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Eat Well, Spend Less: 5 Ways to Save Time Making Family Dinners

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This month for Eat Well, Spend Less we’re looking at saving time in the kitchen. See how I tackle the family dinner debacle and win a copy of Jessica’s new book: Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook.

The time is four o’clock. Children have arrived from school. Lunches need to be unpacked, backpacks checked for homework. There are things on the calendar for the evening, and sometime tonight you’d actually like to place your head on the pillow that resides in your bed, waiting for you.

All parents know that feeling that there is too much going on, and with too much going on, it can be easy to drive us towards a state of exhaustion that has us reaching towards the phone to call for take-out. Still, there are ways we can make our job of feeding those small people and ourselves easier.

5 Ways to Save Time on Family Dinners

  1. A Menu: Yes. Again with the menu. Having food in the house goes a long way to getting dinner on the table, and it’s easiest to have the ingredients for meals if you plan them out. It can be difficult and no fun, but there it is. Make a plan, go shopping, and then enjoy the fruits of all your hard work.

  2. A Day of Work: Sundays tend to be our day of work around here. This doesn’t happen every week, but there are weekends when we’ll go shopping all morning Sunday – to the farmers market, Costco, the grocery store – and when we come home and unload, I’ll go through the trouble of doing some of the prep ahead of time. I’ll mix up batches of dough for pizzas and tuck them into the back of the refrigerator. I grate cheese for other days and place it in sealed containers waiting to be used. I mix up chicken salads for lunches or make pots of rice that will be stir fried later in the week. Doing these things ahead gives me a few minutes advantage every day during the busy week.

  3. Meals that Bleed Into Each Other: When I’m planning the menu and shopping I try to have meals where the process of making one automatically preps for another. For example, we’ll roast a whole chicken, and immediately following the meal, I’ll pull off leftover meat, toss the carcass into a pot with vegetable scraps and simmer a stock for use in soups or meals later in the week. Other ways to do this is making an overabundance of rice for fried rice later, planning meals that use similar produce and chopping extra as you’re going along, and bowls of leftover risotto become baked arancini balls filled with melted cheese.

  4. Keep it Simple: More often than not, our meals are not extravagant. We eat a chicken with simply prepared rice and vegetables more than once a month. Tacos or a simple piece of fish are served. What we focus on instead of lengthy-to-prepare elegance is quality ingredients and lots of produce. Fresh steamed broccoli with a simple vinaigrette or even just butter, salt, and pepper can be an inviting side when it’s done right. Pasta and sauce with a large salad to accompany it is simple to prepare, but satisfies the troops without complaint. Of course, eggs and toast is also a family favorite around here. Keep new recipes and lengthy processes tucked away for the days when you really have the time to enjoy them. You’ll find you enjoy the food and the act of family dinners more when you make those the focal point of the meal.

  5. Freezing Ahead: I don’t spend a lot of time making freezer meals, but there are a few that I am prone to. I love stuffed shells, manicotti, and lasagna, so I often make up a few batches at a time and freeze extras for easy backups. I tend to make giant pots of soup and freeze a full meal’s worth for later. I freeze bread dough to have available at my beck and call. I make a 6-month supply of pesto at a time, tucking away the tastes of summer into the freezer. I do it little by little so there is always something available for the days when I’m called away by work or when I just can’t get to the store on shopping day and need to stretch things out just a bit farther than anticipated.


Jessica has written an entire book dedicated to helping you get through family dinners in an easy fashion: Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. If you shy away from freezer cooking, however, don’t distress. Jessica takes a contemporary approach with new recipes and food your family will actually eat. She should know with six of them to her name. Recipes like raspberry jam cream scones, energy bars, and sesame chicken with snow peas will take you from breakfast and snacks all the way through dinner. Just leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of your very own.

Plus, head over to the other Eat Well, Spend Less series participants for more chances to win!

Save Time and Money on Grocery Shopping – Jessica Enter her book giveaway here.
My Morning Routine and a Cookbook Giveaway – Tammy Enter her book giveaway here.
Save Time in the Kitchen with a Little Prep Work – Mandi
5 Crazy Ways I Save Time on Prep Work – Katie Enter her book giveaway here.
How to Bake Bacon and Other Time-Saving Tips for the Kitchen – Katie Enter her book giveaway here.
9 Tips for Spending Less Time at the Kitchen Sink – Carrie Enter her book giveaway here.
Eat Well and Spend Less with Kitchen Time-Savers: The Slow Cooker: Amy Enter her book giveaway here.
On Batch Cooking – Aimee

This giveaway is provided by Harvard Common Press. It will run through Wednesday, October 24th, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. CDT and is open to all U.S. residents.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. I love having things in the freezer that help making cooking dinner. When I cook beans I cook 2 lbs at a time, and freeze in 2c portions for use in other recipes. I try to keep both chicken and ground meat cooked and frozen to help meals go together faster. Since most times I’m only cooking for 2, I can mix up casseroles just like my recipe says and then put into 2 casseroles. I bake one off for dinner and freeze the other for later. I never just chop what onion I need I go ahead and chop the whole onion and keep in a bowl for the next time. Same with sweet peppers. I saved a small jar that pimento comes in, I chop a whole head of garlic at once and then put what I don’t use in the jar with olive oil. It’s the little things like this that help me get food on the table and pass by the drive through

  5. Would LOVE to win this cookbook, tried the freezer cooking method years ago, when it was first popular, but none of us really cared for the dishes, so we ate them, but they weren’t that good. I love Jessica’s blog, and her recipes, so I am sure this would be wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway.

  7. I’m pretty sure I need this book! I love having a well-stocked freezer, but with 4 kids it doesn’t stay that way for long. I’d love to have some new recipes to mix things up a bit!

  17. I am always on the look out for recipes that are delicious, simple and that my family will enjoy. I love reading your site and getting ideas and inspirations. I would love to win a copy of this cookbook. If you like it, then I am sure I will love it!

  19. Usually I reserve Saturday morning for getting a lot of prep work and baking for the week done. It is nice to have something in the freezer when you are too tired to cook.

  31. I’m having to return full-time to my job outside of the home (sniffle) for financial reasons so I’m starting to feel a little stressed about how it’s all going to work at mealtime. A freezer cooking cookbook would be a lifesaver! I’ve been coveting it on Amazon ever since I heard about it on her blog.

    • suis persuadée que Saturne est un AMI. Je ne voulais pas témoigner de quelque chose de négatif. Disons que ce qui a de la valeur pour moi n’est pas forcément de tout repos… J’ai aussi vécu l’aventure dont je parle avec beaucoup de satisfaction et l’exaltation d’aller au-delà de mes limites et ce fut une très belle avancée pleine de découverte grâce à Saturne et Pluton.LOL

  42. I would love to have more quick, delicious meals for my family. As the kids get older, more evening activities seem to come up leaving less time for dinner prep.

  43. Oooh! i’ve to try this book. We try to have 2-3 freezer meals a month and I’d love to expand my repertoire. I l mainly prep food for the freezer to make the weeknight cooking faster (ie: making beans ahead of time, freezeing shredded cheese, marinating & freezing raw chicken before it goes in the freezer, etc).

  44. I would love a copy of this book, it just sounds perfect. I have 4 young children, 1 of whom has special needs, and I would love to have healthy meals in the freezer for my husband and kids should I need to go to the hospital with my son on short notice

  74. I’m fairly good about tips 1-4, but freezing ahead is definitely an area that could use some improvement around here. I’d love to win a copy of this book!

  75. I don’t know why, but I have such an aversion to menu planning! I’m actually very much a planner in most areas of my life, so I’m not sure what the deal with this is! I honestly don’t even cook every night, a lot of times we just eat whatever’s around (make a sandwich, leftovers). But, I think we’d all be a lot happier if I planned our meals out. I’d love to win the book!

  77. Thanks for the info. Meal planning has always been a task I avoid like the plague but I know if I can just get it down for the first week, hopefully the next week will come a little easier!

  86. I am in the process of preparing freezer meals and batch cooking to get ready for our new baby (due in 28 days, eeep!!!) I would love to win a copy of this book to give me ideas for new recipes so that hubby doesn’t get bored with what I am fixing.

  87. Sounds like my kind of book. Although I am slowly trying to get into freezer cooking. I didn’t plan it so well last month, but I think this month will be better.

  97. I am terrified of freeze ahead meals. I love the ease of a freezer meal, but I can’t break away from the mental image of fat loaded and flavorless casseroles that used to come to our house from church when someone was sick or a funeral had just happened.
    So, a different approach would be welcomed!

  99. There are many days I would love to be able to “go out” instead of cooking dinner. With this book and a little planning I think those days would be much more managable

  102. After the normally very busy holidays, I start a super-busy time of my year when I’ll be volunteering 4-6 times per week. Saving time in the kitchen will be heaven sent!

  104. I love freezer meals!! I am always looking for new, fresh ideas for freezer meals. Making ahead has saved our family so much time and money and I know what kind of ingredients are in the meals. Such a great idea!!

  108. Have always wanted to some freezer meals, I think this cookbook would show me the way!! i have prepped and frozen items that way but never actual meals just waiting for me to pop into the oven – I’m excited Would definitely love to win!!

  112. Definitely not my mother’s freezer casseroles since she never ever made casseroles for the freezer. I love having meals squirreled away in the freezer for days when cooking just doesn’t seem possible and I’m definitely going to check out this book.

  116. There never seems to be enough time in the evenings! I love having things ready to go in the freezer for days when cooking and prepping a whole meal isn’t possible. I’m always up for a new recipe and would love to win the book!

  118. Who couldn’t use tips on how to feed your family healthy and budget friendly meals quickly and easily? My little ones are still little but I’m beginning to get a taste of how hectic things will become as they get more involved in activities and school functions!

  120. With 3 children under the age of 4 and another on the way I am always looking for new ways to save time! I try to cook ahead but guidance is always helpful.

  122. all that I’ve read sound great!! Can’t wait to try some…I have about 10 meals I make for my family (all good but kinda boring) over and over again. I want to learn and try some different meals. EASY is key for me!!

  125. I would LOVE a copy of this book! It would be so nice to have additional recipes for freezer meals. I’m actually planning a trip to visit my brother next month….he & hsis wife have a baby in the NICU. My plan is to fly up there and make them lots of freezer meals to help with their transition.

  129. Dinnertime seems to be such a stressful time when my 5 year old wants Mommy to play, 2 year old wants to be held, and baby wants to be fed. I am determined to become better organized and prepared to give my family delicious, healthy meals and to make late afternoon/evening a joyful time!

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