Eating family meals together routinely is not easy and has to be prioritized to make it happen! Here are 5 ways to make it easier.
Meal Ideas
- Keep it simple. A meat, two veggies, and a starch work well for our family many nights. We are not nutritional experts, but simple foods with simple ingredients work well when time is limited.
- Planning meals in advance- This is so important to me! There is nothing more frustrating than going to the fridge, looking for an ingredient, and not finding it. When we plan in advance, we save money AND we have what we need when a recipe calls for it! I am old-fashioned, so I prefer to print a monthly calendar and write meals for each day. I try to schedule foods based on what activities we have that day, as well as store sales. Additionally, I try to have variety throughout each week. For example, one night is vegetarian, one night is steak, soup, fish, chicken, etc. We try to keep it varied, even with picky eaters!
- Freezer meals are key! Preparing enough for two meals or more each time you cook helps you always have food on hand for busy nights. It also frees up your kitchen (and keeps it clean) on the nights you don’t have to cook! A few favorites of mine include baked ziti, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, chicken enchiladas, and poppy seed chicken. I always like to freeze leftover soup, even if it is just enough for one. Soup makes a great lunch! For more freezer meal ideas, check out our page Freezer Meals.
- Slow cooker meals are helpful on busy nights, and they make the house smell like you have been cooking all day! A crock pot is a great investment, and will last you for years to come. Simply put the ingredients in the crock pot in the morning, turn it on, and let it cook all day. A few of our favorites are easy chicken and dumplings and French dip sandwiches.
- Use paper products if you need to! You are still feeding your family a healthy meal, avoiding fast food, and sitting down at the table together.
Family Meals
For the complete article, click here.
