Frugal Family Fun: Making Memories on a Budget
Written by: Nicole Dean
Web Site: www.ShowMomTheMoney.com
What childhood memories do you hold dear? For me, it was all the times “life happened”. The little things like playing outside, riding my bike with the wind in my hair, playing at the park, swimming in the lakes, giggling with friends. None of those moments cost a cent, yet they are some of my most treasured memories.
Frugal Family Fun is very easy to do. Choose any of the 31 ideas below and you’ll have a fun-filled time without breaking the bank!
* Garden – Plant flowers, fruit trees, herbs, or vegetables. Your child will learn science, responsibility and have fun!
* Snip-it – Give your child old toy catalogs or magazines and safe scissors. Watch them cut all day.
* Diggin’ It – Send your child outside with a bucket and small shovel. Shoveling snow, sand, dirt or rocks — it’s all good fun.
* Sing – Turn up the radio and sing! Teach your child the music of the 70s, 80s, or 90s.
* Play Catch – Throw different items (balloons, tennis balls) to your child. Roll balls to young children.
* Sidewalk Chalk – Lay on the sidewalk and take turns outlining each other. Decorate your flat selves.
* Cardboard Boxes – Make towers, build cities, design play houses, airplanes, trains, forts and more!
* Bubbles – Blow Bubbles. Take turns chasing and popping them.
* Masks – Create Masks from Paper bags, paper plates, foam, or anything on hand.
* Cards – Introduce your child to all the classic games — UNO, Crazy 8, Go Fish, Old Maid, Memory Match.
* Scavenger Hunt – Give your child a list of clues and send him out to find them. Clues can be simple (find a rock) or very advanced (find a piece of granite).
* Throw Rocks – Go to a pond, creek, or lake and throw rocks. Try to skip them or aim for different targets.
* Bath Time – Bring kitchen utensils into the bath tub. Bubbles and water can become an imaginary gourmet dinner.
* Office – Give your child Junk Mail, stickers, a calculator and pen — they’ll have their own office!
* Photography – Let your child use a disposable camera or a digital camera and witness their creativity. They may surprise you!
* Picnic – Make some sandwiches and eat them outside.
* Cooking – Find age-appropriate recipes and let your child help in the kitchen.
* Tag – How many versions of tag do you remember from your childhood? Teach the oldies to your children (freeze tag, TV tag, etc.)
* Write a Story – Younger children can write wiggle-worm sentences (much scribbling and
pictures). Encourage older children to write chapter books — your child could pen the next Harry Potter or Magic Tree house.
* Charades – Toddlers can act out and guess their favorite animals (usually with many sound effects). Older children will enjoy acting out movie titles.
* Flashlight – Turn off the lights & make shadow puppets. Or get two flashlights and chase the light beams.
* Wildlife – Feed the ducks, squirrels, birds, turtles or fish near you.
* Abundance – Every day, have your children tell you what they are thankful for.
* Dress Up – Give your children your clothes and watch them imitate you.
* Treats – Make cookies and decorate them.
* Dance – Turn up the music and Dance!
* Play Games – Teach your child all your favorite board games.
* Journal – Present a notebook or diary to your child and encourage them to express their feelings with pictures and words.
* Tea Party – Grab the stuffed animals and treat them to a delicious cup of imaginary tea.
* Keep in Touch – Write a letter to Grandparents, Aunts or Uncles. Teach the importance of family.
* I Spy – Come up with age-appropriate clues and let you child guess what you are thinking.
Be sure to print out this list and keep it handy for the next time your children say “MOMMMMMM — we’re bored!”
Frugal Living and Kids
Copyright 2000/2001 Deborah Taylor-Hough
All rights reserved. Don’t transmit, copy, reprint, post to other webpages, or use in any print media without written permission from the copyright holder. Thanks! 🙂
Frugal living and raising kids. Is it possible for those two phrases to fit together? Here’s a quick list of simple ideas for saving money on regular child-related expenses and/or fun activities.
SAVING MONEY ON CHILDREN
1) Give older children and teenagers their own reasonable clothing budget. They quickly learn that the money only goes so far. If they want designer jeans, fine, but they’ll have to cut back somewhere else or earn the extra money themselves.
2) Check for children’s clothing, especially infant sizes, at yard sales in expensive neighborhoods. Name brand items in excellent condition can often be found for less than a dollar a piece.
3) Always say “yes” to hand-me-down clothes from friends and family. If you really need help financially, a refusal of clothing could indicate to someone that you no longer have need for clothing so they might stop offering all together. Give what you don’t need to someone else who could use a hand. Hand-me-downs are not only free but are usually in better condition than garage sales or thrift stores.
4) Sell children’s clothes you’re finished with at a children’s resale/consignment store. You’ll get a better rate of return than at a yard sale.
5) Get free video rentals at local libraries.
6) Be patient and wait to see new movies when they come out in video.
7) Check to see if there are any discount movie theaters in your area. Many of these places show movies just before they’re released on video. A family of four can go out for an evening at the movies and spend around $10 for a fun family outting (watch the candy, popcorn and drink purchases however — that’s where the bill can go sky-high). These theaters often play the movies for only a week or two, so keep track of which movies you want to see and check each week for what’s playing at the discount theaters.
8) Go to the first show of the day at first-run theaters for the best price of the day.
9) Rather than buying separate admissions to different educational or fun family destinations, buy one yearly pass to either the zoo or the aquarium or a theme park. Go repeatedly to that one place each time you want a family outing. You’ll easily save the cost of the family admission, plus you’ll have the benefit of not feeling pressured to see everything in one day. You can always see what you missed the next time you come. Next year buy a pass to somewhere else.
10) Check for free concerts, plays and other live family entertainment at local parks during the summer months.
11) Call and find out if your local college stage production group, ballet or orchestra will let you quietly watch them rehearse for free.
12) Go fly a kite (literally!).
13) Learn to juggle. It’s entertaining, creates family cooperation and it’s great exercise.
14) Make the most of available student discounts. Show your child’s school ID at museums, zoos, galleries, etc.
15) Instead of an expensive day of professional sports, go to a high school or college game.
16) Borrow high-ticket baby items from family and friends: car seats, baby swings, playpens, strollers, bassinets, cribs, high chairs. Remember to take excellent care of borrowed items … and don’t forget to return them!
17) Purchase high-ticket items at children’s resale or consignment stores. Look in the Yellow Pages. These stores sort through the junk so the merchandise they sell is often in “like-new” condition.
18) Buy retired diapers from local diaper services. These are still serviceable and sold for a fraction of the cost of new cotton diapers. Even if you have to replace them now and then, the monetary savings are still tremendous.
19) Put your baby’s tiny socks into a zippered lingerie bag when you put them in the washing machine. They won’t get lost, so this cuts down on unmatched socks and the subsequent replacement costs.
20) Consider using a Certified Nurse Midwife for routine pregnancy and childbirth care. The cost of a hospital birth using a CNM can be nearly a third less than the same birth attended by an OB/GYN. Check to see if there is a CNM associated with your local hospital or birthing center. Most medical insurance companies offer coverage for CNM pregnancy/childbirth care (check with your insurance carrier for specifics).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Deborah Taylor-Hough (free-lance writer, wife and mother of three) is the editor of the Simple Times and Bright-Kids email newsletters. She’s also the author of the bestselling book, Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month, and A Simple Choice : A Practical Guide to Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity.
Wonderful Books by the Author of This Article:
A Simple Choice : A Practical Guide to Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity
Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month
Frozen Assets Lite and Easy: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month
Cook for a Day: Eat for a Month : Frozen Assets Readers’ Favorite
Frugal Decorating Ideas
Cheap and Easy Ways To Give Every Room In Your Home A Mini-Makeover
You may be looking around your home thinking “Oh, I wish I had money to decorate!”
Anyone who has watched Trading Spaces knows that giving your house a quick makeover doesn’t have to break the bank!
Simple Ways To Spruce Up Your Space
A gallon of paint will give any room a complete facelift! Always check out the ‘oops’ gallons at places like Home Depot. People request colors and never pick them up, or the person mixing the paint doesn’t get the shade quite right. Oftentimes these colors are just putrid, but sometimes you’ll find a gorgeous color that’s a steal! I’ve decorated plenty of rooms from other people’s leftover paints — and loved the results!
Fresh flowers in a vase make a wonderful addition to any room in your home. Pick the flowers from your own yard to save even more money.
Framed pictures of family and friends are a must. If you have them printed in black and white, they’ll never go out of style!
Add mirrors to open up a small room. Mirrors are a great way to decorate, especially in rooms with low light.
Richly scented candles make every room feel welcoming. Between the soft lighting, and the scent, you can’t go wrong with candles.
New throw rugs and runners at the entrance to your home make a great first impression.
The Bathroom
This is the least expensive room in your home to completely redecorate. A new shower curtain, a rug or two, soap dispenser, cup, some decorative hand towels – and your bathroom has a whole new look.
Try a bathroom theme! How about one of these ideas from the standard to the very original?
* Ocean or Sea theme
* Medieval Times
* The Orient
* Western theme
* Rubber Duckies
* Floral – victorian
* Floral – funky
Or work from one of your favorite paintings and take a color scheme from it. Let Dali or even Andy Warhol inspire your color palette.
Your Kitchen
If new cabinets or the island you always dreamed of are not in your budget, give your kitchen a fresh look by shopping for new decorative kitchen towels and potholders and new matching tablecloth and placemat sets. I love changing my kitchen for the seasons and holidays! A wine rack or framed placemat from a fun restaurant can be the inspiration!
Your Living/Family Room
A few new lamps, a large area rug or an art piece on a bare wall can add life to a dull and tired living room. While these items can be costly, they are certainly more affordable than an entertainment center or sofa.
How about some funky toss pillows and throws for chairs and couches? A little imagination and makes up for not having a big wallet!
The Bedroom
A new bedding set is enough to give your bedroom a major boost! Treat yourself and your spouse to a set of silk or satin sheets to match your new comforter! Search for quality, inexpensive silk sheets & save up to 80% at Overstock.com!
Super Savings Only From Overstock.com!
Budgeting for the Big Change
Treat yourself to a home decorating magazine. Dream big and set your goals high for what you want your house to eventually look like, but start on a smaller scale.
Plan! Mistakes cost money, so really plan your look thoroughly.
Start a Home Improvement Fund by saving change in a jar. When the jar is full, deposit it into a savings account specifically for redecorating your home.
Pick up things here and there slowly. Eventually, you’ll have enough to re-do a room. Buy one new item for the room you plan to spruce as you can afford to.
Don’t forget to shop in places like estate sales, charity sales, and moving sales. You’ll never know when you can find an amazing piece of furniture for a great price!
Sometimes the smallest changes equal the biggest difference in decorating. Don’t start out too big. Good things come to those who wait…and those who are bargain hunters!
How Clutter Chases Money Away
Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can cause money to run away from you?
I know, I know…it sounds like airy-fairy mumbo jumbo, but think about it for a moment…
Has your desk ever been so cluttered that you forgot to pay a bill and incurred a late fee?
Has your cluttered purse caused you to forget to enter in a debit card purchase and you then overdrew your account?
Have you ever injured yourself in your own home when you tripped over “stuff” cluttering up walkways?
Have you ever bought something that you already owned, simply because you couldn’t find the item in question? Have you ever found overdue late library books or movie rentals under your messy car seats?
Are you getting my point here?
To save yourself time AND money, implement some of these tips:
*Every evening when you turn off the computer, spend just 2 minutes clearing off your desk or workspace. When it becomes a habit you will do it without thinking and it then takes seconds.
*Once a week (or more often depending on your habits!) take a minute to clear out your purse. Pick a day to do this and do it every week.
*Enter your purchases in your checkbook immediately before the receipt has a chance to disappear!
*Open your mail standing over a trash can. That way you can immediately toss the junk mail instead of laying it aside.
*Once a day (before bed is a great time) take just 2 minutes to walk through the house with a trash bag in your hand, and throw away paper trash, magazines, junky plastic toys that seem to multiply overnight, etc.
*Before you log off your computer at the end of a workday, take a moment to delete any favorite places or organize them into folders. Do the same with email. (Better yet, set up your email program to automatically file certain emails into folders as they download.) This will save you time when you need to find things later on.
*The day before you go grocery shopping, clean out your fridge. It’s emptier now so this is easy to do, and you can grab all the leftover bits to make “Refrigerator Stew” instead of letting those items go to waste.
And my personal favorite:
*Never own more than one laundry basket. The more you own, the more you fill up with clean,unfolded laundry!
And just for fun, here’s the airy-fairy stuff:
Having a cluttered home or office can make you feel tired and overwhelmed, because you have an emotional attachment to everything you own. It’s as if a tiny string is connecting every possession to your subconscious mind.
Do you have kids?
Have you ever noticed how your child behaves when s/he has too many choices? How about when they’ve been given a ton of gifts? Do they not get irritable and frenzied? They can’t decide “what to do” with so much stuff around that they pitch it all and play with the box…it’s simple!
I organized my kid’s room the other day (I go on a tear and do this periodically), putting all the toys into categories, organizing them into containers, throwing a lot away,puttting some things away for later, and lo and behold! They NEVER played in there before,and now they’re in their room all the time playing peacefully.
It’s the same with us!
A cluttered home means you will have less energy for your business or other work.
I hope these ideas help you save time and money.
Carrie Lauth publishes a free “no fluff” newsletter for the Mom new to internet business. Get your free subscriber goodies at http://www.business-moms-expo.com/newsletter.html
Frugal Grocery Shopping
There are two ways to save money on your groceries, buy less or pay less. But it doesn’t end there because there are lots of different ways to do these two things.
Buying Less
Buying less always sounds like you have to cut down on what you buy but this isn’t always true. Spending less always sounds like going into the supermarket with a bag full of coupons. True, these are ways to cut down on your grocery shopping bills but with a little bit of thought you could probably cut down your spending many other ways too.
You may be able to buy less because you are using less or reusing the same things more than once like plastic bags and containers. You can also buy less by making things last longer like diluting fruit juices. This will help you save money and calories.
Another way to buy less and save on your grocery shopping is to buy smart and think about all the things that you might be wasting because they’ve gone bad or expired before it gets used. Large yogurt pots and some fruits and vegetables can cause this problem.
Also think about all the disposable items you might be buying that could be replaced by a permanent item, for example permanent coffee filters, plastic food containers instead of disposable bags, razors for shaving, even water filters. There must be tons of people throwing money away because they buy bottled water instead of using a water filter that dollar for dollar gives you probably ten times the same amount of fresh filtered water.
Pay Less
The most common ways to pay less for items is to buy the items on sale, buy cheaper brands, or buy in bulk. Often items that are reduced to clear are perfectly suitable to consume – it’s just that the store has to sell them quickly or face throwing them out.
Also avoid impulsive buying. Many people buy impulsively because the products are there on the shelf in front of them. You know what they say, never go grocery shopping when you are feeling hungry or without a list.
You can also shop around different stores to find bargains and you might be surprised by how much you can save.
Be weary of supermarket tricks. Things like raising the price of a popular brand for about two weeks then ‘price cutting’ to just below the original price to make it look like it’s on special offer.
Supermarkets can raise and lower their prices to match the supplier’s situation. So if a product supplier is struggling to supply apples one week, then the price will go up, and when the apples start flooding back in again, a special offer price will appear.
But don’t make the common mistakes that many people make. When supermarkets put things on special offer, such as ‘buy one and get one free’ people think this is a great deal. It often is, but this may make you simply consume more so you really won’t be saving much at all.
The best ‘two for the price of one’ offers are on things that you can only consume at a certain rate like bathroom and cleaning products, such as toothpaste and soap powder.
The same thing goes for coupons. Sure coupons are a great way to save money on groceries but if you’re buying things you normally wouldn’t buy or twice as much to get the special sale price then you may actually end up spending more. Often times the coupon offers are higher priced items than the store brands.
By the same token, be careful of store brand or value products that are cheaper imitations of the real thing. Buying lower quality can be a money saver if you choose wisely, but if you end up using twice as much and the product lasts half as long, then you might as well enjoy the real thing.
Healthy Kids’ Meals
Kids are often the choosiest eaters in the family. They are drawn towards unhealthy foods such as salty or sugary snacks and fast food. If getting your kids to eat healthy meals is a battle in your home, here are some tips that will make your kids happy and give you the satisfaction of knowing you are feeding them foods that are good for them.
Naturally Sweet
Most kids will ask for sweets such as candy and snack cakes. Instead of giving in to the pressure, give your kids applesauce and homemade oatmeal cookies prepared with a sugar substitute or honey rather than white sugar. Fruit snacks and dried fruit roll-ups made from 100 percent fruit are great ideas for kids.
Make Healthy Meals Fun
The secret is in the presentation. Arrange an assortment of healthy foods in a fun way on your child’s plate. You can include smiley faces made from raisins or nuts and choose foods that are colorful. Kids will eat most things if they are presented in a unique design that makes eating fun.
Healthy Start to the Day
You can give your kids a delicious, healthy breakfast by getting rid of the ready to eat cereals and pastries and replacing them with bran pancakes and low-sugar syrup and/or fruit. Whole-wheat tortillas filled with fruit, scrambled eggs, or cheese and turkey bacon are delicious and your kids will have fun eating them, paying no attention to the fact that it is actually good for them.
Sugary Drinks
Replace fruit drinks and sodas with flavored tonic water and fresh fruit juice. Drink boxes containing pure fruit juice are relatively inexpensive and kids love the individual boxes, complete with straws.
Finger Foods
Kids love finger foods. Vegetables with low or fat-free ranch dressing are sure to be a hit as will sliced fruit or canned fruit in individual cups. Small sandwiches with the crusts removed served with a few carrot sticks and cheese are great ideas for kids.
Making Healthy Dinner
Dinnertime can include homemade pizza topped with cheese and vegetables or soft tacos made with shredded chicken and cheese. Chicken strips prepared in the oven are always a hit and you could include an assortment of fresh vegetables and whole-grain breads. Fish sticks are relatively healthy if you prepare them in the oven rather than fried. Cheese and legumes are healthy choices.
It’s not difficult to get kids to eat healthy meals. It just takes a little extra thought and planning. Start by using our tips and you may be surprised to see what your child will eat.
Would you rather spend time doing the things you love rather than being stuck in the kitchen? freequickrecipes.com has quick recipes for mothers… and others.
Banish Boring Brown Bag Lunches
by Cyndi Roberts
One way that money slips through our fingers without our realizing it is by eating out at lunch every day.
Did you know that by taking your lunch 3 days a week instead of eating out, you could save as much as $800 a year? Think what you could do with that much extra money!
Your lunch doesn’t have to be a sandwich and chips, either. With just a little bit of creativity and planning, brown bag lunches can be pretty delicious!
Try these ideas for starters:
Invest in a few of those 1-serving plastic storage containers with lids. These are so handy–when you have just one serving left of any dish at dinner, put it in one of these dishes. Designate a shelf in the fridge for these leftovers. In the mornings, anyone in the family can choose what to put in
their lunch bag!
Those little containers can also be used to hold dip for carrot or celery sticks; fill with peanut butter and pack a zipper bag of pretzels for dipping. Maybe salsa for dipping tortilla chips (not so healthy, but really good!)
Or make your own pudding cups with your homemade pudding!
Fill tortillas or pita pockets with egg or tuna salad.
Spread cream cheese on a tortilla, add a little salsa, and top with sliced turkey or ham. Place another tortilla on top, cut in fourths and put in zipper top bag.
A good way to carry deviled eggs (that lunchbox staple)– after filling, put the two halves back together, and wrap in plastic wrap or put in a small container!
Muffins hold up well in a lunch bag or box as do slices of banana nut bread, or most any other quick bread. Great for morning or afternoon breaks
Of course, if your workplace has a microwave oven, (lucky you!) you can always bring leftover soup, stew or chili. A quick recipe for
Chicken Corn Chowder
1 pouch Chicken Noodle Soup Mix with diced chicken
2 1/4 cups milk
1 can cream-style corn
Combine all ingredients in saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until noodles are tender, uncovered, stirring frequently, because it will stick!
Mix this up in the evening or on the weekend and store in serving-size containers. Just grab a container in the morning, along with some crackers, and you’re good to go!
Try some of these ideas for your lunches this week and start saving some money!
And at the same time, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you and/or your spouse will be having a more nutritious meal than you would get at a fast-food restaurant.
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Cyndi Roberts is the editor of “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another” bi-weekly newsletter, bringing you creative, practical tips to help you with budgeting, cooking, shopping, parenting and much more as you strive to “live the Good Life… on a budget”.
Frugal Nutritious Snacks for Children
by Cyndi Roberts
Lately, there has been a lot in the news concerning obesity in America. And not just in adults–our children are over-weight, also.
It’s not surprising, considering the advertising dollars that are spent each year aimed at persuading children that potato chips, candy bars and other “junk food” are good for them.
While we may not be able to change the world, we can change what is available to our children in our own homes.
Here are a few healthy alternatives to those fat and sugar laden “store-bought” snacks.
Peanut Butter Balls
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1 cup toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoons powdered milk
Mix ingredients well, shape into balls. Roll in coconut if desired. Store in refrigerator.
Popcorn
Popcorn is a great snack food. It is a good source of fiber and low in calories–until you add toppings. Don’t add salt, but try sprinkling grated Parmesan or American cheese on top.
Zipper top bags of popcorn are handy for taking along on picnics and other outings.
Honey “Cracker Jacks”
6 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup butter or margarine
6 cups popped popcorn
1 cup peanuts
Melt honey and butter in microwave until melted and blended. Let cool. Mix peanuts and popcorn; pour honey mixture over and stir till coated. Spread in single layer in shallow baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Stir several times during baking. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
Store in airtight container.
Apricot Nectar
Soak 1/2 cup dried apricots in 2 cups of pineapple juice for about 1 hour.
Process in blender till smooth.
Fruity Soda Drink
Combine equal amounts of carbonated water with fruit juice. Sweeten with honey, if desired.
Banana Smoothie
1 1/4 cups milk
1 banana
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Process in blender till smooth. This is a good way to use up bananas.
With summer coming up, frozen snacks will be on our grocery
lists. Why not try these alternatives?
Homemade Frozen Pops
1 6-oz. can frozen juice concentrate, softened
(try orange, grape, or fruit punch)
1 juice can water
2 containers of plain yogurt
popsicle sticks and cups
Process in blender. Pour into cups and insert sticks.Freeze.
Small paper cups work pretty well as molds for
these recipes.
Make Your Own Pudding Pops
1 small pkg. instant pudding mix–any flavor
1 3/4 cup lowfat milk
Mix as directed on package. Once again, pour into molds and add sticks. Freeze.
These ideas should help feed those hungry kids on those warm spring and summer days!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Is it any mistake that “STRESSED” is “DESSERTS” spelled backward?
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another” bi-weekly newsletter, bringing you creative, practical tips to help you with budgeting, cooking, shopping, parenting and much more as you strive to “live the Good Life… on a budget”.
Freezer Cooking – What is THAT all about?
Freezer Cooking, also referred to as Once A Month Cooking, is a way to cook less often, but still enjoy the health benefits of a home-cooked meal, and save money. Some moms take one full day each month and cook a month’s worth of food. Others, like me, do batch cooking and quadruple many of my recipes. For instance, if I am making a batch of chili, I usually make a big stockpot and freeze the bulk of it for quick, healthy, inexpensive meals. This is a great way for all Work at Home Moms to save time and money — while feeding your family healthy foods!
Meals that freeze well:
* Eggplant Parmesan
* Chicken in Marinade (Buy a large amount of chicken, divide it into freezer bags with the marinade of your choice, and freeze. When you take the chicken out of the freezer to thaw for your meal, it will marinade as it thaws.)
* Soups in Broth (Test potatoes, rice, pasta, and other starchy items before you commit to a large batch. They can fall apart or get rubbery.) Also, beware of cream-based soups. They are wonderful for freezer cooking, but do NOT add the milk/cream before you freeze it. Any dairy must be added once the soup is thawed and warming — right before it is eaten!
* Lasagna — it is so easy to make several pans of lasagna and freeze them all. You don’t even have to cook the noodles in advance. Just layer noodles, spaghetti sauce, ricotta or cottage cheese, meats and veggies in several layers with lots of your favorite sauce. Cover tightly and bake.
* Beans and Rice
* Chili — Toss a few cans of chicken broth in a crockpot. Drain and rinse several cans of beans — whatever you have on hand. Toss them in with some veggies (peppers, onions, celery, etc.). Boil. Then turn down the heat, cover and cook for an hour. At the last minute, add some chili powder and whatever seasonings you like. Plus, add a few cans of diced tomatoes and green chilis if you like them. Cook a few more minutes and it’s ready to serve or freeze.
o To freeze, scoop into plastic containers.
o To serve, top with green onions, sour cream, cheese, crushed chips, etc. You’ll love it!
* Muffins (If you bake muffins or bread, you can freeze the extras for later.)
* Hawaiian Chicken
Recommended Freezer Cooking Resource:
I highly recommend this resource: “Freezer Cooking Made Simple”
About the Author: Nicole Dean is the owner of ShowMomtheMoney.com — Helping Moms to Make Money and Save Money
Stocking Your Pantry: Meals in Minutes
Do you keep in your pantry items to make a meal in minutes?
Take-out food is so expensive. When you do a little preparing, you can actually fix meals in minutes. While meals in minutes are probably better for you and your family than a burger and fries. The good thing is that you are saving money.
I always keep a bag of precooked fajitas meat in the freezer. Stir fry the meat, onions and bell peppers. Add lettuce and toast to make a fajitas salad. Open a can of fruit for dessert.
The same fajitas meat can make Nachos. Spread tortilla chips with bean dip, add fajita meat and cheese. Microwave until cheese is melted.
Quick fajitas can also be made with the meal. Add chips and hot sauce to make your meal.
Boil noodles and top with the stir fried fajitas meat. Add a jar of gravy and heat until hot. Serve meat over noodles. Add a salad to complete your meal.
Frozen meatballs are another staple I keep in my kitchen. Brown meatballs in a skillet until thawed. Add a can of spaghetti sauce and simmer. Boil spaghetti pasta. Broil under the broiler toast with butter and garlic powder for garlic toast. Add a salad to complete your meal.
Brown meatballs in a skillet. Cook Ramen noodles. Toss meatballs with noodles. Add a salad.
Brown meatballs in the skillet until thawed. Pour in a can of beef gravy. Open a box of macaroni and cheese. Add a salad to your meal.
I always keep a package of the frozen skillet meals in the freezer. These can be made within 15 to 20 minutes. Add a salad and a can of fruit and your meal is complete.
Kids love this dish– take 2 cans of Ravioli. Layer Ravioli, cheese and crushed corn chips. Top with cheese. Microwave until the cheese is melted. Add your salad and your set.
Fix a package of stuffing mix according to directions. Take thick slices of turkey that you can purchase from your deli. Roll stuffing inside turkey to make a roll. Pour a jar of turkey gravy over the top and microwave until warm. Serve with a can of green beans.
All time favorite is soup and grilled cheese sandwiches or soup and a salad is a big hit in the winter time.
A list of “never-outs” would be:
* Precooked frozen fajitas meat
* Salad fixings
* Bean dip or refried beans
* Shredded cheese
* Jar gravy
* Noodles
* Ramen noodles
* Frozen meatballs
* Spaghetti sauce
* Macaroni and cheese mix
* Frozen skillet meals
* Ravioli
* Corn chips
* Stove Top Stuffing mix
* Turkey gravy
Make a list of your “meals in minutes” and tape to the inside of your pantry door. When you are in a hurry, turn to your pantry instead of the phone number to your favorite take out restaurant. Every time you fix a quick and easy meal instead of take-out food, put the money you would have spent into a jar. Tell your family about the money jar. As a family, decide what you are going to do with this money. (I.e., Disney trip, etc.) Fast food is a habit everyone gets into, so make getting out of the habit fun for everyone.
About the Author:
Betty Reed Lynch, owner of My Country Kitchen, a menu planning service for the BUSY person! Visit her web site at: to subscribe to her menu planning service. If you have any questions, feel free to email Betty at betty@mycountrykitchen.com
