It doesn’t matter how good you are at meal planning. At some point, you have to execute that beautiful plan you sweated (& shopped) over (or composed using your favorite calligraphy pen).
No matter how well you plan (or don’t), emergencies, KIDS' PRACTICES, interruptions, KIDS' PRACTICES AND KIDS' PRACTICES happen to the best of us.
There’s nothing quite as frustrating as finding yourself in the drive thru line again for the 3rd time this week because you realize it’s too late to bake that pot roast you had been planning.
Here are some quick, easy meals and strategies that can help a real family get through dinner on a crazy busy week.
Monday- Pepper Steak and Gravy in the crockpot!
For my family of six, I add 2packages of stew meat, one container of beef broth, one yellow onion, 1/2 of a red bell pepper (sliced), 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper (sliced), garlic powder, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, and your favorite steak seasoning! Cook on low for 6 hours and serve over rice. I add a veggie on the side and dinner rolls. The peppers and onion pretty much cook down until they basically dissolve in the gravy so don't worry about your kids not wanting to eat this one! Mine ATE IT UP! This meal is SO EASY and what better way to start off the week than with a simple delicious meal?!
Tuesday- Crockpot Meatball Subs!
Tuesdays seem to be a very busy day in our house! Yesterday when I ran home after work to get Ryker to then meet Josh at pratice I knew if we were going to avoid fast food again it had to be something that would be ready in about 2 hours (and cook itself while we were at practice.) So- I literally threw frozen meatballs and some pasta sauce I had in the pantry in the crockpot and cranked it on high for the 2 hours we were at practice. When we got home I served it on hoagie rolls and topped them with mozzarella cheese and served them with chips. (My plan was to serve them with a veggie or baked fries but the kids wanted chips so I compromised gave in.
Wednesday- Pizza Casserole!
Wednesdays are also super busy, too. We have church till about 8PM. Tonight I will be taking our leftover meatballs and revamping them into a dish my kids LOVE! I'll cook pasta (any pasta will do) and mix in my leftover meatballs. I also will throw in mushrooms, black olives, and pepperonis! (Tip: I always cut my meatballs to make them go further AND put those peporonies on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven till they are crispy- ALL THE DIFFERENCE PEOPLE. I serve this with fresh bread from the bakery and steamed broccoli.
Thursday- Leftovers
(If there aren't any we will be eating out!)
Friday- Steaks and Loaded Mashed Potatoes.
I got a great deal on steaks this week at Walmart! And luckily Josh LOVES to grill so I will just tackle the sides. I always use store bought potatoes and add sour cream, cheese, bacon, and green onion. Tastes like your grandma made them, haha! AND bonus they will only take me about 10 minutes! I'll pair this meal with a store bought salad and we will be good to go!
Welp friends! There's a peek at what we are eating this week and how we tackle dinner on these busy nights! I'm not complaining though- I know one day I won't be so busy and that breaks my heart to even think about that!
