In the last year I have discovered 2 miracles: Planning and the Crock-Pot.
Now I plan our meals on Saturday or Sunday, writing down each meal and making a list of all the necessary ingredients as I go. I plan our left overs for lunches or for other meals (like I'll cook ground meat on Monday for chili; use half and freeze the other half for a pasta sauce on Friday). I guess lots of people are smarter than I am and have been doing this forever, but since I picked up I am SO much less stressed and it saves us money since I go to the grocery store knowing exactly what I need.
We eat 3 to 5 meals a week out of our crock-pot. Seriously. I can do all of the prep work in the morning with Boots helping stir and measure and Snugs napping. Then at 5:00 all I have to do is toss a salad or make some rice and we're ready to eat! It may sound silly, but it brings so much peace to our household when I'm not rushing around to get dinner on the table, while Mr. Reliable, tired from a long day's work is having to half-heartedly and hungrily tend the the boys!
Okay... I guess that's my mama talk for today...
