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Save On Food

Apple and Bacon Salad Recipe – Perfect Side for Any Meal!

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This apple and bacon salad recipe is packed with bold flavor and delicious texture—sweet, salty, crisp, and savory all in one bite! It’s the perfect fresh and satisfying salad when you want something a little more exciting than the usual.

This easy apple and bacon salad recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and salty with a nice combination of delicious flavors! This recipe spices up regular salad and is so much tastier than plain lettuce and dressing! It's easy to make with just a few minutes' work and is the perfect side for chicken, beef or pork dishes!

If you’re tired of the same old salad routine, this Apple and Bacon Salad Recipe is just the refreshing twist you need! With the perfect balance of sweet, salty, crunchy, and savory, this easy recipe transforms simple ingredients into a salad that’s anything but boring. Crisp apples, smoky bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese served on a bed of fresh lettuce and carrots, all tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette that brings every bite to life.

This salad is a wonderful side dish for just about any meal—chicken, pork, beef, or even a light lunch on its own. It’s a great way to add a pop of flavor and color to your plate, and it’s incredibly quick to throw together. From start to finish, it takes just a few minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute company.

The vinaigrette is simple and tasty, made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, dry mustard, and oregano. It ties everything together beautifully without overpowering the fresh ingredients. And if you want to save time for your Apple and Bacon Salad, cook a few extra slices of bacon at breakfast and set them aside for the salad later—easy and efficient!

This apple and bacon salad recipe is not your standard boring salad! Whether you’re looking for something to elevate your dinner menu or just want a more exciting salad option, this easy salad recipe is sure to become a favorite. It’s proof that salads don’t have to be plain to be easy—and they definitely don’t have to be boring to be healthy!

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16 Ways to Save Money On Meat – Easy Tips To Lower Your Grocery Budget

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Meat is one of the biggest expenses in most Americans’ grocery budget. Try these simple ways to save money on meat without depriving your family!

Meat is the biggest expense in most Americans’ grocery budget. Try these simple ways to save money on meat without depriving your family!

Let’s face it: Meat is one of the biggest expenses in most Americans’ grocery budget. Try these simple ways to slash the meat portion of your bill without depriving your family!

16 Ways to Save Money On Meat

  • Try using 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 the amount of meat in your dishes. Most of the time it doesn’t change the taste and you save money on meat.
  • Cook twice as much meat for dinner. Freeze half and then when you need a quick meal just remove from the freezer and use.
  • Stock up on meat when it is on sale. If you don’t have enough money to stock up, try making a double batch (like lasagna) when you cook the next meal, then freeze it for later. Use that frozen meal for a quick dinner instead of eating out when you’re too tired to cook. Take the $30.00 savings and stock up on meat the next time it is on sale.
  • Buy Meat on clearance.  The clearance stickers on meat in the store don’t mean the meat is bad. It means the meat needs to be SOLD by that date. Then you still have 3-4 days the meat is good after that date to cook it at home. You can just put it straight in the freezer and cook laster.
  • Add beans or lentils to meat to help stretch. This works especially well with recipes like tacos.
  • Check your prices. A lot of time you will get the tip to buy 1/2 or 1/4 of a cow and then freeze. In some places this “might” be cheaper but in many places it’s luxury and it is MUCH more expensive than buying it from the store.
  • To store your meat long term in the freezer, vacuum seal it.
  • Make recipes like chili that have the “feeling” of a lot of meat but don’t use a lot. You can use 1/2 pound of hamburger for chili for 6-8 people and no one will know if you bulk it up with beans, onions and peppers.
  • When cutting meat for recipes like stew, make the pieces small so they will go further.
  • Buy meat after major holidays. I can usually find marked down meat for a great deal like hamburger and ribs after Memorial Day or Labor Day. Turkeys on clearance after Thanksgiving. All meat on sale the day after Christmas.
  • Some butchers will cut turkeys in half. Then just cook like a chicken but for 1/4 of the price!
  • Use liquid smoke in place of bacon grease or salt pork in recipes. The liquid smoke saves time and money if you don’t have any bacon grease on hand.
  • Save the plastic liner bags from empty cereal boxes. Next time you need to pound steak, chicken breasts, nuts or crackers, pop them inside to eliminate the mess. Also, use plastic liner bags to shake coatings such as flour or bread crumbs on meats. Just throw away after using it. Store in a file folder.
  • Use leftover gravy in soups. It adds great flavor!
  • When making meatloaf, mix the ingredients and fill a muffin tin with the meat. Each mini loaf is one serving. Also very easy to freeze!

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50 Breakfast and Snack Ideas for Picky Eaters

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Sometimes, it can be a challenge to get kids to eat, but here are 50 breakfast and snack ideas that are sure to give plenty of options for picky eaters!

It can be a challenge to get kids to eat, but here are 50 breakfast and snack ideas that are sure to give plenty of options for picky eaters!

Breakfast and Snack Ideas for Picky Eaters

Many of our readers ask, “How do I get my kids to eat? They are so picky and I’ve run out of ideas…”

It’s in a kid’s nature to be picky. It’s funny that kids will frown upon anything new. Our children will eat the same thing almost every day and then one day say, “I don’t like sloppy Joe’s”. Our oldest son eats pizza but does not like sausage pizza. One day recently, he tried the sausage and loved it. He said that he loved the little meatballs. When Mike told him it was good to see him eat sausage, he suddenly wouldn’t eat it. Later, we decided it was better to let him call them meatballs if that’s what it took to get him to eat it! Let this be a lesson to you – If you give the kids zucchini bread, just tell them that it is “bread”! 😉

Kids’ eating habits could send a family to the poor house! Between pop-tarts, fruit chews, juices boxes and containers of cool applesauce it would be easy to spend the entire month’s grocery budget in one week. Here are some tips to help you find something they will eat while hanging on to some of that cash in your pocket.

Breakfast:

Are you being squeezed? – The USDA recommends two 8 oz. (1 cup) glasses of milk per day for a child. If you give your kids more than two cups a day, everything over the 2 cups is just calories, and expensive calories at that. The same is true of juice. The USDA recommends 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day for kids.

Did you know that for children under age five, 3/4 cup of juice is one serving of fruit? How often do you fill a glass to the top with juice for your child only to find that the child doesn’t drink most of it? Limit the amount of juice served to one or two small glasses a day and serve the rest of their fruit and vegetables in whole form. Whole fruits are more healthy for them than juice.

French Toast Sticks – After cooking french toast, cut each piece into 4 strips. Kids love to dip these in syrup.

Present oatmeal in a fancy glass such as a sundae dish. Place some homemade granola, fruit, honey, brown sugar or nuts on top.

It can be a challenge to get kids to eat, but here are 50 breakfast and snack ideas that are sure to give plenty of options for picky eaters!

Stir any of the following into oatmeal:

  • sugar
  • cinnamon and sugar
  • brown sugar
  • butter or margarine
  • molasses
  • maple syrup
  • applesauce
  • chopped apples
  • dried apples
  • raisins
  • berries
  • bananas
  • chopped peaches
  • jam or jelly
  • plain or fruit yogurt
  • wheat germ
  • dark brown sugar and 1 drop of maple extract make oatmeal taste just like the store bought instant oatmeal

Snack Ideas:

Have a snack sitting at the kitchen table for the kids when they come home from school. This way they won’t be grouchy in the afternoon from being hungry. This will also prevent them from digging though the kitchen cabinets looking for something themselves and messing up your neat, well-organized pantry. It is also the perfect time for you to sit and visit with them about their day at school.

To discourage bad snack habits, don’t buy unhealthy snacks or keep them in the house.

Present your snacks with a plate, placemat, napkin and maybe a flower from the garden. This way your snacks always look inviting.

Have jars sitting on the counter with sunflower seeds, raisins, granola, prunes or peanuts for the children. If they see healthy snacks they’re more likely to want them.

Try these snacks on your kids:

  • Fresh fruit
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Apples, cut into quarters, with core removed
  • Popcorn balls
  • Popcorn
  • Bagels
  • Muffins
  • Dried apples or bananas
  • Breadsticks
  • Oranges, peeled and quartered
  • Pumpkin bread
  • Banana bread
  • Zucchini bread
  • Bananas
  • Crackers and cheese
  • Frozen grapes
  • Veggies with ranch dressing
  • Celery sticks, spread with peanut butter
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Cheese
  • Strawberry leather
  • Cookies
  • Puddings
  • Yogurt Popsicles
  • Homemade granola bars
  • Beef jerky
  • Pretzels
  • Tortillas with cream cheese
  • Peanut butter snacks
  • Yogurt with fruit or wheat germ added
  • Milk
  • Chocolate milk
  • Homemade hot chocolate
  • Creamy Orange Shake
  • Milk shake
  • Smoothies 
  • Apples, quartered and cored with 1 tsp. peanut butter on each quarter
  • Bananas sliced in half and spread with peanut butter
  • Bread or toast cut into quarters and spread with jelly, jam, peanut butter, spiced honey or honey butter
  • Crackers spread with peanut butter and jelly or jam
  • Place some peanut butter and honey on a pancake and roll up for a snack. This is great for leftover pancakes.

Quick and Easy Snack Mix

If you need a really fast snack or treat for company or a party, go to your dollar store and buy a couple of boxes of caramel corn. Add things like candy corn, raisins,dried fruit, nuts, pretzels or any other candies and things you would like.

Be sure to hit after Halloween or Christmas sales to find candy to use to make this snack mix.

Hello. I just thought I’d share a tip I learned recently about oatmeal (after seeing your post of breakfast tips). We find re-heated oatmeal unappealing to serve again as a cereal.  But the thrifty in me hates to throw it out.  I learned recently to put it in pancake batter.

Just mix your batter normally and add in the oatmeal to the finished product. You may need to add just a touch of milk, but I rarely do.  This actually makes the pancakes heartier as well as using up something that may otherwise go to waste.  The same gal that told me of this trick also adds it to bread dough.  I haven’t tried it yet, but look forward to doing so soon!

Rachel

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Save Money In The Kitchen – Easy Ways To Save on Groceries

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If you’re spending too much on your food bill, here are some easy ways to save money on groceries! Most people spend too much because they don’t know these simple tips!

If you're spending too much on your food bill, here are some easy ways to save money on groceries! Most people spend too much because they don't know these simple tips!

Save Money in the Kitchen

If your grocery bill feels out of control, you’re not alone. For many people, cutting back on grocery budgets can be overwhelming. They know they’re spending too much, but don’t know where to begin to cut. Often, they fear that they will deprive themselves and their children if they become frugal.

The good news is that there are ways to have your cake, eat it and save money in the kitchen at the same time. The whole secret is to start slowly.

There are countless ways you can cut your food bill, but if you need to, target just one thing at a time. You won’t get overwhelmed, but you will still be saving money if you do only one thing.

If you are a frugal beginner, try these simple suggestions for saving on your food bill:

  • Cooking frugally is like changing your diet. You need to learn gradually how to save money and cook frugally. Don’t expect that you will get your food bill down to $300 for four people in the first month if you are spending $600 a month right now.
  • Try cutting just $25.00 or $50.00 a month. Even if you cut back only $50.00 a month, you will save $600.00 a year. If you save just $1.00 a day that is $365.00 a year. You can then apply that $365.00 a year to paying off your credit cards. At 21 percent interest, you will save over $70 a year. This will eventually cause a snowball effect since the more you pay off, the less you pay to interest. When you pay less to interest, you have more each month to apply to paying off your overall debt. This means that as you pay off the debt, the rate that you can pay it off increases.
  • Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized! Don’t buy what’s already hiding in your kitchen.
  • If you’re a fan of coupons, remember this: It’s not what you save, it’s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn’t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven’t really saved anything.
  • A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one — so buy smaller fruits! You will save money by the pound.
  • This month, try two meatless meals a week (or one, if you’re a die hard meat fan).
  • Make simple meals. One-dish meals can contain your meat, your vegetable and your bread.
  • Drink water for your meals.
    • If your family is used to drinking milk, juice or pop for every meal then start by cutting juice from one meal or snack a day and drinking only water. After you get used to this, cut from another meal until you drink only water for meals and a glass of juice or milk at snack time.
    • You can also try allowing one glass of juice at meal times. Then serve water after the juice is gone.
    • You save over $500.00 a year by cutting just one glass of juice per person per day for a family of four.
  • Don’t assume that homemade is cheaper. If you get a VERY GOOD deal on chocolate chips and ingredients for candies, it is cheaper to make them than buying them pre-made. Make sure you do the calculations, though! If you don’t purchase them on sale, homemade candies can be more expensive than candies purchased at the store.
  • Stop wasting food. Give young children small portions. They can always have more if they are still hungry. Give them a half glass of juice and a half sandwich so you don’t waste uneaten food. Put food in the refrigerator right after the meal so it doesn’t spoil. Use leftovers for lunches, in other dishes or frozen in one portion sizes for a quick meal.
  • Don’t buy everything at one store. Prices vary greatly from one store to the next. Go to different stores to buy only their sale items. You will save more than the cost of your gas. It usually only takes half an hour to 45 minutes per store to get the items that are on sale including driving time. If you save a minimum of $20-$30 per trip, it is like “earning” $40-$60 an hour. If you save $60 spending one hour going to two different stores, it is four extra hours you might not have to work to pay for that same food purchased at the regular price.

Most people don’t think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I feed my family for $100 per person per month. Early in our marriage, when our household income averaged $22,000 a year, we paid off $20,000 in debt in five years—essentially an entire year’s income.

That same principle still applies today.

Even if you earn significantly more now, the math doesn’t change. Paying off one year’s income over five years is very achievable when you control everyday expenses—especially groceries. The higher your income, the easier it becomes if you avoid lifestyle creep and put those dollars to work intentionally.

Keeping our grocery budget low was one of the key ways we made it happen. Small, consistent savings added up month after month—and they can for you, too. When cutting your grocery bill, it’s the little things that add up.

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6 Ways To Save On Your Grocery Bill – Easy Ideas Add Up Fast!

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One of the easiest places in your family budget to save money is on your food bill! Here are 6 simple, practical ways to cut your grocery bill and take control of your food spending. This post shares real-life strategies for frugal beginners, plus an easy, budget-friendly Green Chile recipe that shows how small changes can lead to big savings!

One of the easiest places in your family budget to save money is on your food bill! Here are 6 simple, practical ways to cut your grocery bill and take control of your food spending. This post shares real-life strategies for frugal beginners, plus an easy, budget-friendly Green Chile recipe that shows how small changes can lead to big savings.

6 Ways To Save On Your Grocery Bill

For many people, making the decision to switch from two incomes to one can be a scary experience. You may know you’re spending too much, but figuring out where to start cutting back can be intimidating..

Most people don’t think they can live the frugal life and still be comfortable. I currently feed my family of 4 on $400 per month. Back when we were first married, my husband earned an average of $22,000 per year over 5 years. During that same time, we paid off $20,000 in debt. Today, that means these same ideas can help you pay off debt equal to nearly a year’s income—simply by making small, consistent changes.ears.

There are countless ways to save money, but if you’re new to frugal living, it’s best to start with simple, manageable steps. Your grocery bill is one of the easiest places to see quick results.

  • Before you shop, take a tour through your pantry and your refrigerator. Be organized!
  • Don’t buy what’s already hiding in your kitchen.
  • If you are a fan of coupons, remember this: It’s not what you save, it’s what you spend. If you save 30 cents on something you wouldn’t ordinarily buy anyway, you haven’t really saved anything.
  • A typical fruit item is significantly larger than one serving. Most people would be just as happy eating a small apple as eating a large one — so buy smaller fruits!
  • This month, try two meatless meals a week. Try one or two meatless meals each week. When you do use meat, treat it as an ingredient rather than the main dish. Recipes like the Green Chile below stretch as little as ½–1 pound of meat into multiple meals.
  • Cut back on the juice and milk. Reducing juice and milk purchases can free up money to buy sale items, which can help lower your grocery bill even more next month.

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This easy green chile recipe makes a light tasty meal when eaten with tortillas, but can also be used to top a lot of different Mexican themed dishes! It's super delicious!

Staying home and managing your budget isn’t about making drastic sacrifices—it’s about realizing that small changes add up over time. It’s the little things that really add up!

Tawra

Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe For Quick Family Dinners!

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This easy tater tot casserole recipe is an easy and delicious meal that families with kids really love! Tater tot casserole is a traditional comfort food that can easily be a one dish meal and it’s a great way to use leftover mixed vegetables and hamburger!

This easy tater tot casserole recipe is a delicious meal that families with kids really love! Just 5 minutes prep time and super easy!

Who doesn’t love tater tot casserole? It is a perfect comfort food that many of us remember growing up! The delicious flavors of potatoes, seasoned ground beef and vegetables slow baked and melded together in a casserole make a perfect one-dish meal.

You can easily make this tater tot casserole recipe with just 5 minutes’ work! Then just toss it in the oven and wait for dinner! Why spend too much money and time eating out when you can have something this easy and delicious at home, where you don’t have to wait in line or hear the kids complaining about that restaurant food that really didn’t cut it even though you paid too much!

This tater tot casserole is great to serve anytime, but I prefer to make it more often when it is cool outside or in the summer when the kids have been playing outside and are ired and ready for an easy meal! If your kids are having friends over or if you’re expecting a lot of family with not a lot of notice, this recipe is the perfect easy family dinner!

In addition to making this for your family, this tater tot casserole recipe is a great recipe to take to potlucks and parties because it is quick and easy to make and virtually everyone loves it. And if you’ve had a busy day and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you can quickly mix it up, put it in the oven and be done!

If You Like This Tater Tot Casserole Recipe, Try These Easy Recipes!

Easy Chicken Tenders Recipe

Sweet And Sour Chicken Recipe

Cheap Dinner Recipes And Ideas – 10 Dinners For $5!

Easy Taco Pie Recipe

For more family friendly recipes that are easy to cook, inexpensive and a lot faster than eating out, check out our cookbooks!

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Sour Cream Enchiladas Recipe – Quick, Simple & Tasty!

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This Sour Cream Enchiladas Recipe makes yummy enchiladas that are easy to make and super popular with families. It’s easy to add your own variations to satisfy everyone in your family!

This Sour Cream Enchiladas Recipe makes yummy enchiladas that are super easy to make. It's easy to add your own variations to satisfy everyone in your family!

This Sour Cream Enchiladas Recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook:

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Other recipes that go great with these sour cream enchiladas:

Easy Spanish Rice Recipe

Homemade Sopapillas Recipe

10 Meals in 30 Minutes or Less

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It is possible to prepare tasty and nutritious meals in 30 minutes or less without spending a fortune eating out! Grandma knew the secret and you can, too!

It is possible to prepare tasty and nutritious meals in 30 minutes or less without spending a fortune eating out! Grandma knew the secret and you can, too! In this post we share how to make quick and easy meals, along with recipes for meals you can make in 30 minutes or less!

10 Meals in 30 Minutes or Less

I was having dinner at my son’s house the other night and my daughter-in-law had made “old fashioned” baked potatoes. You know– in the oven and not the microwave. Boy, they were good. It seems so many things taste better slow cooked in the oven.

The funny thing is that it is still possible to prepare these meals in 30 minutes.

We started talking about how much longer it took to cook them in the oven compared to the microwave. That started me thinking. Yes, it does take longer in actual cooking time but it is often easier to cook in the oven and it is usually possible to prepare meals with 20 minutes or less prep time.

How Cooking In The Oven Can Actually Be Easier

When I bake potatoes in the oven, I work for just 5 minutes to get them ready and in the oven an hour before dinner. Then I just forget about them until dinner is ready. When they are finished, all I have to do is set them on the table and dinner is served.

When I microwave baked potatoes, I tend to start cleaning them and preparing them at the same time that I’m trying to make a salad and heat up the veggies. While I’m doing all of that, I have to remember to keep checking on the potatoes and turning them. If I am cooking several potatoes, I have to put a few in the microwave at a time. When each batch is done, I have to pull them out and add more, all of this at the same time that I am trying to prepare the rest of the meal.

Even though we have faster methods of cooking our meals, meal preparation has become more frenzied and hurried than years ago. With the introduction of the microwave and the idea that you can prepare meals in 30 minutes, most people do nothing to prepare or plan their meals at all until 30 minutes before they are planning to actually eat, which makes the cooking take. long longer.

So 30 minutes before dinner you find yourself trying to thaw something, cook it, and slap it on the table and at the same time talk and deal with tired, hungry, cranky kids. Let’s not forget how exhausted you are at this time of day, too.

We need to warm up our ovens and start using them again the way our grandmothers used to do. Here are some tips and ideas that prove that cooking meals in a conventional oven instead of a microwave can be just as quick and easy, not to mention how much more delicious they taste and smell. You might be surprised to find out how easy it is to make meals in 30 minutes or less.

I think we underestimate the power of coming home and smelling something yummy cooking. We automatically seem to relax, feeling that “all is well with the world”. I really think it can change the whole atmosphere of your home for the evening.

Old Kitchen Pantry

I am not living in a dream world. You can prepare meals in 30 minutes the way our grandmothers did. I hear some readers saying, “Our grandmothers weren’t ever as busy as we are so they had time to cook large meals.” I can hear our grandmothers chuckling at that statement. My husband’s grandmother had to help on the farm from early in the morning until evening. She took care of a large home garden, canned, cleaned house every day, did laundry without a washer or dryer and still provided meals not only for her family, but up to 20 farm hands as well. She had to do it all without a refrigerator, microwave, or a grocery store and the nearest water was a mile away from her house.

My mother-in-law would go to work as early as 7 am and work until 9 pm 6 days a week, but she still managed to make three large meals each day. If you’re thinking, “That’s great if you want to spend all your spare time in the kitchen,” consider that they spent less time in the kitchen than we do with less of the conveniences and still managed to have well balanced delicious meals each day.

What was their secret? They had never heard of 30 minute meals. Even if they had they would probably have laughed and wondered who would spend so much time preparing a meal? They knew that the key to preparing a meal in 30 minutes or less wasn’t how fast you could cook, but how organized you were. You can easily have a meal on the table in 15 minutes if you are organized and plan ahead.

Making quick and easy meals the old fashioned doesn’t mean microwaving and frying everything to have a quick meal either. Slow cooking something in the oven not only makes things taste better but is quicker with less prep time.

Our grandmothers’ secret to meals in 30 minutes:

Easy Dinner Ideas And Recipes

Here are some ideas about what to prepare. These aren’t elaborate gourmet meals. If you are too busy to cook dinner, then you are to busy to make gourmet dinners. Stick with the basics and keep it simple like our grandmothers did and you will be able to make meals in 30 minutes.

Slow cooked roast: Place a roast in a crockpot or pan. Peel five potatoes and carrots and drop them in with it and turn on the oven. This takes five minutes. Clean and cut broccoli, celery and cucumbers for a salad — five minutes. At dinner time, chop lettuce and tomato for the salad, adding the already prepared veggies. Then put the meat and the fixings on a platter — five more minutes. Voila! Dinner in 15 minutes.

Stew: It takes me seven minutes to cube meat*, peel five potatoes, carrots and onions, toss it into a pot and to season it. At dinner time, I put bread or dinner rolls on the table — one to two minutes and I have dinner in nine minutes.

*Ask your butcher to cube or slice all your meat for you. They usually charge nothing or just a few cents per pound. It saves not only time in cutting but in clean up too.

Chicken: Toss a chicken in a pan or crockpot — two minutes. Clean potatoes to put in with chicken or to bake in the oven — three minutes. At dinner time, warm a veggie — two minutes. Slice some fruit — three minutes. Dinner in 10 minutes.

Lasagna: Put noodles in a pot to boil — one minute. Brown the hamburger. Get out the cheese, tomato sauce, and the rest of the fixings; Mix the sauce while the noodles boil, 7-8 minutes. Layer everything — two minutes. Cover and put it in the fridge for dinner the next day or that evening.

Put the lasagna in the oven to heat while you get out of your work clothes, check the mail, etc. Set the table and cut a salad — five minutes. Dinner is served; 15 minutes.

Beef stroganoff: Make your beef stroganoff in your crockpot. (If you don’t want to use a crockpot, this recipe usually takes very little time, even when you’re just stirring it up in a pan.) Dump everything but sour cream and noodles into the crockpot. This takes three minutes’ work and then you can simmer all day on low.

Clean carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli for a relish dish (five minutes) and put it in the fridge. At dinner time, boil egg noodles (5-7 minutes). While they are boiling, add sour cream to the sauce and set the table. Total time: 15 minutes.

Chili: Mix everything in a pot the night before. Depending on what you put in, it should take 5-10 minutes. Simmer throughout the next day.

Soup: Do the same as with the chili.

Mexican Food- Almost all Mexican foods take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Enchiladas and tacos are super easy.

Casseroles– You can make so many varieties of casseroles. You can always find several that your family will love.

Breakfast– Throw some pancakes or waffles on and add some sausage or scrambled eggs and breakfast is ready for dinner in minutes.

These are just general examples of ways to prepare quick and easy meals in 30 minutes or less. It isn’t really a matter of time as much as it is a matter of being organized and getting things done before you are too exhausted to think.

If you have meats thawed and the ingredients on hand, most things can be tossed together in about the same amount of time it takes to order and wait to get your food at a fast food place.

Also, remember when you have your oven going, try to cook more than one thing in it. For example, if you are going to be baking a casserole, bake a pan of brownies, muffins or baked apples at the same time.

-Jill

For lots of quick and easy meals that you can make ahead of time, check out Quick and Easy Menus On A Dime, which is full of pre-made menus and recipes for meals in 30 minutes or less. Make it easier to put dinner on the table and get out of the kitchen faster!

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