“How do you find time to cook meals for the parents or make homemade baby food when you have a baby in your care?” Neighborhood parents, friends, and other Nannies have asked me this question multiple times. It’s not hard! It simply takes planning and good organization skills….oh, and maybe a little creativity along the way!
Here are the tools I use for successful kitchen time that I hope many of you will find useful. 
*SHOP FOR THE WEEK– On Fridays I typically make a shopping list of fresh fruits and veggies I will need for making healthy baby foods and good meals for my Nanny Family for the following week. I do some grocery shopping for odds and ends items, but, typically the parents make the big Harris Teeter run during the weekend. Without proper planning on Friday we would be in a food shortage on Mondays. I don’t like hungry people. They’re mean. I can say this because I am one of them!
*THE ESSENTIAL LIST-“The List”….the list is important! “Where’s the list?” “Here’s the list?” “Did you make the list?” “I lost the list”
***“Don’t worry I emailed you a copy”*** Yes! I cover my bases!
Menu items and ingredients on “The List” is a must! I go though the pantry to make sure we aren’t low on any of the staple items so we don’t spend money on things we don’t need. My employers appreciate this. I make stars beside the “you REALLY need to get this” items. Our list contains four or five menus and the ingredients that need to be purchased for each recipe. This allows my employers to have a choice in the dishes they want to eat and they control the purchase price. I attach coupons for items on the list to show I really want to help in household spending and saving.
*USE TIME WISELY-I can easily do meals and baby foods while being a proper and playful Nanny because I don’t waste time. I can marinate meats or chop veggies while Baby J is in his high chair at breakfast. I can still see, talk, and nurture him while he is eating. I also use this morning time to pull out the baking dishes, mixers, and any other cooking tools I need while he is safely in his high chair. Nap times are perfect for meal prep. Of course, Nannies need their down time while little ones nap. But, you will find that once you get your cooking rhythm you will have time for both!
*BE KITCHEN SMART AND KITCHEN SAFE-Injuries and burns can occur when cooking with babies and small tots underfoot. Be sure to keep knives and cutting boards pushed back onto the kitchen counter to ensure that chubby, little hands don’t pull things down that could be hazardous. Keep handles of pots and pans turned inward and not accessible for children. Make sure your charges are in a safe location (in high chair, jumparoo, port-a-crib) when you remove hot water or foods from the stove. Keep them safe while you are placing foods in and out of the oven or microwave. Safety first!!
*CROCK POTS ARE YOUR FRIEND-Not having a Crock Pot is unimaginable in my world. They come in all shapes and sizes; have temperature controls, and timers to make them even more suitable for your needs. Sometimes I bring my preferred Crock Pot to work with me! You truly only need one, but, I am the Crock Pot Queen! I have Crock Pots (oval) that work best for cooking whole chickens or roasts. I have a triple crock (three small round crocks in one unit) that are useful in cooking a meat and two veggies. Then, there’s the trusted soup and stew Crock Pot (round) that is like a familiar friend. If you are new to Crock Pot Cooking here is a cookbook that I recommend. The Fix-It and Forget-It series of slow cooker recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good is amazingly simple. She has written Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly, Fix-It and Forget-It for the Diabetic, Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining and more. Visit www.goodbks.com. or find gently used copies on www.amazon.com.
*MAKE IT LEARNING AND FUN-Baby J is not unlike other little guys. He loves to be involved in whatever I’m doing! He’s “in charge of” the measuring cups and plastic bowls. He assists by putting his cute little hands around the wooden spoon and feels he is really helping Nanny. I love looking at his prideful face as this is great for his self esteem too! As you may see, cooking with children doesn’t have to mean that your attention is divided. It can mean learning and together time. It can lead to interest in healthier eating as they grow. Sometimes he plays in the portable crib while I sing songs about “chop, chop, chopping peppers” or “, slice, slicing sausage”. He likes hearing the knife hit against the cutting board and we talk about “fast” and “slow” as I control the chopping speed. . We smell the onions and taste the foods that are appropriate for him. He makes funny faces at some scents and laughs and signs for “more” at others. He sees the steam and we say “hot”. I run cold water and splash some on his high chair tray for him to explore. He feels the textures of the squash, corn on the cob and potatoes before I prep them. If he loses interest, which is rare, we turn on music with fun beats and sing along. I give him toys he see less frequently to make the time in his safe spot more enjoyable for him.
The price I pay for cooking for my Nanny Family and Baby J is little compared to the appreciation I receive from my employers and the joyful, healthy baby in my care! Happy cooking…explore experiment and share your recipes ideas with us!
Tracey Chipps has been a Professional Career Nanny for 18 years. During her career she has worked with a variety of types of families. She has experience with typically developing children as well as those with special needs. Tracey is the founder of Triangle Area Nanny Group (T.A.N.G.) in Durham, NC. If you would like more information on joining T.A.N.G, please email TANGnanny (at) gmail (dot) com . In the Spring of 2012 Tracey acquired her business license for Nanny 919, LLC, and is anxiously awaiting the grand opening.