If you are a stay at home mom, I'd suggest that you change your largest meal of the day to lunch. That way you have more energy earlier in the day to make a nutritious meal.
I have two 8 year old daughters, and I remember when they were young, and my son too, and how it was a struggle to feed them dinner. We did alot of breakfast cereal, milk, fruit and nuts for dinner, while having a heavier meal at lunch. Also, just to get things going, cut up your veggies when you get them home, and cover them with water and a lid. You can keep them in the fridge like that for 3 or so days. You just take out the veggies you need, and start cooking. You prep on those days. Try to keep a salad going in the fridge too, for you. Also, soak your beans on one day, that you will use for 3 days. Make sure you soak enough. Cooking time will be much faster once you have soaked them.
For your big meal, here are my favorite fast foods:
Soup and cornbread (we like jalapeno's in our cornbread). 30 mins
Spaghetti with mushrooms, pasta sauce and a salad. 20 mins
Taco salad 30 mins
Stir fry - left over rice from another meal, broccoli florets, chopped onion, and yellow squash is yummy. 30 mins
Indian fried rice - left over rice, spices, veggies of choice, egg to fry in.
serve plain yogurt and chapattis or tortillas. 30 mins
Also, if you eat egg, I like to make egg omlet with onion, mushroom, milk, salt, pepper and a surprise ingredient, baking powder. Shred some cheese in too if you like it. The best way to make an omelet is to mix this in a large bowl. Set aside while you get the pan hot (med/hi). Put a tbsp of oil in the pan, pour egg mixture in, and let the edges start to cook. Let it get a little crispy even. Then turn down the temp to 4 or 5, and cover with lid. Cook till done. You can serve this with rice, crackers, toast...use your imagination. Everyone says I make the best omelet, and I always do it this way.
And honestly, as long as you are feeding your kids a balanced diet over all, some bananas, rice cakes and peanut butter will not kill them. Most important point with multiples is that you feed them, love them and keep their diapers changed. I cheated with the meals, cutting up fruit, dishing out rice cakes and peanut butter, or bowls of hot rice and yogurt, with cooked chick peas as finger foods. They ate tons of apples and bananas, and drank some citrus juices. The kids didn't care, as long as they liked it.
Nowadays, the love just about anything. We drink alot of smoothies. Sometimes they eat leftovers from the fridge, especially homemade pizza, spaghetti ect. They will just open the fridge and get out a peice of fruit and wash it, then eat. There is so much more prep work involved with the little ones.
Also, when anyone is sick, we revert to the brat diet, or the peanut butter and rice cake, cut up fruit diet.
And love yourself mama. Sometimes I fed the kids, gave them baths and put them to bed, then had my dinner while talking to a friend on the phone. It was hard for me to eat while running back and forth to each high chair.
