her to "help" me cook dinner. Just things like throwing the food in the pan etc, takes the edge off having to run around like a mad thing and the plus side is that you get to spend quality time with them

Planning and preparation are the 2 key things.
I work until 5:30pm and am never hope until 6pm or later. DH picks up the girls and gets them home from daycare and gives them pre-prepared or easy to make snacks.
Gina has things like toast with cold chicken sliced/boiled egg/cheese/pate; fruit; raisins; little sausages; pasta snacks; noodles - all those can be ready in 10 min.
Emma will often just have a jar of baby food.
- This way they are fed and happy and can play around until dinnertime - which is often around 7pm at our house. I tend to make easy things for dinner too - ie stir-frys and I buy a lot of convinient stuff like pre-chopped stir-fry veggies; washed lettuce; sliced mushrooms - every bit helps to save time.
And if all else fails, takeaways

I find making easy things like stir-fry works during the week, or a bbq, just something simple because i wasnt getting home till about 6ish, and after being stuck in traffic just didnt feel like making tea at all!!!

I negotiated flexible working hours with my Manager and now work 8-4 which makes a HUGE difference. DP works 5-9 so we don't have to pick up or drop off at daycare.

I still cook Caleb a big pot of meat and veges once every three weeks and freeze them as he is ready for dinner at about 5pm which is too early for us to eat. He can sit in his highchair having some fruit while I chop up veges for a stir fry etc.

We have salads every night atm which is really quick and easy and there are hardly any dishes to do. I also make DP frozen meals that he takes to work to eat so I may have one night that I cook him 1-2 weeks worth of meals while cooking our dinner. On those nights typically I'll make a big pot of mince (burritos for us and mince, pasta and veges for him - enough for say 3-4 nights).

In winter we use the crockpot a lot for stews etc. I make a big pot of pea and ham soup in the weekend so I know we are getting our veges then I'm not worried about serving it up with a toastie. I also do a roast on Sunday night with leftovers for us on Monday, and often can make DP a weeks worth of frozen meals out of the leftovers.

Friday nights are usually takeaway type of meals from the frozen food section (fish and chips, pies, pizza, spring rolls etc).