Family Meal Planning Made Easy

As moms, we have hectic lives. Whether we work out of the home, in the home or look after the kids full time, we definitely have our jobs cut out for us. We clean, chauffer the kids around, mend scraped knees, help with homework, do laundry and on top of all that we STILL have to figure out what we're going to make for dinner each night.

Here are a few tips to take the pain out family meal planning:

First, choose a quiet time once a week when you have enough time to sit down and prepare your menu for the week ahead.

Look through your cupboards, fridge and freezer and make a mental note of all the food you already have in there.

Start with the food you'll need for dinner. Plan your next weeks dinner menu around the food you already have. So for example, if you have pasta, simply add pasta sauce and ground beef to your list.

Plan as many dinner meals as you can around what you have in your kitchen already. Once you "run out" of meals then start planning new meals from scratch.

Once you have all your dinner meals then move on to breakfast. In my house this is fairly easy as my kids like to have cereal and fruit or toast and fruit (they're not very adventurous at breakfast time!)

Once breakfast is sorted, then move on to lunch. If you have older kids who have school lunches you don't really have much to worry about. If you have toddlers or younger children, a lot of the times they can actually have leftovers from the night before.

Lastly, add snacks, fruit, juice, milk and all those little extras we always seem to need.

Keep your weekly food shopping at that, once a week. Plan your weekly meals and do one shopping trip. If you have to keep going back and forth to the supermarket a few times a week, you can end up spending more money.

Stick your weekly menu on your fridge so all you have to do is glance at it in the mornings and take out whatever meat needs thawing and you can also make a mental note of how much time you'll need to prepare dinner that night.

I guarantee if you take the time to do this once a week, you'll actually save time and definitely save money. So it pays to plan ahead and be prepared.

With a little thought and planning ahead you'll be on your way to hassle-free meal times? now if you could only get your kids to eat all their veggies!

Mila Sidman is a mom of three and the creator of http://www.easy-kid-recipes.com.

Looking for more family-friendly recipes, nutrition articles, meal planning tips, fun kid cooking projects and much more? Then sign up for our free Cooking for Kids ezine at http://www.easy-kid-recipes.com/f ree-recipe-newsletter.html.

---

Troubleshooting Machine Bread

Bread machines-wonderful inventions that they are-don't think very well. You and I, when we have a loaf of bread percolating on the counter, can look and say,... Read More

Barbecue for You

In may just be in human nature to barbecue. Well, we have been doing it as far back as time can denote. In the Stone Age, man... Read More

Slimming Secrets From The Kitchen

To get the svelte figure, start in the kitchen. Slimming down is about taking in less calories, while you burn more calories through exercise.For a food lover,... Read More

Cooking With Kids--Safely!

School's out! And summer is a good time to introduce your child to chores in the kitchen!To help you along, here are some things to remember when... Read More

Flax Seed Will Add A Little Extra Flavor To Your Recipes

Flax seed will add a pleasant nutty taste to any recipe. The attractive, round reddish-brown seeds of flax add flavor, extra texture and good nutrition to your... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Turkey

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked... Read More

Whats a Pan Dowdy?

Cobblers and dowdies, crisps and crumbles, buckles and betties-what are all these desserts?With a little help from American Desserts by Wayne Brachman, we thought we would give... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Ham

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked... Read More

Cut The Take Out

A long hard day at work. You get home and need dinner. Nothing in the fridge, nothing in the cupboard. Take-out again. The wallet just won't comply... Read More

Why do We Need to Knead?

Bread dough needs to be elastic in order to capture the gases created by the yeast, stretch as bubbles form in the dough, expand, and rise. Without... Read More

What?s the Thick on Roux? Thickening Soups and Sauces

Soups and sauces can be thickened in a variety of ways. A sauce must the thick enough to cling to the food, but not so thick it... Read More

The Wonderful Wok: Stir Frying Basics

Want to enjoy the tantalizing taste of Asian food at home? Invest in a wok! Stir-frying is one of the easiest ways to create a delicious, healthy... Read More

Eat your Veggies! Simple Cooking Methods

Vegetables add colour, taste, texture and bulk to our daily diet. There are dozens of different vegetables that can be prepared in literally hundreds of ways. So... Read More

Hot Apple Pie - The American Apple Pie Legacy

While each country might have its own preferred style, "American Style" apple pie includes your basic pie with apples in it, spiced up with cinnamon and/or nutmeg.... Read More

Kitchenaid Stand Mixers ? A Kitchen Work Horse

Kitchenaid stand mixers are very popular in today's kitchens and it is easy to see why. These stand mixers have stood the test of time and have... Read More

Buying, Storing, and Preparing Apples

When buying apples, look for those that are firm and brightly colored. Shiny red for Macintosh, Rome and red Delicious. Clear green for Granny Smith and golden... Read More

Whisk Your Way To a Perfect Meal Every Time!

The whisk. A true versatile cooking utensil. Whisks come in all shapes and sizes and surprisingly accomplish far more then what most think they do. One of... Read More

Grill Your Corn for Maximum Flavor

There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer wrapping the corn in aluminum foil or its own husk, maybe with a little butter and seasonings,... Read More

10 Critical Ways To A Perfectly Food-Safe Kitchen

Food poisoning is related to unsafe food, a dirty kitchen, and dirty kitchen appliances. If you follow some safety rules, food poisoning will never occur.Your Refrigerator1. Freezing... Read More

Troubleshooting Cookies

If your cookies are too tough . . . You may have used too much flour or a flour with too high of a protein content. Unless... Read More

Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies. Well that's a tall order because there are as many ways to decorate cookies as there are... Read More

Wok this Way! (Part 2 of 5) Selecting a Wok

As mentioned in Part 1 of the series, woks come in different sizes ranging from 10 to 32 inches in diameter, but a wok that's 11 to... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Eggplant

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then here are some ideas to put the "zing" back into mealtime. With a little creativity your home-cooked... Read More

6 Tips for Perfect Homemade Hard Candy

There's nothing better than the juicy, flavorful hard candy from your local gourmet candy shop . . . unless you make it yourself, that is! Making perfect... Read More

What is a Serving Size?

Have you ever wondered how much a serving really is. Well, pull out your box of Raisin Bran, grab the milk a bowl and a spoon. Now... Read More

Garlic: A Quick Guide

Garlic, there's nothing like the smell of garlic. It's great in soups and sauces, roasted with meats or on it's own, and it's wonderful mixed with butter... Read More