Essential Tips On Making Easy Family Meals

If you're pressed for time, but you've got a hungry family to feed, then this article is going to make your life that much easier. In the old days, long before the Industrial revolution, families could spend more time cooking and preparing family meals. Now, a meal that takes longer than 30 to 45 minutes is considered too long.

Tip #1:

The first thing you want to do is to map out a whole month of menus your entire family likes. Keep in mind that most children like simple foods like spaghetti, pizza, hamburger, and French fries, etc. Adults may have a little more sophisticated taste, such as steak marinated in red wine sauce or Fettucini drenched in Hollandaise sauce. Start making dishes that have a variety and combination that everyone can enjoy.

If you are out of ideas, you can browse sites to find easy recipes. You can also look through cook books and magazines for additional ideas. Be sure to look for meals that are simple, such as one-dish meals. One-dish meals usually have one simple dish, such a soup or a sandwich with a side of vegetables or fruit. Also, soup and salad combos are quick, easy and healthy, because you can use instant soup mixes found at your local grocery store along with providing some fresh vegetables or fruit. Sandwich, soup and salad combos are even better if you're feeding a hungry family and don't have a lot of time.

Tip #2:

Chart out your calendar and schedule your grocery shopping. You don't want to run out of food or ingredients in the middle of the week, when things are super busy and you've got to get dinner ready.

Tip #3:

Print out each meal plan. Keep a folder full of recipes for reference. Also make a shopping list and keep it in the folder together. This can make things a lot easier for you, because all you simply have to do is follow the directions and the list. Hang your weekly menu on the fridge, so it's easily viewed and accessed.

Tip #4:

Again, as stated before, you don't want to run out of food. Keep the fridge and freezer, as well as the cabinets stocked with your ingredients. Look over your menu for each week and check your cabinet and fridge to see what you may need to add to this week's grocery list. This takes only a couple of minutes, and you don't have to worry about forgetting anything. If you can, try to shop only 2 or 3 times a month. This cuts down on the number of trips you need to take to the store, saves time, and gas!

Tip #5:

Choose one day or one block of time to cook for several days ahead. For example, some families will take a Saturday or a Sunday to cook for the rest of the week. Figure out how many portions you'd need to prepare. If you're a family of 5, then you'd definitely benefit by cooking ahead. Get freezable food containers that have at least 3 portioned sections. These are very inexpensive, and you can find them at Wal-Mart as well as some Dollar Stores. They are excellent because they keep your food fresh, can be stored in the freezer and they can be microwaved. In this way, you could make sure there's always a fresh and home cooked meal available, without having to spend a lot of time preparing them.

Tip #6:

Pre-prepare some food ahead of time. If you want to serve a tasty meal that may take a few hours to prepare, do a pre-phase. This is where you already pre-cook things such as meat. In this way, when you get ready to serve the meal it may only take you 20 or 30 minutes. This idea works well with large dinners such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, when baking the ham and turkey usually takes hours.

Tip #7:

Use pre-made foods from the grocery store. Things such as pre-washed salad greens, pre-cut pineapple slices, and roasted chicken are excellent to speed up your cooking time. Places such as Wal-Mart have not only delicious but healthy pre-made meals that you can cook up within minutes! Don't be afraid to use the microwave. It can be a huge time-saver!

Tip #8:

Substitute fresh veggies and fruits! You don't have to serve large meals with elaborate cooking recipes. A simple sandwich with a bowl of fruit and a healthy milk shake is plenty! Or an instant soup that takes about 7 minutes to microwave with stir fry veggies and a salad on the side is not only quick but also healthy.

These are the basic essentials that can make life a lot easier if you've got a family and a tight schedule. Having a tight schedule doesn't mean you can't fix healthy and nutritious meals on a regular basis. It is just a matter of making a few simple adjustments, and in the end you'll be able to see a total difference.