Dinner for Two

It's usually just Audrey and I for dinner, so I've never been in the habit of making elaborate dinners. I do like to cook (most of the time), but it seems silly to make a 20 ingredient, mess of a big dinner for just the two of us. Often, I will make something on the weekends that will either leave us a couple days of leftovers or a big pot of soup. When I don't already have something in the fridge, I keep it pretty simple: pasta, some chicken and veggies, etc. Audrey is a pretty good eater. There aren't a lot of things that I eat that she won't, so dinner is usually easy.

Audrey at approx. 2 years old. Even then she was big on veggies

But she's always loved the sweets too :)

I did notice that I tend to involve her in deciding what we are having for dinner if I don't have something planned. I made a comment about it to my brother and he said he had wondered why I did that. I think this habit has added to getting her to eat most things. If I give her the option of say, broccoli or green beans, even though she likes both, she's much more likely to eat what she chooses. Teaching healthy eating habits is hard enough as it is, thanks to her persistent sweet tooth. I don't necessarily want her to think she always has to finish her plate, nor do I want to instill in her the idea that its wasteful to not eat food you don't want just because its in front of you. However, I do want her to understand that some foods have benefits - they're good for you, they keep you healthy, they help you grow - and it's important to eat those foods first rather than saving room for candy.

 

I also let her help me cook when it makes sense. Obviously, things that involve the stove or oven I do myself, but if its something she can stir or add ingredients, she's eager to help. If I can get her excited about cooking, show her what goes into her food and teach her about good healthy foods, its worth slowing down the process a bit sometimes.

I'm always looking for new recipes to add to our rotation, so I browse Pinterest and Foodgawker on my phone pretty often. Some dinner ideas to try soon: Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, Risotto Cakes, Great Greens Pasta.