MOOKs in sports

[vanillacourage]

For the first time both my boys are simultaneously in sports. We got their schedules and when overlaid it's pretty common that both of them need to be at the field for a 5:30 game. (Which, as a working parent is irritating, but not the point of this post!)

Anyone have recommendations on how to get dinner into them on nights like that?  I don't want to do fast-food because it would be too often and cumulatively too expensive. Do you just give them a snack and save the real meal for after the game?  This would put them eating dinner right before bedtime some nights. 

[ProfessorArtNerd]

we eat a light meal or heavy snack on 6:00 practice nights. I can't imagine playing a baseball game or, in lucys case, cheer practice on a full stomach, blech. Then she will eat something else when she gets home

[shell24]

3 times a week we have stuff at 5:30. Worst time ever lol. I tend to feed them before hand. Something easy like grilled cheese and carrots, or pre-cooked chicken I can just heat up, and a veggie. Then they have a snack when we get home. That makes it easier for me because they can get their own snack while I put the baby to bed.

At least once a week I'm running through the Panera drive thru though.

[AHappierHour]

When I was in sports growing up we would eat a sandwich or something else easy to make before practice or games and eat dinner when we got home.

[stephm0188]

I do a snack and then we eat dinner afterward. I'll typically give him apple slices, peanutbutter, string cheese or a turkey and cheese wrap.

[revolution]

Dd has games and has to be at the field at 5:30. It is so hard! I have to work through lunches so I can leave early, pick up the kids, fly home, get her into her uniform, load the car up if it isn't already, throw food at the kids and out we go.

She picks out a snack to eat before the game/on the way to the game. And usually snacks during the game. Then we have sandwich or something at 8 / 8:30 when we get home.

I haven't figured out an easy way to do any of this yet.

[revolution]

May 25, 2015 13:20:41 GMT -5 AHappierHour said:

When I was in sports growing up we would eat a sandwich or something else easy to make before practice or games and eat dinner when we got home.

What kind of dinner when you get home? I can't imagine cooking a real meal at 8:30 at night. So we can eat at 9 or so. It's usually passed their bedtime by the time we get home as it is now.

[IrishBelle]

For our winter sports, we are away from 4:00 until 6:00. They each bring a snack with us to eat while they have their down time and then we eat dinner when we get home. When the times were later, we did dinner first and then a snack after.

Right now,older DD has swimming at 5:45 to 6:15 and younger DD from 6:15 to 6:45. They each have a snack while the other is in the pool. Dinner is after.

Dinner is either someone quick/easy that DH has made or something from the crockpot.

[JayhawkGirl]

We haven't hit this point yet but general life chaos has taught me that a small flour tortilla, then deli turkey then a slice of cheese rolled up makes a nice portable meal. It makes ahead nicely, doesn't mind getting squished and is easy for my son to eat in the car.


Eta meal for my little guy, snack for an older

[papie]

For some reason I thought this was about MOOCs (online teaching). I was wondering why you were so interested in them for sports.

On soccer nights we do sandwiches or something like that. Well, if it was at 5:30, we'd eat after. Our program is one night at 6:10 and one night at 7:10. Can I say how happy I am that Anna hates it and stopped playing, so I won't have two kids in the program at the same time? I'm hoping Sophia quits by the time Alex starts too, lol. 4 weeknights a week is too much for this mom.

[eddy]

Those nights are pb sandwich and an apple nights. They are fed well at school so I have no issue with just doing something easy.

[Deleted]

We do a snack at 530 and then dinner after we get home. Something easy. Sometimes sandwiches.

And sometimes we just do drive through.

[penguingrrl]

We have had a lot of 5:30 activities. I know it's really hard for the schedulers to strike a balance between late enough for work/commute for the parents (and coaches usually) but ending early enough for bedtime for the kids. On those nights we have a light snack before then something easy and quick after. Sometimes it's sandwiches, sometimes I will grill a bunch of chicken breasts on the weekend and throw that in the table cold and make a quick pot of couscous since that takes no time and mocrowave some veggies. I can get in the door and have that on the table in 15 minutes. Usually H will make sure the girls shower while I get food on the table so they're ready for bed. But my girls still go to bed earlier than their peers because they seem to just need more sleep than most kids.

[penguingrrl]

Oh, and if you have a Trader Koe's locally they make an awesome prepackaged grilled balsamic and rosemary chicken that I buy for quick dinners sometimes.

[Deleted]

we def do something light but filling. Like a sandwich or some raviolis or even cereal.
My son will often have a protein shake if we are really running crazy.

Then when we get home they have something small

[katb]

I have 3, in 3 different sports. It really is about portable meals. I don't work outside of the home for many hours so I make a lot of it during the day, but you could make some of these on the weekends or one night, and freeze.

Here are ideas that I make for my kids:
sandwiches (Seriously, it is okay to eat one for dinner - I had to get over the guilt, but it's all good, lol)
Bierocks (german meat pies - dough, meat, sausage - whatever you want to put in them) and they freeze great. I do the traditional meat, sausage, and saurkraut. I have also been toying with the idea of making them with taco meat and cheese. Also, meat, tomato sauce and pepperoni - I haven't tried the last two, but I will soon)
Mini tacos
Apple sandwiches - apple slices, lunch meat with cream cheese in between. Light and good protein.
Pancakes (also bonus can use them for sandwiches with an egg, bacon or lunch meat, cheese
egg burritos

I have thermos' for all the kids and I fill them up and they can eat in the car, on the sideline, or when we get home - I fill them up with:
tortelline, ham, broccoli (or spinach)
mac/cheese with peas/ham (or any meat - ground beef, etc)
spaghetti and meatballs
any kind of pasta, basil, tomatoes, and ham(or any protein - steak, chicken, etc)


Grilled chicken on a roll


I also pack tons of easy snacks - grapes, carrots, celery, edamame, hummus, guacamole, apples, berries, watermelon, etc

Sorry so long.

[wildfloweragain]

I try to get them dinner before hand. I try to have something already made for those nights if possible. Sometimes we go from one sport to the next with 3 kids ages 5-10, each in their different sports. Sometimes it's rotating sandwiches, whoever is not playing at that time is eating.

[Ohhmm(bligo)]

I, too, have no idea what MOOK means in this context.

We live off the concession stands this time of year. For practices, I do pizza or chicken nuggets or Subway.

I am home by 3 and can still hardly manage. I have no idea how families where both parents work normal hours do it.

[LLL]

He  gets a snack (usually something like a banana and a cheese stick) and milk before and then dinner after. 

[vanillacourage]

MOOK = Mom Of Older Kid