The Food Mom

Hello All!

Food. I love food. I love good food, nutritious food, and not so nutritious food. As a mom, I always feel like I need to make healthier meals, but when you get home at 6pm and the kids go to bed at 8:30, there's not much time for those 2 hours of prep. Here's what I do: pre-planning, pre-prepping, crockpot, and freezer meals. On my days off, I use one to pre-plan all of my meals. This means I can search all I want through Pinterest and internet and not feel nearly as guilty. Then, out of the 50 meals I "pinned", I choose the simplest ones to prep that can be frozen and stored for whenever I'm ready. I also base this on sales and couponing (see the Couponing tab). Either the same day, or the next day, I go grocery shopping. I go with a very specific list, and try my best not to get anything else. That being said, if you have to bring your kids along, bring them something to do. This last time, my daughter insisted on being dressed up as Tinker Belle, and I only ended up with a $4 water bottle and two packs of gum extra by the end. Anyway, do all your grocery shopping, preferably with no one else so you can stick to your budget (see the budgeting tab!). When you get home - Don't throw your meat in the freezer! This is the time to prep. Go back to all of those recipes you printed and prep all that you can! For ones that you can freeze, put them in gallon Ziplock bags and put them into the freezer. I also by the tin-foil pans if I prep and freeze meals like enchiladas - cause who really wants one of their 13x9 pans in the freezer? For those that you can only prep but not necessarily freeze, now is the time to cut ALL of those vegetables. I buy a huge bag of onion and cut them all at once and put in a big bag. I have no desire to cry more than necessary! You can do the same with green onions, red or green peppers, etc. Just make sure if they are "wet" things like cucumbers or tomatoes, you don't cut until needed (so they stay fresher longer.) Once you have pre planned, pre prepped, and thrown it all in the freezer, you have plenty of meals that either cook all day while you are gone (and makes your house smell delicious), or that you can pop into the oven for an hour if its an "early home" day! You'll feel so much better about "last minute meals" that are healthy and good for your kids!
The following posts are lots of recipes I've made, tried, and are "kid-approved".

Enjoy,
Kirsten