Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Need menu ideas

Dustin and I would really like to cook at home for all meals except Sunday evening for sure, and maybe even after church on Sunday. We spend way too much money eating out, and really need to focus on eating at home. We never eat at a nice restaurant, almost always fast food, so it would be nice to save enough money that maybe we could occasionally eat at a nice restaurant. The problem is, I am quickly out of ideas on what to cook. My 5 yr old is fairly picky, he will usually try something, even if it is half heartedly. He won't eat veggies, but is pretty good on meat. My 3 1/2 year old is one of the pickiest eaters I have ever seen. It is a battle, and I mean battle to get him to try anything. My 2 yr old will eat anything in sight. He is the least picky child I have ever seen. lol He will eat plain lettuce, doesn't care if there is dressing or not, will eat any type of soup or stew. Dustin is fairly picky as well. He won't go near a salad or most veggies. I also would like to spend as little as possible per meal, the reason for eating at home is to save money. With both of us working we aren't home until after 4:30 and we like to eat shortly after 5 if Dustin is home. So it can't be anything that takes a long time, unless it is something I can start over lunch break at 12:30 and then leave it when I go back to work. So what are your wonderful meals? I have been searching for recipes, but most include weird sauces or tons of veggies that my family wouldn't eat. If you cook all the time at home how do you do it, a week, month? Do you set a schedule or just cook what sounds good to you at the moment? How far is your schedule out? HELP! lol

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

you need the cookbook "deceptively delicious". it has recipes with hidden veggies and you can't tell at all! if they eat mac & cheese ... it has cauliflower in there too. brownies have broccoli in them. that way they are still getting their veggies without knowing it.

brickmomma said...

It is a good cookbook! today my #1 asked if we were ever going to eat anything w/o squash in it! Guess I shouldn't let them watch me cook! I am looking for a link to a blog I found.....

http://3psinatxpod.blogspot.com/

It has some great ideas....

Anonymous said...

rachel ray is good for fast, cheap, easy, and pasta--that covers a lot o gound for us!
"30 minute meals" is at wal-mart

"first meals" by Annabel Karmel has some fun food in it if your kids like food that looks like boats, etc.

good luck!
Quiltermama

Lindsey said...

I'll send you some recipes that are favorite go to's for me. I even try to keep the ingredients on hand for quick and easy!

I second Deceptively Delicious! We gave a copy away at MOPS last week so we all brought in some of the recipes for breakfast. Will had to go with me b/c of a school delay and he ate EVERYTHING on our plate! The cookies had chickpeas in them and the brownies had spinach and carrots in them, the egg casserole had cauliflower in it, just to name a few!

Will is my picky one, Ethan will eat just about anything, and Joshua just refuses to eat dinner. I think it's a power thing right now.

Becky said...

There are some great crockpot slow cook recipes. You can prep the night before and put in frig., plug in when you leave. There's a cookbook full at WM or Sam's. I have a picky house too! Eat lots of the same things.....all the time! UGH! Also, try this blog I linked from somewhere??
http://frugalfamilyrecipes.blogspot.com

Becky said...

Kelly, I've lately been using kraftfoods.com a lot. Lots of quick, easy and inexpensive recipes!