O.K., I have to admit it, I have been a bit of a frugal slacker.
Since the birth of baby #3 we have been eating out a little more, and although it was yummy on many occasion, we have been spending money that we could have been saving. I don’t mind going out for a treat now and again, or taking advantage of a kids eat free deal, but the reality is I could have been duplicating many of these meals at home for a fraction of the cost.
So to help get us back on track to eat at home, I enacted the Weekly Dinner List. This is not a new idea and I’m sure you have seen it other places. This is not high-tech by any means either, I just jot it down on a piece of paper and hang it on the fridge. You may have even done this yourself. Don’t get me wrong, this is not set in stone either. I have changed the menu up a few times when I realized I was missing an ingredient.
I also got the kids involved in this process. On the car ride home from school we brainstorm for meal ideas, and I then write it down. My 7 year old son is really excited about this since he gets to help choose dinner, and after we eat, he even makes sure to scratch out what we had (just in case I forget what day it is). He told his grandma one night, “I have to get home, it is Meatloaf night and I love Meatloaf”.
This has also put me on a personal mission to try new recipes. I even tried my own version of a few I saw at the Publix Aprons display in store. In the process, we have also had the Kids Size Salad Bar one night and Spinach and Apple Salad as a side. Plus, the list allows me to plan in advance, which makes me more likely to stick to it.
What are your children’s favorite recipes? Is there a restaurant favorite that you have learned to duplicate at home? (Feel free to share the recipes below.)
We only went out for pizza once so far, so I think it is working. I’ll just have to keep at it.
FFM
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