Convenience Paleo Food or lack thereof?

 I had just done the unthinkable that evening. I had thrown three bags of frozen raviolis in a pot for a quick two second meal. My "must be paleo" 13 year old was at a campout and I didn't need dinner for him and I have no problem throwing some kale and eggs in a pan for me, so I had grabbed three bags of horribleness. The entire time I was lamenting about how I just can't get this "I need quick paleo food" thing together. And let's face it. Stay-at-home moms of 6 kids NEED, and I mean need, quick easy dinners. I can't possibly be the only one who screws days up and doesn't have dinner ready when I need dinner ready.  And let's be real here. Most of these women on paleo blogs show the most amazing 10-star meals at every meal and here I am freaking out with my stupid bags of raviolis because I am having a meltdown that I ran out of time getting my son's camping stuff ready and literally have 5 minutes to have a meal made. Yeah, I didn't have short ribs sitting in the crockpot that came from the local butcher shop. I needed a life line.

As they ate the horribleness, my sweet husband watched the kids so I could go for a nice walk. 3 miles with just me, my iPhone, and the most recent episode of the Paleo View. If you haven't listened to these, you are missing out. Combine Sarah's scientific prowess with Stacy's down-to-earth wise cracks and it's just my cup of tea. It has the best of both Kim worlds, sarcasm and science. Be still my heart. Anyways..... click the image to find the podcasts:

I started it and within moments realized this episode was kismut. Wait for it... Paleo convenience foods via a chat with the fab duo from Rich Food Poor Food and Naked Calories. OH and Vitamin D of course! So between convenience food and getting sun I was ready for a good time. Anyways so they ask them about Paleo convenience foods. And sigh.......... big sigh.............. they say the one thing I knew they'd say that I wish they didn't. Basically that there is no amazing frozen food to just grab and throw in a pot like my horribleness raviolis. I literally sighed as I was walking. I almost wanted to scream that I just can't do this! I can't move my family completely to eating this way if I can't have something on days where I am kind of a mom failure in the meal department. They had suggestions like a sous vide and don't get me wrong I wish I had $500 for something like that but I don't. I'll revisit that cool device another day. I had really expected answers. These two moms who have lived this way for years had no answers, and neither did the two authors who scoured the stores looking at nutritional information for their book.

So I'm left without the best answers for paleo convenience foods. Yes, I need to cook extra and freeze it. But alas I needed to do that before paleo. And I need to make sure and always plan ahead so that doesn't happen, but I needed to do that before as well. I need answers on that front. I may never be perfect menu planned mom. And I may never be "I never screw my day up and am super late for life" mom. BUT I also don't want to be "throw a few bags of crappy raviolis" in the pot mom either.

And now the world, aka the no one who knows my blog exists LOL, realizes this isn't the "I have all the answers" blog. It's the "I'm trying to figure this paleo mom thing out" blog. But I'm inspired. I need an arsenal of quick family paleo dinners. An arsenal! Because well... this certainly won't be the last time I need to quickest paleo dinner in the history in the world so my husband and kids don't freak out. My brain is going going going right now with ideas. Those should be coming soon soon soon.

AND there are so much more from that episode of the View. The Vitamin D talk had me reeling and reeling. I need to relisten to it though. I'm not quick enough to gain all that goodness the first time around. It's my new favorite micro-nutrient and need to learn about it more! Until next time folks.