[kashi]

Congratulations on your improvements, Brenda! It sounds like your work schedule is a lot better. I'm so glad you bought a child's cookbook, too. I hope you find time to use it.

I hear ya about not wanting to cook after work. I almost never want to, either. Even buying grocery store convenience items would be cheaper than $35-70 eating out per day, though! I find I have more energy and more time on the weekends, so I'll get up and make breakfast items for the week (banana bread, muffins, etc), make dinner and then freeze the leftovers for lunches or weeknight dinners (lasagna is great for that), and grocery shop for things I can just grab and go. A couple of days ago I made a delicious garbonzo bean salad - there's a couple of lunches or dinners right there, and it only took me about 10 minutes to throw together.

Also, consider a crockpot. Now that fall is rolling around, it's a great time to use it. All you have to do is dump in the ingredients before you leave for work, plug it in, and come home to the wonderful smell of dinner already ready for you!

You're doing great. You're making postive steps, and it takes time. Don't dismiss the idea of cooking! If you make the effort, before you know it, you'll be eating out less, and saving tons of money. If you think you don't have time, check out some cookbooks from the library - there are tons of 30 minute meal books out there now!

I second whomever said it is important to teach your children to cook - although I rejected it at a young age, it was one of the best things my mother ever did for me.