Microwaves are a Sports Mom's Best Friend

Under ordinary circumstances, the microwave in my house functions solely as an expensive popcorn popper. microwave-oven

All that changes when sports seasons roll around. Suddenly, the microwave becomes one of the most useful items in my kitchen.

This summer is no exception. My daughter played summer basketball until it ended this week. Those games were played during the dinner hour, and she didn't want to eat dinner too close to an hourlong basketball game. So more often than not, she'd heat up some leftovers that I'd saved from the previous night's dinner. Then my son's cross-country coach decided to schedule evening practices instead of early mornings, which meant that he'd be eating his dinner at about 8:30 PM. I wound up serving his plate of food and refrigerating it until he got home and showered; then he'd warm it up in the microwave.

At the basketball games, I overheard a lot of moms talking about dinner. Most of them had multiple kids in multiple sports (even in summer). Judging by what I heard at the games, most of these families ate hot dogs or fast food several nights a week. But I can feed us three home-cooked dinners, at least, for what it would cost us to eat drive-thru food for one meal. It's just not an option for us on a regular basis, so I am challenged to figure out ways to feed my family quickly, sometimes with multiple seatings, without resorting to takeout.

If you're facing similar challenges, I highly recommend that you watch Robin Miller's show on the Food Network, or check out one of her cookbooks. She has great recommendations for "cook once, eat two or three times" meals. Even if you don't use her recipes, you can learn how to adapt your own family favorites to these techniques that allow you to save time on those busy days while still serving home-cooked meals.

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