Most families fight a similar battle. Whether your kids ride the bus or you pick them, whether they play in the band or on the field, the first couple of months back to school can feel like a brutal slugfest when it comes to finding healthy, affordable dishes to feed everyone in the evening. Plus, thanks to the Parent Teacher Conferences, the meets, competitions, and games almost every night of the week, we don’t have 2-3 hours to prepare said ideal meal. Enter these smart, quick dinner time fixes guaranteed to get the job done without breaking the bank.
Pizza
Look, I get it. You don’t have time to chop or saute or grill. Sometimes a family just want to gather around the table and eat some pizza. But it’s easy to drop a wad of cash on delivery or even pick up from the nearest pizza chain. Consider purchasing deli style pizza in the grocery store for a fraction of the price. Then plan which night you’ll be grabbing a slice instead of waiting until the panicked last minute to call in an order somewhere. But even in those emergency situations, it’s smart to check out the best deals possible. Papa Murphy’s often offers a 25-50% discount when ordering online and Domino’s runs a similar promotion on a rotating basis. Sign up for the eClub of your favorite go-to pizza place to monitor the deals and cash in when the price is right. And don’t forget any rewards programs they might have too! Domino’s, Papa John’s, and Pizza Hut.
Pre-Chopping Veggies
Here’s what I know about your week: there will be a curveball that comes out of nowhere. A child will forget to tell you need to bring cookies or that there’s a mandatory parent meeting. And in this moment you have the opportunity to feel the power of pre-chopping. On Sunday nights, it’s a great idea to go ahead and pre-cut fruits and vegetables so that you can quickly prepare meals without much work or thought. In particular, I recommend chopping onions, mushrooms, and multi-colored peppers. All three of these veggie powerhouses easily flow into fajitas, pasta, homemade pizza, salads, and omelets. When you have the items already prepared and at hand, you’ll feel less flustered and more prepared to toss together a meal easily.
Pre-Cooking Meats
Similarly, it’s never a bad idea to batch cook some sources of protein prior to needing them. Whether you brown a double batch of ground beef to freeze half and use the other half for dinner or you grill an entire bag of boneless, skinless chicken breast at once, you’ll be grateful to have a main course that simply needs warmed. You can also add items like these easily to soups, pastas, or the beloved Taco Tuesday.
Pre-Planning is Key
No matter what you eat, you need a written plan. Whether you toss items in the slow cooker during the wee hours of the morning or you throw together PBJ and the kids climb of the bus, knowing what you’ll be eating before the dinnertime rush gives you peace of mind and ensures you have the ingredients on hand needed to prepare at least five dinners per week. You don’t necessarily have to hold hard and fast to the exact plan or day, but you do need to know what you could prepare during the week. Physically write down your plan each week. It’s easy to overlook this crucial step but you’re more successful when you actually write down your goals and plans.
Pre-Opt a Plan
Look, I get it. Sometimes you can’t even think about what to fix! There’s just no time. Enter people like me who love to share their ideas and meal plans. I have 10 ALDI $50 Meal Plans that are absolutely free. You’ll find a shopping list, ideas for preparation, and easy to use tips. Check out some of the options below:
- $50 ALDI Back to School Meal Plan
- ALL NEW ALDI Meal Plan: 7 Simple Meals for $50
- $50 ALDI Breakfast Meal Plan
- ALDI Meal Plan: 7 Dinners for Less than $50
- $50 Crockpot ALDI Meal Plan
- Find the other 5 FREE ALDI Meal Plans here.
You can do this. You don’t have to live in the drive thru. Every line item in your checkbook doesn’t have to be a restaurant. Feed your family well, enjoy a meal together, and save money all at once with these four Ps of dinner time quick fixes.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
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