Food is a true passion for me. Always has been. I've been relaxing on the couch watching Ina Garten any chance I get since I was 17 years old. I'm not creative in a drawing or artsy way but I can create a meal out of very little and it's one of the things I've learned to appreciate about myself because I really feel that cooking is becoming less and less popular. Which I get- I also LOVE eating out. It's so thrilling. Who doesn't want to be served a meal?!
But making food for others and watching them enjoy it its so dang satisfying for me. It's been a little tough for me as we've added each kid to find less and less time available for time in the kitchen. It's something I've just had to accept...and also set aside time for.
Week nights we do simple, healthy, easy dinners. Like less than an hour prep and done. On weekends we will sometimes team up or David will take over for a meal or two and we'll do something more fun or special. He's the king of fresh, homemade soft pretzels. They are absolutely amazing. We also use our smoker quite a bit to do a whole chicken (it's easier than it sounds!) or salmon. Special occasions call for 12-hour smoked pulled pork or shrimp and grits (not on the smoker).
So how do you go from barely looking to making dinner 6/7 nights? I have a few tricks up my sleeve I've learned in the last 12 years of cooking for David and our now family of 5! I also love sharing info on how to teach your kids to eat more things. Let's start with meal planning:
MAKE A DANG MENU
I have to write a menu for the week followed by a list; otherwise I'll end up at the store guessing what I have and what I need. And I will for sure forget something if I don't have a list. So heres what you do: spend 10 minutes on Sunday, every Sunday, making a menu. Think about where you will be each night (if you have sports, work, etc) so you can gauge what kind of meal you have time for each day. I like to create the menu at a meal so we are all together and can talk about activities and ask for dinner suggestions. Easy! Getting a new special pad of paper and the perfect pen also make creating a list extra fun :) (I love the InkJoy pens by Papermate)
MAKE A LIST
On the same sheet of paper you created the menu, create a space for your shopping list. I divide my items by category so I don't have to run back and forth across the grocery store. Here's a sample of what my weekly list would look like:
It's good to always double check your pantry when making a list to see if you already have an item.
MAKE IT SIMPLE
If you are brand new to cooking or hate meal planning or struggle with getting dinner done- keeping everything simple is KEY. You don't have to make hamburger buns from scratch or fresh tomato sauce every time you make dinner. Here's some ideas and tricks:
+Double duty: If you ARE making an amazing homemade tomato sauce, double, triple, or quadruple it and FREEZE the cooled portions in ziplock bags. Lay them flat when freezing so they thaw faster when it's time to use them.
+Make half, buy half: I am all for pre-made or assembled parts of a meal. I will often make a homemade tomato sauce but purchase fresh ravioli from Trader Joes for a quick dinner. It's ready in less than 20 minutes if you boil some broccoli or add a bagged salad. Voila! Dinner is done!
+Make extra + use again: If I'm going to cook a big pork roast in my crock or instant pot, I might as well double the meat and make two meals out of it. I'll often do roasted pork and veggies one night, then take the leftover pork and use it in tacos the next night. Or on top of pizza with a drizzle of bbq sauce!
+Get Inspired: Even though I have been cooking for 14+ years I still feel like I need new ideas, and easy and fast ones. Browsing blogs or sites I love, especially Pinterest, help me find new ways of doing things or new meals. So get out there and spend a few minutes getting inspired!
POST YOUR MENU
Displaying your menu helps keep you accountable. Show your spouse or kids or roommate. Print it out and put it on the fridge. Get excited about it. That way the groceries you just bought won't rot in your fridge while you eat Del Taco 5 nights in a row ;)
GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED
Instead of looking at making a meal as a huge annoying task, think of it as a teaching opportunity. Give your kids simple tasks (a 2 year old can rinse, dry, and shred lettuce!) and make it fun. It's important for me to let my kid learn new things (as I learn patience in teaching them) because these are life skills. It also makes them more likely to eat the dinner they helped prepare. Plus they love a new task!
I'll be posting weekly menus and grocery lists here as I create them so you can get a feel for how a real family eats. It's my goal to eat 90% of our meals at home because when we do we: save money, learn new skills and bond as a family, control the quality of our ingredients, tend to eat less, and make healthier choices. Challenge yourself to making small changes here and there so you can be successful in this!
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| Willa enjoying toad in a hole, a go to breakfast, lunch or dinner. |
But making food for others and watching them enjoy it its so dang satisfying for me. It's been a little tough for me as we've added each kid to find less and less time available for time in the kitchen. It's something I've just had to accept...and also set aside time for.
Week nights we do simple, healthy, easy dinners. Like less than an hour prep and done. On weekends we will sometimes team up or David will take over for a meal or two and we'll do something more fun or special. He's the king of fresh, homemade soft pretzels. They are absolutely amazing. We also use our smoker quite a bit to do a whole chicken (it's easier than it sounds!) or salmon. Special occasions call for 12-hour smoked pulled pork or shrimp and grits (not on the smoker).
So how do you go from barely looking to making dinner 6/7 nights? I have a few tricks up my sleeve I've learned in the last 12 years of cooking for David and our now family of 5! I also love sharing info on how to teach your kids to eat more things. Let's start with meal planning:
MAKE A DANG MENU
I have to write a menu for the week followed by a list; otherwise I'll end up at the store guessing what I have and what I need. And I will for sure forget something if I don't have a list. So heres what you do: spend 10 minutes on Sunday, every Sunday, making a menu. Think about where you will be each night (if you have sports, work, etc) so you can gauge what kind of meal you have time for each day. I like to create the menu at a meal so we are all together and can talk about activities and ask for dinner suggestions. Easy! Getting a new special pad of paper and the perfect pen also make creating a list extra fun :) (I love the InkJoy pens by Papermate)
MAKE A LIST
On the same sheet of paper you created the menu, create a space for your shopping list. I divide my items by category so I don't have to run back and forth across the grocery store. Here's a sample of what my weekly list would look like:
It's good to always double check your pantry when making a list to see if you already have an item.
MAKE IT SIMPLE
If you are brand new to cooking or hate meal planning or struggle with getting dinner done- keeping everything simple is KEY. You don't have to make hamburger buns from scratch or fresh tomato sauce every time you make dinner. Here's some ideas and tricks:
+Double duty: If you ARE making an amazing homemade tomato sauce, double, triple, or quadruple it and FREEZE the cooled portions in ziplock bags. Lay them flat when freezing so they thaw faster when it's time to use them.
+Make half, buy half: I am all for pre-made or assembled parts of a meal. I will often make a homemade tomato sauce but purchase fresh ravioli from Trader Joes for a quick dinner. It's ready in less than 20 minutes if you boil some broccoli or add a bagged salad. Voila! Dinner is done!
+Make extra + use again: If I'm going to cook a big pork roast in my crock or instant pot, I might as well double the meat and make two meals out of it. I'll often do roasted pork and veggies one night, then take the leftover pork and use it in tacos the next night. Or on top of pizza with a drizzle of bbq sauce!
+Get Inspired: Even though I have been cooking for 14+ years I still feel like I need new ideas, and easy and fast ones. Browsing blogs or sites I love, especially Pinterest, help me find new ways of doing things or new meals. So get out there and spend a few minutes getting inspired!
POST YOUR MENU
Displaying your menu helps keep you accountable. Show your spouse or kids or roommate. Print it out and put it on the fridge. Get excited about it. That way the groceries you just bought won't rot in your fridge while you eat Del Taco 5 nights in a row ;)
GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED
Instead of looking at making a meal as a huge annoying task, think of it as a teaching opportunity. Give your kids simple tasks (a 2 year old can rinse, dry, and shred lettuce!) and make it fun. It's important for me to let my kid learn new things (as I learn patience in teaching them) because these are life skills. It also makes them more likely to eat the dinner they helped prepare. Plus they love a new task!
I'll be posting weekly menus and grocery lists here as I create them so you can get a feel for how a real family eats. It's my goal to eat 90% of our meals at home because when we do we: save money, learn new skills and bond as a family, control the quality of our ingredients, tend to eat less, and make healthier choices. Challenge yourself to making small changes here and there so you can be successful in this!
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