One thing that somewhat surprised me on the survey at Henry's last yearly check up was the question asking us how many nights a week we eat dinner together as family. It didn't surprise me because it was hard to answer. It surprised me that a six year old might not eat dinner with his or her family every night. I am so grateful that at this stage of our life, we are able to slow down and eat dinner together almost every evening. I know this won't always be the case.
One thing that is challenging at this stage of our life with a one, three, and six year old, is their dependence on us. Making a good dinner can be somewhat difficult because there are little ones under foot begging for our attention.
I'm working on setting up traditions in our family and also helping them be more responsible for what takes place in the kitchen. One is to get the boys involved with the meal somehow, whether it is meal prep, setting the table, saying prayers, or cleaning up the table. Currently, Henry is the silverware setter. I can tell him what silverware we need, and he will get it and set it at each place. We have a pretty standard table prayer that our two older ones know and can lead. We've also trained them to clear their place. With these little traditions/expectations, they feel like they're a part of the meal even if they don't actually make it.
I've learned that at this stage of life, simple meals are best. If it's going to take more than 20-30 minutes of my time, I don't have time for it. One meal I can always count on is a good pasta dish. The boys gobble up pretty much any type of pasta. Today I wanted to share a super quick meal that we make probably every other week. It looks homemade, tastes fabulous, and the boys love it.
Super Simple Homestyle Pasta
You'll need:
Vegetable Rotini
Frozen meatballs
Shredded parmesan and shredded mozzarella
(I love to use veggie pasta because it's just one more way to sneak in a serving of vegetables. My boys don't know the difference!)
Place meatballs in a pan, cover with sauce, cover with a lid and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While that is simmering, heat up water for the pasta and boil according to the directions.
Drain the pasta. Top with the meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle on cheeses and enjoy!
I've struggled to find a good pasta sauce. Some can be too runny. Some can be too chunky to where the boys won't touch it.We'd been purchasing other sauces in the past and trying to add things to make them taste better, but there's no need for us to do that with this sauce. Ragu just came out with these Homestyle Thick and Hearty sauces that are truly fantastic. I used one in this recipe today. It is the perfect consistency and tastes amazing. It contains no artificial flavors, colors, or high fructose corn syrup, which makes me feel good about feeding it to my family.
Make sure to check out Ragu's website to find other great Ragu Pasta Sauce Recipes and learn about other great flavors of Ragu Homestyle Sauces.
I'm excited to be able to give away $10 Paypal cash to a lucky reader to make their own traditional meal with Ragu Homestyle sauce! All you need to do is head to Ragu Homestyle's website and tell me which flavor you would like to try! This giveaway will close on Thursday, May 19 at 8:00 pm CST and is open to anyone age 18 and up.
Linking up with: Thrifty Thursday, Idea Box, Friday Frenzy, and Party at My Place.
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