This conversation is graciously sponsored by Tyson®. All opinions are my own.
In this post I share the little things that sometimes keep me from getting supper, lunch, or breakfast on the table. I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!
I’m sure you can relate: homeschooling, two parents working full time, a teenager, a pre-teen and her best friend, chorus, band practice, concerts, volunteer roles for everyone — life fills up fast. The best-laid plans get sidetracked. Appointments pop up, schedules change, and, well, life happens.
Today I’m sharing a freezer staple that’s been in my house since my son was a toddler — my secret weapon that prevents starvation when Mom is busy, out of town, tied up, or temporarily overwhelmed by a crazy schedule.
Frozen corn dogs. Honestly, who can resist a crunchy cornbread coating wrapped around a stick of protein? Not me. Smother it in mustard and I’ll be elbowing my way to it. In elementary school I remember getting that single packet of mustard and squeezing it all over, then using the empty packet to spread it until every bite had mustard. Ketchup kids just dipped; mustard people went all in.
I also buy “breakfast corn dogs” — essentially sausage with a pancake coating. They’re Jimmy Dean® brand and my son loves them. He and I are both grab‑and‑go breakfast people.
Frozen corn dogs are a regular in my freezer, but I only buy the individually wrapped kind. We’ve always used State Fair® beef corn dogs in the blue box, but the individually wrapped pieces are practical: my freezer is never tidy enough for a large box. Those individually wrapped dogs tuck into all the little nooks and crannies of the freezer. Sometimes finding one feels like a treasure hunt, which makes it feel like a prize when you pull it out. It also lets me play the hero when a kid declares “We’re out of corn dogs” and I dig around for a minute and say triumphantly, “No we’re not!”
When do corn dogs make it onto the meal plan?
- When lunch slipped past hours ago and my daughter and I suddenly realize we’ve been working non‑stop and are starving.
- When we’re rushing to wrap up schoolwork and blog tasks so we can get outside and enjoy the day.
- On those rare days when the kitchen is spotless and we don’t want to dirty a single dish before company arrives.
- Mornings when my teenage son hits snooze for an hour instead of getting up with the first alarm.
- When half the household is sick and the other half is hungry.
- When the dog unzips a purse, finds a sealed chocolate bar, eats it, and triggers an emergency vet visit — and you come home two hours later with everyone needing dinner in ten minutes.
I aim to cook dinner every night, but that doesn’t always happen. Lunch often isn’t on the schedule, so I improvise in the middle of our homeschooling and workday. Right now our days are busy and occasionally frazzling, but I know a quieter chapter will come when our kids have lives of their own and this busy house grows silent. Until then I don’t want to miss being present in the chaos, so sometimes I skip cooking because I’m too busy living.
Thankfully, there are always corn dogs.
I want to hear from you! What are some of the crazy reasons you haven’t been able to get supper on the table lately? Tell me in the comments below.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Tyson®. The opinions and text are all mine.