Busy? Here’s Some Quick Meal Ideas the Family Will Love

How-to-fix-real-fast-meals.Picture source:

Busy? Here’s Some Quick Meal Ideas the Family Will Love

Busy nights don’t need to mean grabbing fast food while on the go. While fast food is an option at times, it’s not the healthiest choice and should be done infrequently. For parents who are busy, finding the right meals to make is crucial. Meals need to taste amazing so everyone will enjoy them, but they need to be made in a hurry while the kids are saying they’re starving. Try out the following ideas to make busy nights a little bit easier and still have home-cooked meals.

Weekly Meal PlanUse a Meal Plan

Meal plans are perfect for fast meals. Everything is ready, the food just needs to be heated up, and there are tons of options to pick from. Purchasing ready-made meals is a great way to make sure everything is healthy and that there’s always something that can be made in a hurry. Meals can also be prepped ahead at home if there’s a day during the week that isn’t so busy.

Basic Chicken Stir FryStir Fry

Stir fry is a great option that allows for mixing it up a little bit. Stir fry generally comes together fast and can be a healthy meal option that everyone will love. Play around with the meat ingredients as well as the vegetables to create a new family favorite. With everyone’s input, the end result can be a stir fry that’s easy and fast to make, as well as delicious.

21 Sheet Pan MealsSheet Pan Recipes

Sheet pan recipes are perfect because they’re easy to prep, can be prepped ahead of time, and don’t make a huge mess. Everything is placed in a single pan together, then cooked in the oven. Plus, there are tons of options for sheet pan recipes, so it’s easy to try out something different and find a new family favorite. When prepping ahead, most meals can all be frozen together, so all that needs to be done is thaw and place it on the sheet before cooking. For some recipes, thawing may not even be needed.

Grilled Cheese SandwichGrilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is always a favorite. Turn it into a filling meal by serving it with a bowl of tomato soup for dipping. Tired of having the same grilled cheese all the time? Add meat to the sandwich or try different types of cheeses. Many different types of cheeses are perfect for grilled cheese and can change the flavor just enough to make it a great option for the whole family.

Chicken Rice with Parmesan CheeseChicken and Rice

Chicken and rice is another standby that’s the perfect option for busy parents. It’s easy to make, and a creamy chicken and rice meal is going to be a hit with everyone. Plus, it’s possible to make it all in one pot, so there’s not a lot of dishes to do once dinner is over.

Ready to leap into healthier eating? If you rely on fast food too often or you’re just tired of being tired at the end of the day, try out these ideas for fast meals the whole family will love. 
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7 Tips to Help You Throw an Unforgettable Formal Dinner Party

Hosting a dinner party and want to ensure that you impress your guests? So let me share 7 tips to help you throw an unforgettable dinner party for your guests.

It is very stressful to host a dinner party if you are not prepared. Preparing great appetizers, preparing delicious meals, choosing the right drinks, and some tasty desserts to setting the table, making sure the house is clean, choosing the right genre of music, the list goes on.

A dinner party isn’t supposed to be stressful because it is the time to have fun while impressing your guests in a relaxed atmosphere that makes all of you feel at ease.

Are you hosting a formal dinner party and want to ensure that you impress your guests? Our tips will help you throw an unforgettable dinner party, one to remember.

 Tips-for-a-successful-formal-party

  1. Create A Great Guest List

Not all friends may contribute to the success of your party; some are just spoilers, so, choose friends who get along well with you and have at least a few things in common with you. For invitations, you can hand-write them and post.

Phone calls or emails can work fine too, but people tend to forget about them.

  1. Find out About Allergies Early Enough

Though some friends will tell you ahead of time about being allergic to certain foods, it should be your duty to find out early enough so you can have some alternatives for them.

Everyone at a formal dinner party should enjoy and not just a few people.

  1. Prepare What You Know

Party time is not the right time to try a dish you had never prepared before, but if you have to do it, then you have to practice a few times to ensure you don’t mess up on your big day. This also applies when you are used to preparing only small portions of food, you can practice making larger portions that can serve all your guests.

  1. Cook Smart

You need to have a good time at your party. So, don’t cook foods that need constant attention – checking, flipping, stirring, etc. The simpler the meal, the better.

  1. Have Everything in Place

Ensure that you have all the necessary cutlery before the party begins because it is not wise to go looking for things like dessert forks, extra plates, more wine glasses, or serving dishes when the party is already on.

  1. A Formal Dinner Party Needs to Be Flexible

Some of your invited friends may not come alone, while some may not turn up at all. This makes it a bit difficult to know what quantity of food to prepare. However, it is good to have some extra food prepared than to have less.

Prepare enough food to serve an extra two or three guests.

  1. Plan Your Menu Items Strategically

Avoid dishes that require last-minute preparations or those that require exotic ingredients, and also, avoid those that take too long to prepare or those that need to be in the oven or fridge for too long.

You can use a menu maker to help you come up with a good menu and you may also try Canva for creating great invitations

A Formal Dinner Party Needs to Be Fun

A formal dinner party is a social occasion where people enjoy and have fun. It is not a time for you to keep wondering whether things will turn out right. Planning everything early enough and choosing the right friends is the best way to host a fancy dinner party.

You can visit our blog if you need some recipes for your dinner party.

Related:
The Art Of Throwing A Perfect Party On A Budget
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How to Throw a Party to Remember

Making Bisquick Chocolate Brownies Couldn’t Get More Delicious

What would you say if I told you that these brownies are made with a biscuit mix, that’s right I used Bisquick®, with all the ingredients for fast and easy baking? 7 Ingredients make a small batch of brownies fast.

I’m sure you have at some point in time used Bisquick® for a recipe. And I have used it for years and decided I need a quick and easy recipe. There’s no shortage of recipes when it calls for using Bisquick® and what can be made in desserts, and meals.THey now have Heart and Healthy Bisquick along with Carb Quick and of course their original. You can find tons of recipes on Betty Crocker  for Everyday meals, Desserts, and Entertaining Ideas and Recipes!!!Bisquick-Brownies-Fast-Easy-Recipe.j
These brownies are delicious and I have even added coconut and chopped nuts. They would be absolutely delicious with ice cream and hot fudge topping, a very decadent dessert!!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:14]

 Let me know if you make these and tag me on Instagram
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Thrifty, but Tasty: 5 Fresh Tips on How to Cook on a Budget

It seems like everyone is living on a budget these days. Probably because nearly everyone is.

In fact, 78% of full-time workers live paycheck to paycheck in the U.S.

Sometimes, it feels overwhelming just thinking of how we’re going to provide food for our families. For most of us, dining out went out the window a while ago. However, we still want to provide quality, tasty meals for ourselves and our families.

But how? Don’t worry, we know what it’s like and we’re here to help! Read on for 5 fabulous tips about how to cook on a budget!Thrifty, but Tasty 5 Fresh Tips on How to Cook on a Budget

1. Buy in Bulk

Even though joining a grocery store like Sam’s Club or Costco costs some cash in membership fees, you save big in the long run. These types of places allow you to buy in bulk like no other grocery stores.

You need to look at how much you’re spending per unit. For example, say a small box of rice sells for $.09 an ounce, at a total of 2.50 a box.

However, although a $10 box of rice is more expensive, it’s likely to be $.05 an ounce. Saving you big in the long run.

2. Cook in Bulk and Freeze Left-Overs

Now that you’ve bought in bulk, cook in bulk. It’s a great solution of how to cook on a budget!

Say you’re cooking spaghetti. Instead of cooking for 4, cook for 16. Freeze the leftovers in single servings and you have meals ready to go and you’ve saved a ton of money.

Use the weekend to meal prep two separate meals in mass so you don’t get bored eating the same thing for dinner every night. It may last you up to two weeks!

3. How to Cook on a Budget by Planning Your Meals Around Sales

Many local grocery stores put out ads and catalogs each week of all the sales they’re having, even the big chain stores like Walmart and Costco.

Each week, skim through the discounts and coupons to plan your meals around whatever is going to save you the most money.

There are people who use coupons as a hobby and save thousands of dollars a year!

4. Shop at Cheaper Stores

Don’t be a grocery store snob. This could be the most important tip for how to cook on a budget. Yes, not everyone enjoys going to Walmart.

However, going to Walmart may be the difference between buying enough food for one week or two weeks. Pride comes before the fall.

Let go of the ego and do what you must to save on groceries! That will leave you money at the end of the month to pay down bills or get those fancy new kitchen knives that come with sharpening supplies you’ve always wanted!

5. Take Inventory and Make a List

Another great tip for how to cook on a budget is making a grocery list based on the food you already have.

Before you shop, look through your cupboards and fridge, take inventory of what you already have so you’re not buying extra ingredients you don’t need.

Additionally, this will cut down on waste. This is also great as Americans waste 30-40% of our food supply!

For All Advice on Home Living

Now that you know how to cook on a budget, learn the rest of the tips and tricks on smart home living!

Visit our Home Series blog for more great articles! 

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