Having a house full of children involved in extracurricular activities can put a strain on the food budget as well as the physical and emotional health of the family. Families on the go will drive through the local restaurants or heat store prepared meals, which tend to be more expensive than preparing meals from scratch. Likewise, these solutions are not as healthy since they tend to have more fat, calories and sodium. Here are a few suggestions for preparing healthy and inexpensive meals and still taxi your children to their hobbies and sports.
1) Plan a day where you have enough time to shop and complete a few preparations.
What's that saying? "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Whether you shop once a week or once a month, plan to purchase all the ingredients for your family's favorite meals. then plan enough time that day or the next day to begin preparing these meals. Pick a day when the kids are in school, over at a friend's house or being watched by a responsible person. Being able to shop and begin preparations without being interrupted is key to making the rest of this process easier.
2) Marinate meats prior to storage.
Save yourself a step or two by taking your meat out of the original packaging and place it in a storage container or freezer bag. A quick and easy way to marinate the meats is to purchase prepared bottled marinades an pour over the top of your meats prior to placing them in the refrigerator or freezer. If you shop for more than one week, you'll need enough room in your refrigerator or freezer to store especially if you don't have time for this step after you shop. Make sure that you marinate and freeze or marinate and cook your fresh meats within 2-3 days of purchase. When you thaw the meats the are ready to prepare without the extra step of marinating.
3) Prepare hamburger dishes ahead of time.
A family favorite is frozen hamburger or turkey patties on the grill. Making your own patties saves the cost of buying brand prepared patties. You will also prepare the patties to your family's taste by adding onions, spices, green peppers, etc. Mix the ingredients into the burger, form patties, place them on a wax-lined cookie sheet and "flash freeze" (about 30 minutes in the freezer) before storing them in an airtight container. These can come out of the freezer and straight to the grill, especially if you forgot to take something out to thaw for dinner.
4) Make a batch or two of meatballs.
Prepared meatballs for spaghetti or sub rolls can be both expensive and fatty for what little amount you receive in the store packaging. Just like hamburger patties, prepare your meatballs ahead of time. You'll want to at least brown them, if not fully cook them before flash freezing them and storing them. These are also a quick and ready solution if you don't have any meat thawed. The meatballs can go directly into the pot while you are warming your sauce and boiling your noodles.
5) Double recipes and put half in the freezer for another meal.
If you don't want to take the time to make a few preparations when you come home from shopping, get in the habit of doubling your recipes that you do cook from scratch. Most meals freeze well. Make double batches of casseroles, stews, spaghetti, chili, etc. Then cool half the meal down and store in the freezer for later in the month.
6) Cut, peel and store vegetables and fruits.
On the same day as you are preparing the meats, take some time to peel, cut and store fresh fruits and vegetables. By keeping trays of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand, you'll always have healthy side dishes to accompany your main dishes.
7) Brown hamburgers and sausages for tacos, Sloppy Joe's and casseroles.
Browning hamburger meat and sausages while still fresh eliminates the need for thawing prior to preparing. Go one step further and brown several pounds at once. Then divide the meat up and season on batch of tacos, one for Sloppy Joe's, one of spaghetti, sauce, etc. If your family likes casseroles, go ahead and assemble it and freeze it for a future meal.
8) Keep basic ingredients on hand.
Whether the family staple meals are tacos, sub sandwiches, "make-your-own" pizza or BBQ chicken breast, keep all the necessary ingredients on hand. Stock the pantry with taco shells, sliced olives, canned mushrooms, store brand pizza sauce, etc. If the main dishes in the freezer or refrigerator match up with the ingredients on hand, the first one home can start preparing the meal while the others start arriving.
9) Store left over meals in microwavable containers or dishes.
Invest in microwavable containers and dishes, especially ones which are divided. At the end of a meal, separate out the main dish and side dishes into these containers for ready-made microwave dinners. Again, these are a cheaper solution than prepackaged frozen meals. Make it a fun and list the different meals on menu and let your family pick which they want to heat up and eat.
10) Remember to take your meal out of the freezer to thaw!
The hardest part for a busy family might be remembering to take the semi-prepared meals out of the freezer so that they are ready to prepare or eat. In that case, those frozen meat patties or meatballs come in handy. Or make it an "upside-down" day and have cereal, scrambled eggs or pancakes. The kids love these nights.
If these simple tips work for you, over time you might consider purchasing a vacuum sealer, especially if you don't plan to use the foods soon. They might become freezer burned. Also, a vacuum sealer can keep foods for a couple of months. Finally, having extra meals on hand saves time if suddenly someone you know needs a meal because of illness, hospitalization or a new baby.
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