 Re: Apron's Recipes and other meal planning ideas
I have never tried their recipes although I've picked up a few. They look very quick and easy but I don't really like to cook that much. I tend to stick with what I know the family will eat or get inventive with what I have on hand.
For quick, last minute ideas with what you have on hand, I go to AllRecipes.com, search of recipes with the ingrediants I type in.
I've been a wah, homeschooling mom of four for 10 years now and I'll give you a few tips I've learned over the years. I started with just a standard fridge/freezer in an apartment before moving into our house and getting a standup freezer to help even more. So, you can do as much or as little as you have space to do.
First, you have to learn to plan meals at least a week in advance. That will make things so, so much easier.
Second, portion and prepare as much as possible in advance. I usually shop one night and when I bring home the meat, I seperate and marinate what is necessary. The next day (whatever weekend day that they kids are NOT playing sports) I cook up what I can in advance. Brown the ground beef, cook the marinated chicken in the crockpot, whatever you can do in advance and freeze is best. Do NOT try to shop and cook on the same day as it's really a lot of work and you'll hate it so much, you'll never do it again. I do it this way so I'm not freezing and defrosting meats. :)
At this point, I make up meals. I add all dry ingrediants, put a label on the container with the wet ingrediants needed as well as any other cooking instructions and freeze. I used c/o's and invested in the Rubbermaid Premiere containers and they are da bomb. They stack really well in the freezer and they are clear so you can see exactly what is in there.
I also do thing like make up a lasagna, potato sausage soup, chili, meals that just need to be heated up on those nights I'm just too tired to even cook or the nights when the kids have a game and we have to leave in less than 30 minutes. Or, even better, when I'm sick and the fam has to deal on their own. A few months ago I blew my ACL and broke my leg. My fam having a couple weeks meals in the freezer was the best thing until my DH could step in and get things under control. Having chicken that was already seasoned and cooked meant the kids could easily heat it up and chop it into their salads or make a chicken salad for sandwiches.
Finally, I use my crockpot a LOT. It is the quickest, easiest way to make meat for your meals. Nothing is better than coming home to a house that smells like a home cooked meal. I even throw hamburger and manwich sauce in it on low when I go to work on those days when the older boys have to leave before their dad gets home for a game. They eat before they go to their game, I feed the little ones and my DH when he gets home and then we all go up to the game with full bellies. No more $10 hotdogs, soda and candy dinners at the field. Chicken breasts with salsa sauce or canned dice tomatoes with green chilis make a good chicken rollup meal. I add in some brown rice, black beans and corn. Mix it all together and put in a tortilla wrap or the shells from the taco dinners and you have a quick, easy, portable meal.
Search for crockpot meals and monthly cooking. I don't cook a month in advance but I modified a lot of their ideas and advice to suit my lifestyle and family.
A lot of what you can get free/cheap with c/o's can be used make some great meals. Here's an example. I recently got egg noodles for $1 a package. I also got pasta for free. I add the extra noodles and pasta to the cheap Hamburger Helper. I sometimes substitute chicken for hamburger if I get it on sale. Add in cheap frozen or canned veggies and black beans, you have a cheap, healthy meal for your family. Depending on your family size, you might even have leftovers for you and your DH's lunch the next day. I also use the egg noodle to the packages of free/cheap Pasta Sides to make it stretch. Add in some peas, sprinkle with parmesean cheese and you have another quick, easy, healthy meal.
There are lots of ways to make your meals cheap, quick and healthy for you and your family. It's even faster than going through a drive thru for dinner. :) The key will be organizing things differently now that your schedule has changed.
G/L! | 
for at least Monday - Friday since I won't be inclined to to just run to the store any old time I feel like it anymore and I don't want to get in the habit of picking up fast food because I don't feel like cooking.
If you make them what are your favorites? 
~Rachel~
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