Back to school is a busy time of year, but it should not mean more takeout and fast food. It will involve more organization and planning, but learning how to include your children in menu planning and meal preparation in an age-appropriate manner can help take the pressure off you and change their attitude from, “No way!” to “Yes, please!”
It will also mean you saving money in the long run, because nothing will go to waste. One roasted or rotisserie chicken can be a wonder in terms of how many meals you can make out of it. Make the most of the freezer space you have as well and see what a difference it can make to both your budget and the amount of time you slave away in the kitchen-you’ll be surprised at how much faster shopping and cooking will be.
Back to school is a great time of year to start menu planning and creating delicious make and freeze meals because it’s harvest time, when food is at its cheapest. We picked 50 pounds of apples in the orchard nearby last year, and we ate the last of them in our sweet potato casserole at Christmas. We picked honeycrisps and Cameos for about $1 per pound compared to the $4 to $5 in the supermarket. Yum!
We get about 10 pounds of plums and pears off our own trees and make cobbler and other desserts that are filling and healthy, and can be made ahead and frozen, or packed in small containers for a terrific surprise at lunch time.
If the idea of brown bagging again is filling you with dread, it’s time to get back into the swing of things with some delicious ways to use all your leftovers.
Get started today with healthy food for back to school using this guide and see what a difference it can make to your health, and how happy your family with be with their fabulous food favorites.
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