Kelly The Kitchen Kop

Kitchen Tips – Favorite Meals

February 26, 2008 · 5 comments

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In this series, I’ll share various kitchen tips with you that have made cooking for our family a little easier. I’m a list person, and this first kitchen tip has really helped me: creating a “family favorite meals” list.

(Skip down to our favorite meals list if you don’t want to read the intro…)

WHY MAKE A “FAMILY FAVORITE MEALS” LIST?

  1. I’d like to say I always have our meals planned ahead and know what I’m making each night of the week…but it doesn’t happen that way often. So I can pull this list out that morning (or sometimes late-afternoon!) and get some quick ideas for what to make for dinner.
  2. This list also helps because I almost always have the ingredients for these meals on hand and don’t have to run around the kitchen wondering if I have what I need. (When I pull the last of something out of the cabinet or freezer, I add it to my shopping list right away, because as all my friends know, my brain doesn’t remember much these days without my trusty palmer to help me.)
  3. For Kent & I, the favorite part of our day (OK, 2nd favorite part…I hope Mom isn’t reading this…), is when nobody has to go anywhere that evening and all six of us can sit down together for dinner and each share our “high point/low point” of the day. If I have to be irritated because the kids won’t eat what I made, that tends to lower the “fun meter” for me at the table. I love having a list of what everyone will actually eat to pick from.
  4. Anything that makes meal planning and meal preparation easier is something that is more likely to keep us from a quick run through the drive-thru. (This actually isn’t a temptation for us anymore because these days just the thought of it makes us sick, but I know it can be difficult when you’re a busy family, running kids everywhere, or even if you don’t have kids, but have a busy lifestyle.)
  5. Not only does this list have what everyone likes, but the meals are also those that I’ve made a lot, and I’m comfortable pulling them together quickly, for some I don’t even need to look at the recipe anymore. This comes in handy when you’re multi-tasking – I often might be sorting the mail, quizzing someone on their spelling words, and keeping a couple kids from killing eachother, all while I’m making dinner. I’m sure any Moms out there know exactly what I mean.

HERE IS OUR FAMILY FAVORITE MEALS LIST

I’ll add to this list whenever we find a new favorite.  For some I have links included for the recipe, for others I haven’t gotten the recipe posted yet.

Wow, as I look this over I realize what carb-eaters we are. When meal planning for a family, this is a tough thing to move away from! You can’t tell from looking at this, but I have been trying lately to do more with some type of meat for a main dish, then filling in with veggies, this is easier in the summer. More at this low-carb post about why less grains are healthier, and some recipe ideas, too.

Try this idea and let me know if it helps your meal-planning time and preparation go a little faster and easier.

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Extraordinary Ordinary Life August 19, 2008 at 4:26 am

This is basically what I do. We have a list of favorite meals and I use what we have in the freezer or pantry so I don’t have to go to the grocery store very often. Great post, I will be looking up those recipes too!

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2 Kelly the Kitchen Kop August 19, 2008 at 10:18 am

That’s a great point and another good reason why having this list is nice: less trips to the grocery store = money saved. :)

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3 Liz April 1, 2009 at 9:27 am

I wish I was as organized as you. Great list. For me, I typically print off my Supermarket Shopping List (it’s available on my site … feel free to grab it) on Sunday, figure out what to make for dinner that week, and then check off the ingredients I need. I often plan about 4 or 5 meals for the week. When I have nothing planned, I pull stuff from my pantry. Some of my family’s favorite recipes are: Lazy Day Beef Soup (slow cooker), Chicken Pot Pie Bundles, Beany Cheesy Zucchini Quesadillas, Cowboy Breakfast Wraps, and Teriyaki Salmon in Foil.

Liz

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4 Kelly April 1, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Hi Liz,
Are all those recipes at your site? I’ll take a look.
Thanks!
Kelly

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5 Nicola July 6, 2009 at 6:27 pm

All of these recipes look great. Thanks so much for posting. When I get the chance I am going to have to print them all out.

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