It’s right before Mother’s Day. Right now, you are most likely coming down from the high of “TGIF” and quickly moving into “leave me the hell alone until Monday morning”. However, it’s also a good time to plan something for the mom in your life. For some, that might mean making a reservation to dine out; for others, it means keeping it close to home.
If you are a mother (thank you, you are appreciated every day), you should do whatever your spirit requests — sleep in, catch up on trash TV, read that book that’s been living on your nightstand for the last year, or do absolutely nothing. This might include a preference to stay home. Spouses and children, this is your time to shine, to “bring home the bacon” and “fry it up in a pan” (25 points if you know the reference).
Don’t know where to start? I’ve got you. Here’s your Honey Do List, Mother’s Day Edition.
- What is her favorite food?: No shade, but you should know this. If you don’t, ask, or tell your kids to ask — from the mouths of babes. This will determine if you are making brunch, lunch, or Sunday dinner. Most likely brunch.
- Make the plan: Once you know her favorite food, pick one main dish to make and build around it with pre-prepared items and easy to prepare sides. For example, scratch made pancakes as the main dish, yogurt, fruit salad, scrambled eggs, and bacon as sides. You can easily find the best recipe for your main dish by using “(main dish name) recipe” in your search engine.
- Shopping: With the info from the first two steps, make a shopping list of all you need plus her favorite beverages, store-bought snacks, and treats she can enjoy with or — let’s be honest — without you. If shopping is not your ministry, that’s what FreshDirect, Instacart, DoorDash, and others are for. No excuses.
- Work backwards: Now you have all you need for an in-home celebration of your favorite mother. Whether brunch, lunch, or Sunday dinner, you must work backwards. Determine the time you want everyone to sit down, and begin your prep at least two hours, or more (it’s still your Sunday too), before your main dish recipe’s prep and cook time. Get all that you can get done before starting your main dish — like making the fruit salad to sit in the fridge, setting up the coffee maker (sugar, cream), cooking bacon and keeping warm in a 300 degree oven, setting the table, and taking out all the condiments. This way you can focus on the star and the final “tah-dah” when she graces the table.
- Clean up: And even if you have done all of the above, the icing on the Mother’s Day cake is cleaning it all up after she pushes away from the table with the grace of a delicate swan gently paddling her way to the other side of the pond (read: her spot on the couch).
Now pat yourself on the back. You’ve done good! That special place in her heart for you remains safe and warm.