“We’ve stopped rushing meals and now all eat together in the evenings”

Mealtimes changed quite a lot for us during lockdown. Before, what and when we’d eat revolved around getting the boys to and from nursery. We had to be really organised in the mornings but sometimes we’d end up rushing meals so they’d get there on time and then afterwards our focus would be on getting something quick as they’d both be hungry. Not having to do the nursery run has given me a lot more time to cook for the family and plan what we’re going to eat.

Now I find myself thinking about what we are going to have for dinner the night before, which is a great habit that I’m keen to keep up. I appreciate the time that having meals together allows us to spend as a family. Hotpoint’s research really resonated with us, as during lockdown we’ve eaten together much more, and Kate and I will actually sit and enjoy a proper meal with the boys at 4:30pm, which has brought us closer.

“The amount we were baking got a bit out of hand - we couldn’t live without our banana bread pudding”

I’ve always loved to bake and being at home during lockdown only meant I had more time to do it. At one point, I was baking banana bread two or three times a week, adding chocolate chips for the boys who are massive fans. My dad used to us make pizzas when we were younger, and I guess I’ve been following in his footsteps as this is another thing, I have a fascination with. I used to make pizzas from scratch a few years ago but once the boys came along, I didn’t have as much time to spend doing it as I used to.

Lockdown gave me the time to reignite this passion, only this time we got the boys involved, and together we’ve been creating some amazing pizzas with all sorts of toppings, making the most of what ingredients we have in the fridge so nothing goes to waste. It’s a great activity to do with kids, although I’m not sure the pizzas would make the grade for my dad as he’s a perfectionist.

“We’ve learnt a lot spending more time together as a family”

Lockdown has been very difficult for everyone and I think for us the positivity and bond between our two sons, spending every day together for 6 months, has brought them closer than ever. I think it’s brilliant for a family to have had the time to spend together. Being able to slow down and really appreciate the small things in life like spending time with my family in our home has been the most important thing and what I’ve really taken away from lockdown.

We’ve also made some positive changes to our shopping habits. We now only do two shops a week and try and avoid topping up. One way we’ve found to reduce the amount of waste in our household is to use more frozen fruit and veg. We’ll definitely be making a conscious effort to reduce the amount we are shopping, as well as to continue eating together because I think it plays an important part in any family bond.

DayWithDad's Fakeaway chicken curry recipe

For when you're craving take away food but want a home-cooked meal, DayWithDad's fakeaway chicken curry is sure to be a hit with all the family.

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