Juggling Act

 

We at The (real) Stepford Wives Association have been fast coping, adjusting and learning what works in our daily lives. We decided a share a few of our new normal successes that we couldn't emphasize enough have made our lives easier. 

It had to be hubris that led us to assume that we had honed our skills to the point where handling the new normal would be a snap. Short-term, yes, as usual we had plenty of paper products (who else recalls the great toilet paper shortage?) our pantry was stocked and we had little worries. Then those first trips to the market told us a different tale. One cannot live on mayonnaise alone. People panicked and even emptied the store of even salad (which lasts roughly a week at the utmost). For a while our shopping lists were simply guides of things we might want to buy. 

Also back in March, we assumed our children were home for an extended Spring-break, and a few of us worried that the school year might be extended by a month or more, dashing long made vacation plans. Our men, working from home added another layer. They required quiet to conduct their business. Many took to basements, home offices, or even the master bedroom suite, anywhere they could do their needed work in peace. By April it became painfully aware this wasn't ending. We withhold judgement as to why, as that is not our place as women. Our husbands certainly would have handled this differently. They have kept our families safe throughout this confusing period not one person in our group has gotten this virus. 

At first we focused, almost easily so on serving up comfort meals that were probably too rich and calorie laden, but made everyone feel better. As March, turned to April, we quickly realized nothing was going back and we shifted away to more healthy meals. Marketing with haphazard lists, required us to at least mentally keep an ongoing record of meals our families enjoy, so we could switch a meal or swap an ingredient without worry. 

We needed to rearrange our schedule for cleaning more on the fly as even our children switched to distance learning on a laptop provided by their school. It was far more relaxed than usual day for them. Again our men worried about their education, some making the decision to home school or add to their lessons. Others in our group decided to wait and see what the next school year would look like before making decisions. Most of us, as of this writing, have determined to homeschool for at least the next year or so of education. This offers us the most flexibility for our children's studies. It also requires a more regulated approach to cleaning, laundering, and cooking. 

Those all-encompassing shopping lists became even more detailed. Now that store selection has improved at least in our our corner of the United States, we can plan out more meals, menus, often begin loosely on ideas become finalized in the days ahead of shopping, which is now handled differently. We at the (real) Stepford Wives Association used to run to the grocery store every few days, picking up those few needed items so our families would have access to only the freshest ingredients. Now, we have been forced to amend that, and refrain from multiple trips, but buy most of we need every two weeks or even longer. We try to purchase enough fruit and vegetables to last a good week. We have said before the most expensive food you buy is the one that is thrown away. 

Food waste cannot always be avoided but it can certainly be mitigated. 

Cleaning is difficult, many of us are in that same boat. Our men need quiet, our children require the same to do their lessons or attend a noisy classroom Zoom meeting (we had to quickly learn all these new to us services since quite obviously, we spend little time online). Will we ever return to normal? Or will this just become a new version of normal, the latest in a long line of changes we're required to adapt to? Adapt we must and nothing gives us more pleasure than serving our men and families. Noisy housework is put off, we can't run the vacuum on demand. 

Here are a few of the tips that seemed to help our group: 

• Go through the freezer and see what might need to be used (allow ample time for defrosting) 
• Go through the pantry regularly to see what you already have on hand. 
• Plan meals for the week based on those items 
• Write the meals down (breakfast, lunch and dinners) 
• Create a shopping list of extra ingredients you might need (fresh herbs, etc) 
• Make a detailed shopping list of all items needed to replenish the pantry, refrigerator, freezer
• Try to become creative with snacks (buy nuts, large hunks of cheese and cut or grate them up yourself, dried fruits to add to salads, etc) 

A final note, to limit those trips to the store and make better use of your time shopping, use up most of the items in your pantry and freezer before planning the trip to the big box warehouse or butcher shop, to replenish the supply. Keep in mind as the seasons change you will want to adjust the menu, cooler weather, warmer food. Late summer is not the time to buy 5 pounds of hotdogs or hamburger patties. 

For large meals, remember it's just as simple to double a recipe and make something that can be stored in the freezer for an easy meal, such as a baked ziti, lasagna or even chicken or veal parmesan, chili, red beans (for red beans and rice), beans and ham hocks, enchiladas, chili verde, can all be frozen and used later for whole or partial meals. Label everything carefully and check those items frequently. You'll be grateful if we are slammed with a likely second wave of this virus. 

Also remember to keep your stock on hand of basic cleaning supplies, again, if we are hit with a second wave and required to go back into total safe at home mode, you'll be grateful to already have plenty of those precious cleaning items on hand. 

We at the (real) Stepford Wives Association hope these tips assist you in better planning.  

Back to Basics: Ode to the Shopping List

We, we at The (real) Stepford Wives Association need to reclaim lost habits that our mothers and grandmothers took for granted. This means for many of us a return to the list. At some point society dropped out of the list making, in favor of tools, like the Palm Pilot, the problem being one has to refer to it. Today the answer seems to be the smart phone.

It doesn't matter if you use a smart phone, or put pen to paper the idea of well organized list is important enough to mention. No self respecting Stepford wife would go grocery shopping without a detailed list of what to buy. Yet the shopping list isn't the beginning, but rather it falls somewhere in the middle.

First you must decide what to cook, each meal should be planned out on a daily basis. What does your family eat? Start with breakfast. If coffee is the first thing your husband reaches for or looks to be handed to him then make sure the coffee supply is sufficient. Next might be bread, eggs, flour and so forth. If orange juice is served, know how many oranges are needed for a glass of juice and buy accordingly. Or, if out of season, buy a good quality juice.

For lunchtime: Luncheon meats, can be purchased, based by the slice or by the pound. Depending on the type you buy for your family will determine the quantity. Take into account expiration dates. The most expensive food in your home is the one thrown away because it expired before it was eaten. What does your husband like on his sandwich or along side it, means taking more into account? Double check that there are extra condiments in case you run out. This includes red onion, pickles or whatever else your husband prefers.

For your dinners, plan ahead by pouring over recipes and always have a back-up plan. If you plan on making lasagna, it's just as easy to make two and freeze one for another day. know which ingredients are needed for each dish and buy accordingly. Don't assume you have dried thyme, check it. Never assume. Also take care you have enough wine, liquor for cocktails or whatever your husband prefers to imbibe in.

Desserts and snacks: Same as everything else. In our home dessert is usually reserved for the weekends, but if your family likes it, plan for it. Whatever you choose to make, make it with love and from scratch or don't bother. Great snacks also include, popcorn (you can make it yourself on the stove), nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruit, cheese, and even good quality crackers.

Following this simple idea will add more time to your week and we, at The (real) Stepford Wives Association really enjoy that idea.