So as a part of my effort to be more organized (more on that later), I have decided to try a few things.
1) Large batch cooking and freezing. I found two great cookbooks: Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer and of course Don't Panic - More Dinner's in the Freezer. So far everything I have made out of these books has been a hit with the family. One of the things I like about these books is that they give 3-4 ingredient amounts starting with enough for one meal (4-6 servings usually) and then increase x3, x6 and sometimes x9 so you can put the rest in the freezer. I think (don't quote me on this because I don't have the books in front of me to double-check) but I think that the authors are all pastors' wives here in the Denver area.
Of course, finding the time to do the large batch cooking is another challenge of it's own.
2) Get out my slow cooker. I love my slow cooker but I generally only use it for chili or applesauce. My kids love homemade applesauce and making it the slow cooker means I don't have to stand at the stove at all and my house smells really, really good. I seem to have more time and energy early in the morning that I could prep the ingredients so why not throw it all in the slow cooker and be done? Now to find recipes that my kids will eat.
3) A menu board. A friend of mine found a menu board idea on Pinterest and made one herself. I absolutely love hers and it looks like something I could not only make but would actually use.
So I am trying to compile a list of meals that my family actually likes so I can get started. I plan to include things like ordering out/eating out and "Try New Recipe." But I just need to get the plan in place.
I will post about how it's going. Wish me luck! I'm excited to do this so that everyone knows what to expect for dinner and so I can do better grocery shopping.
