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- Son: Age 6
- Daughters: Ages 3 & 3
- Stay at home
- Group Co-Leader
- Keep a Pantry Meal on Hand
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One of the biggest budget-busters each month is going out to eat or ordering takeout. But don't we all have those nights where you get home late and just dont have an inkling of what to make? My solution has been to keep a pantry meal on hand. By stocking some basics in my cupboard and knowing a few simple meals to make from those ingredients, I save $10-30 over eating out.
Veggie Saute over Pasta. Start by boiling some pasta (angel hair is the fastest at just 4 minutes cooking time), and warm some canned/jarred veggies in a skillet. I always have artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, olives, and garbanzo beans in my pantry. Add a little balsamic vinaigrette dressing or olive oil for moisture, then serve on top of the pasta and sprinkle with feta or parmesan cheese. This is also great over couscous or rice.
Breakfast for Dinner. It takes only minutes, but scrambled eggs or an omelet with toast and fruit can make a quick and easy dinner. I make my omelets savory using spinach and feta cheese; you might also like these dressed-up Supper Scrambled Eggs
http://family.go.com/food/recipe-ff-206114-supper-scrambled-eggs-t/
Simple Soups. Theres nothing wrong with whipping out some cans of soup (buy low-sodium when you can) and crackers for an easy dinner. If you would prefer to cook, this Tortellini Soup recipe
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50041
could be adapted to a pantry meal by stocking dried tortellini, chicken bouillon, and frozen spinach and can be made in under 20 minutes.
Plan Ahead. When you look at your calendar for the week and know there are some busy nights ahead, take a few moments to plan your meals. Keep a frozen pizza on hand in the freezer. Make a double-sized meal on Sunday evening so you can have planned leftovers one night. By doing a little planning ahead, you can preserve family dinnertime while saving money.
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- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 12, 2009
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Those are great ideas! Thanks for sharing them. :)
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Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
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- Sons: Ages 3 & 5 months
- Work at home
- Mom2SammyW - August 16, 2009
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We do the same thing. We always have a grain, protein (my fave if shelf-stable tofu), vegetables and a sauce of some kind. We can whip up a casserole in about 15 minutes. That's less time than it takes to wait for something to be delivered.
We have a microwave rice cooker that also cooks pasta and veggies. It's so easy to dump in some hot water, pasta and frozen veggies and let it cook in the micro for 10 minutes. Then add protein (already cooked frozen shrimp is Paul's favorite) and give it another 2 minutes. Then lift out the basket to drain it, add sauce, and there you have it. In less than 15 minutes you have a nice hot meal for a lot less money than doing take out.
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Carpe Nap!
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- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 16, 2009
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We do the same thing. We always have a grain, protein (my fave if shelf-stable tofu), vegetables and a sauce of some kind. We can whip up a casserole in about 15 minutes. That's less time than it takes to wait for something to be delivered. We have a microwave rice cooker that also cooks pasta and veggies. It's so easy to dump in some hot water, pasta and frozen veggies and let it cook in the micro for 10 minutes. Then add protein (already cooked frozen shrimp is Paul's favorite) and give it another 2 minutes. Then lift out the basket to drain it, add sauce, and there you have it. In less than 15 minutes you have a nice hot meal for a lot less money than doing take out.
- By Mom2SammyW
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Great idea! I'm going to have to look for one of those microwave rice cookers. Thanks for sharing. :)
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Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
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- Sons: Ages 9 & 5
- Stay at home
- willnjenpeasncarrots - August 17, 2009
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Its important to always have a we stocked pantry, I make my own pasta sauce and freeze it in batches, and If where in a hurry its nothing to cook some pasta and heat up some sauce with a little salad on the side yummmy! We to love Breakfast for dinner or make your own omlet nite, at the first of the week pre chop your veggies and put in ziplock bags the kids can choose what they want and its fast. Soup is sooo good ... I put a freezable container in the freezer and when I have left over lima beans ..peas...corn I use it for a soup at the end of the week and soup is so good the second day..... or a boston butt ... the next nite have bbq sandwiches..the next nite have bbq pizzas..
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- Sons: Ages 9 & 5
- Stay at home
- willnjenpeasncarrots - August 17, 2009
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Its important to always have a we stocked pantry, I make my own pasta sauce and freeze it in batches, and If where in a hurry its nothing to cook some pasta and heat up some sauce with a little salad on the side yummmy! We to love Breakfast for dinner or make your own omlet nite, at the first of the week pre chop your veggies and put in ziplock bags the kids can choose what they want and its fast. Soup is sooo good ... I put a freezable container in the freezer and when I have left over lima beans ..peas...corn I use it for a soup at the end of the week and soup is so good the second day..... or a boston butt ... the next nite have bbq sandwiches..the next nite have bbq pizzas..
- By willnjenpeasncarrots
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Well stocked lol sorry not we stocked!
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- Daughters: Ages 19 & 15
- Forest Hill, MD
- Work part-time outside home
- Helen-NotofTroy - August 17, 2009
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When the spirit moves me, I like to make double batches of dinners. I'll serve one and freeze the other. Then when I do have a late night and I need to be able to just pop something in the oven and get on to the other half-dozen household chores I have to do.
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- Daughters: Ages 34 & 32
- Grandsons: Ages 2, 2 & 17 months
- Work at home
- Group Leader
- FamilyHost_Annabelle - August 21, 2009
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When the spirit moves me, I like to make double batches of dinners. I'll serve one and freeze the other. Then when I do have a late night and I need to be able to just pop something in the oven and get on to the other half-dozen household chores I have to do.
- By Helen-NotofTroy
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That's a great time-saver, for sure, Helen! We invested in sectioned plastic containers a few years back - I think we paid around $15 for the set a few years back. They're paid for themselves over and over again. We fill the sections with leftovers and pop them in the freezer. When it's time to eat, four minutes in the microwave does the trick!
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Go Green! Eat Lean! Live Clean! - Belle
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