Lunch prep & clean up timing

[mlc1982]

Just curious ...How long does it take you to prep lunch and then clean up? How much total time do you spend doing those tasks?

[playfelt]

Depends on what I am serving. Grilled cheese is less than 15 mintues start to table. Some other things need to boil for 20 minutes before I can start assembly. I get those kinds of meals started, then ask them to clean up our upstairs play area and then put things like puzzles or books or sorting type toys on the table. In between stirring I take each potty or do diaper. While they eat I empty dishwasher from night before and load what has collected in the sink. I then add lunch as I can and decide if I turn it on or wait depending on what we are having for supper.

[zen39]

I agree with playfelt, prep time is usually 15 minutes. Often, I'll be reheating already prepared meals or making something quickly in the frypan like grilled cheese. Clean-up time, I do while the children are eating their lunch.

[Sandbox Sally]

Yup, me too! 15 min is my max though. If it takes longer than that, I don't serve it. Here, lunch often consists of whatever my family had for dinner the night before - I just make extra for dck's. I also do most of my cleanup while the kids are eating, and by the time they're done and ready for diapers and nap, I am OFF DUTY!

[sunnydays]

I am about the same for prep time as it is usually made the night before and just has to be reheated (often actually it's about 5 minutes). However, my clean-up takes a lot longer I don't know where I'm going wrong, but it takes me a good 30 minutes (sometimes more) after the kids are sleeping to clean up the kitchen. I guess it's because a lot of things don't get washed properly in the dishwasher (plastic cups and bowls etc) so I have to do them by hand.

[mlc1982]

Kangaroomama - clean up seems to be my problem too, that's why I wondered how long it took other people. I do a lot by hand but also do a lot by dishwasher. It just seems to take forever to clean and i hate it! I try to do it while the kids are eating but that never seems to work. And I guess having leftovers every day would make prep time SO much easier. I always say I'm going to make more dinner but it never happens ...or DH just ends up eating more if it's there!

[mom-in-alberta]

I would say between 15-20 min average. Anything longer, doesn't get made around here, because the kids get antsy.
I do clean up while they are finishing as well, because that way, as the others have mentioned; after lunch is diapers, nap and I am free to eat my lunch and have MY time. LoL
I think the only way to cut down on clean up time is to make sure you have an empty dishwasher for the things that can go in, and a sinkful of soapy water to wash the kids dishes as you go. Sorry, no other advice, unless you want to start using paper plates, hahahaha.

[sunnydays]

I think it also depends on what you serve and the ages of the kids. I tend to serve a lot of messy things like pasta, rice, cous cous, etc and although I know sandwiches are a whole lot less messy, I feel it is worth the mess. Then there is the age factor...my kids are almost all under two so they are very messy eaters...everything ends up on the floor and in the booster seats. Plus, it is hard to do any cleaning while the eat because somebody always needs something and I need to monitor them more closely to make sure they are not throwing food, stealing food, dumping water, etc etc.

[mlc1982]

unless you want to start using paper plates, hahahaha.

I've actually contemplated doing this to save some time!

[playfelt]

I leave the messy foods for the parents to do so the kids can go from table to bath - no spagetti on the head here. I do a lot of finger foods like pasta but nothing smaller unless all use spoons. I keep them in highchairs as long as they are just learning then they move to the kid table. I use trays to put their food on - got them from the dollar store. And mine stay on cups with lids the whole time they are with me so no spilled drinks. Consider putting a cotton sheet under the chairs to catch foods and then shake it out the door after the meal and toss in the laundry as needed. I find the plastic does fine in the dishwasher if I rinse it off and make sure it isn't overloaded ie everythign is facing down to the water stream so am more likely to load and turn on the dishwasher than handwash. Major kitchen cleaning is more likely to be after our own dinner when I clean up ready to start for the next day.