Being prepared is essential to overcoming life's challenges.  This is especially true of a working mother's dilemma of getting a wholesome and nutritious dinner on the table for her family.  But, because it is so important to have at least one meal a day together, this mom supplies her family with home cooking almost every night.

The pitfalls of the modern family meal are well chronicled: the varying schedules, the demanding diets (low carb, no wheat, no meat) and the fact that all too often the dinner so proudly displayed is greeted by a cheerful "Oh, that looks disgusting." For most working parents, even a 30-minute meal seems like a June Cleaver-era indulgence. By the time I walk in the door at 7:30 my children are off-the-wall hungry, even having had snacks. Ideally, dinner will take 15 minutes or less to put on the table...

Her motive was actually selfish, she did it for her own sanity, but as you see, everyone benefits with great food and wholesome conversation.

...Every working mother has to draw the line somewhere. Maybe my children would take their first steps with a babysitter, or perform in school plays with only their grandparents in attendance. But mom would cook their dinners.

Planning the week's meals on Sunday and preparing Monday and Tuesday's main courses, such as a roast, whole chicken, meatloaf, or meatballs takes discipline.  Friday is simply leftovers, while Wednesday is a great night for quick and easy things like mini pizzas (made with wheat pitas), pasta, or scrambled eggs. 

Of course everyone deserves a break and a cheat meal.  That is the fun of Thursday, which is reserved for take-out, and Saturdays involve stress free eating while the family is out-and-about. 

The beauty of this plan is that the majority of the meals are home cooked, a big step in the right direction of health and well-being.

Essentially, you'll want to train a few family members on how to cook simple items such as pasta and veggies, recruit Dad on occasion, and ask the sitter to start cooking items prior to your arrival home. 

Think in terms of taking baby steps, one small change at a time adds up to huge gains over the long run.  And remember; failing to prepare is like preparing to fail.