And I hate cooking on top of it. I honestly look at my mom friends who enjoy it and I think, the more I do it the more I'll like it. Nope, not the case. I'm just not that mom, and that's okay. I've eased up on myself a bit on this one, we have to, we can't be good at everything or enjoy everything that comes with motherhood. 

I work full-time outside of the home, so that probably adds to the dislike. When I get home at the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is cook dinner and fold/start/put up laundry (the black hole chore as I like to call it). I've already had a full day, ya know? 

But, alas, I'm an adult and it's part of the gig. 

So, I'm just going to lay it all out there, here's my 9:

The 5 Things I'd feed my kids every night if I could get away with it. 

and 

The 4 Ways I'm challenging myself to do better and feed our family real actual meals. Like on the stove. Or in the oven. And sometimes, wait for it...in the crockpot. 

Ah, even the photo, the easy handoff of cash in return for a bag full of food that I didn't have to prep or cook or even think about until that moment. Zero effort. Sounds nice right? 

It is, I won't pretend like I don't ever go through the drive-thru. But, I've reigned it in. The average fast-food meal has 1500 calories. Y'all. Sick. And not to mention, it adds up, fast-food has the ease but if you do this on a regular basis your bank account and your health will feel it. Keep it to a minimum. 

Here's a really simple little chart that breaks down home cooked meal calories vs fast food. 

True story, my dad worked for a well-known frozen pizza company all growing up. We had a separate freezer just for frozen pizzas. Ya know, you'd think after all that time I'd hate frozen pizza, I actually don't. But, I am super picky about which ones I buy when I do buy them. Knowledge is power. Here's a handy list of the 11 Healthiest and Unhealthiest Frozen Pizzas. 

Repeat after me, "cheese and crackers are a snack, not a meal," forever and on into eternity. 

My husband loves cheese and crackers - so, I actually think I could get away with feeding this and only this to my family every night for dinner. And bonus, I know my daughter would eat it, but this can't be my fall back every night. Plus, if I pack cheese and crackers in their lunches every day and then feed them that for dinner when they get home they'll think I'm boring or something 😉 

I'll be honest, I'm obsessed with cereal. You know at events in college there was always that ice-breaker question that was like, "If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?" I always said cereal -- there are so many different kinds, you can't get bored! It's the right answer to that question. 

But unfortunately, cereal is not a dinner meal. So, I've reserved cereal for only breakfast time at our house or it could legitimately become a problem. On nights where I'm wanting cereal -- I'll opt for a different breakfast item like eggs. Nothing too fancy, or my daughter won't eat it, I get my breakfast fix and it's cooking because it's on a stove-top, that's how you really know. 

This one is tough because I know my daughter will eat it. And truthfully, some nights I just don't want to fight it. So, grabbing that box out of the pantry is quick and easy. 

But, I've put the breaks on this and try and save it for the weekends. It's the perfect Saturday afternoon lunch -- and I don't have to put any thought into that meal anymore. 

Plus, I felt a little bit like a college girlfriend handing my husband a bowl of mac and cheese at night, I mean right? We gotta think of the guys in our lives too. 

Now onto the ways I'm trying to feed our family a "real meal." 

Casseroles, this takes a bit of planning on my part but it's worth the effort, they're easy/healthy and there are always leftovers. Those leftovers double as lunch for my husband and I the next day. We love leftovers in our home because we joke about how it feels like a free meal, I mean, I know it's not really -- but when my husband and I can laugh about our finances as opposed to stress over them -- I'll take it!! 

This is a casserole that's on my rotating list right now, it's so good, healthy, easy and bonus my kid likes it!

Healthy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole 

TIP: Use rotisserie chicken, will save you time not having to cook up your own when you get home! 

Now that it's getting warmer out I have to get creative with my crockpot meals. Because who wants soup when it's 70 degrees outside? Hard pass. 

During the summer months, I'll try and find easy chicken recipes that I can pair with potatoes and a veggie or meat for shredded chicken tacos or something like that. 

I'm digging this Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken - it's so yummy and a simple ingredient list. And little effort—Crockpots cook for you. Never forget. 

I have a trick up my sleeve for tacos and I'm reluctant to share it because it feels like I'm cheating and also it's so good the fact that I'm giving it away, means it's no longer mine. But, here goes. 

I called my local Mexican restaurant around the corner and asked them how much they'd sell me 1 LB of cooked ground beef for. (I know, I'm a freak. I honestly, just don't like touching raw meat AND on top of that we have cows in a field behind our house, double whammy). 

I can get 1 LB from them for $8, 1 LB of raw meat from the store is between $5-$6. So that extra $2 is 100% worth it to me! 

I get stuff to make tacos and swing in and pick that up on the way home, they also throw in chips and salsa! 

Whew - I feel like I just gave away a piece of myself with that one. 

And last, this one's actually the easiest of them all, poor sandwiches always getting looked over at dinner time. They're so easy and take little thought/prep (i.e. working mom magic). 

Here's a favorite of ours, Turkey Bacon and Avocado Panini 

• 1 Ciabatta Sandwich Roll
• 2 slices of mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 medium tomato, sliced
• 5 thin slices of Hillshire Farm® Farm Classics® Turkey
• 3 slices bacon, cut in half and cooked {for a total of 6 pieces}
• 1/4 avocado, mashed
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. salted butter

You can find the full recipe for a turkey, bacon, avocado panini here. 

P.S. If you don't have a panini press, this one works cold as well, just exclude the butter! 

Week One 

Monday: Crockpot Meal (because Monday cooking is the worst) 

Tuesday: Frozen Pizza and Side Salad 

Wednesday: Casserole 

Thursday: Leftovers or Sandwiches  

Friday: Take Out 

Week Two 

Monday: Spaghetti or Fancy Mac and Cheese 

Tuesday: Omelets 

Wednesday: Paninis 

Thursday: Tacos 

Friday: Order Pizza (Friday's are my give-up day)