Meal Ideas - Chula Vista,CA

Martha Stewart has a magazine called "Everyday Food."
Lots of great, easy, good recipes and 'quick' recipes.
I've used a lot of the recipes and it's very good. I like this magazine. It comes out monthly.

You can get it at any grocery store or bookstore.

here is the link:
http://www.marthastewart.com/everyday

Good luck and all the best,
Susan

Southern Living has some great cookbooks, Busy Moms, Slow Cooker, Easy Weekday Meals. The Busy Moms cookbook is my favorite, it gives a grocery list with each recipe, and all the recipes are kid tested. you can find them at www.southernlivingathome.com/danacarey
Hope this helps.

Dana
www.scentsy.com/danacarey

Hi B.,
I usually get ideas from other moms with the same age children. Also their are great recipies on line!!! Good luck with everything!

I use the following sites to help me with meal planning. I really try to get ideas for the whole week or two weeks, and then do my shopping that way. I love Rachel Ray's 30-minute meal ideas for nights when I have to work later than usual or get stuck in meetings...

Also, if I know I'm going to have a particuarly rough week, I make casseroles or and freeze them for future use. Crockpot is fantastic!!

www.rachelray.com
www.kraft.com
www.weelicious.com

Good Luck and Have fun!!

I have found myself following the same formula more or less. 1 night a week is a simple meat/rice/vegetable meal, 1 night a week is some sort of casserole (early in the week to have leftovers), one night is some variation of mexican (burritos/tacos/quesadillas) one night is some variation of italian (spaghetti or ravioli, chicken parmesan) and once in awhile I do a crock pot. From there I just vary it. I have a few faves that we do, baked potato with tons of toppings, chicken salad pitas, chili. You'll get the hang. Definitely plan your meals of rthe whole week on the day you go to the grocery store, nothing is worse than having to go back for more ingredients in the middle of the week!

B.,

I plan meals two weeks at a time. You really only need about a week's worth of meal ideas and then you repeat (I also have a few things that I make here and there to break up the monotony but one thing I learned when I started actually planning is that we eat the same thing over and over again because we have stuff we like and we tend to eat that stuff a lot and other stuff occasionally).

I've also found that if you plan for leftovers, you really only need to cook every other night. I work full time, have two kids and my husband works evenings so anything I can do to keep the evenings simple really helps.

One of my favorite easy meals is corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot. All you do is open the meat in the morning, stick it in the crock pot, cover it with water, turn the crock pot on low and then go to work. When you get home, stick some red potatoes in the microwave (whole) until they are cooked through and then add them to the crock pot. Chop up a head of cabbage (big pieces, I usually quarter it and remove the stem) and stick that in the microwave for 3-5 minutes. Once it is cooked, add that to the crock pot. Give it 10-15 minutes to simmer to combine all the flavors and serve it. Corned beef is really good left over. You can eat it the same way both nights or you can serve it as sandwiches the second night. My kids absolutely love corned beef.

You can google all sorts of crock pot recipes. I love my crock pot. I use it at least once a week.

Another great time saver is a George Foreman grill. You can throw a couple of chicken breasts on the grill, shut the lid and they are done in 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, you can make rice or potatoes or some sort of side (or plan ahead and get macaroni salad or potato salad from the store or some premade side) and steam some veggies in the microwave and you are done.

Another one of my favorites:

Get a polish sausage (we use the JennieO turkey ones because my youngest is allergic to dairy and soy and this particular one doesn't have dairy or soy in it) and slice it into thin slices.

Get an onion and chop it (I rough chop it and leave the pieces big)

Boil some bowtie pasta.

Saute the sausage and onion while the pasta is cooking. When it is done, mix the pasta with the sausage and add a bit of butter or margarine for flavor and some salt and pepper.

For variety you can add cut up boiled potatoes or cabbage or sauted bell peppers.

I do the same type of thing just with the sausage and peppers/onions and then serve it on hoagie rolls.

Breakfast for dinner is always fast on a night when you just can't face making dinner. LOL

Ham steaks are also a good, fast option. You can do lots of things with them and since they are precooked, you don't have to worry about doing more with them than heating them up.

I make chicken soup frequently. I start with premade chicken broth (cans or boxes but you can use bullion too but it isn't as good), chicken (you can either use chicken breasts - if they are thawed cut them up and throw them in, if they are frozen, throw then in whole and boil them until they are thawed, then fish them out, cut them up and put them back in, or you can use canned chicken breast). I then typically add onion, potatoes, carrots, etc.. Sometimes I use noodles, sometimes rice, and I freely substitue whatever veggies I have on hand. Even frozen veggies will work if that is what you have (canned corn or green beans works okay but don't use canned peas - too mushy). Depending on what you use, this can take as little as 10 minutes to assemble and cook.

I do keep a few frozen items on hand too. My kids love Mrs. T's pierogies. Gnocci cooks really fast (if you buy the vacuum packed soft kind all you do is open the pack, throw them into boiling water and wait for them to float and then you mix them with warmed up spaghetti sauce). I also keep things like good quality chicken nuggets on hand. I also keep a few things like Trader Joe's frozen tamales in the freezer. If my kids are having chicken nuggets, I'll usually make tamales and refried beans or something similar for my husband and myself. I'm not a big chicken nugget fan.

I'm also a big fan of boil in the bag rice. It takes all the skill-factor out of cooking rice. Drop it in boiling water and fish it out 10 minutes later. Even I can do that. LOL

Near East rice mixes (in the boxes) are really good and most of them cook in about 20 minutes.

I love couscous. The couscous cooks in 5 minutes (boil water, throw in the couscous, turn off the heat, stir, put the lid on and it is ready 5 minutes later). You can do a number of things with it but I typically mix in olive oil, lemon juice, salt/pepper, and then some veggies. I usually use cucumber, green onion, tomatoes, and then some herbs like cilantro or mint or basil. But it is good with other veggies too. The way I do it, it is good hot or cold and is tasty the next day.

Pasta salad is fast and easy. I usually use elbow noodles, chopped ham, chopped boiled eggs, sliced black olives, green onions, etc... and then either use mayo/miracle whip or italian dressing on it. It is good with ranch dressing too. And it is good with cheese cubes in it.

I try to make homemade real food most of the time but it is nice to be prepared for those nights when you really don't have the time or the energy to do it.

The main thing I've found is that it helps to have a basic idea of what you are going to make, take a list to the store so you know you have all the ingredients and then when it comes time to cook, you know what you have that you can make and you aren't running to the store constantly to get missing items. I'm not going to lie and say I'm organized and do this all the time but when I take the time to do it, it saves a lot of time and trouble.

Good luck,
:-)T.

Hi, B..
I'm not sure if your question is that you don't know how to cook, or that you do know how to cook but don't know how to go about planning meals in advance.

If the problem is that you already can cook but you don't know how to go about forming a meal plan, there are plenty of resources on the Internet for this. A good one to start with is www.flylady.net That website has a feature called "Saving Dinner," and if you subscribe to that feature it helps you plan several weeks' worth of nutritious, affordable meals at a time. Also, you can do a Google search for "bulk cooking," "freezer cooking" or "meal plans" and find plenty of websites that can teach you how to plan your grocery trips around the sales, do a lot of cooking in bulk when you have time and then eating from your stash of frozen meals when you don't have time to cook. I use a great cookbook, "Don't Panic: Dinner's In the Freezer." You can find it inexpensively if you search for that title on www.half.com

If the problem is that you never learned to cook, you could start by asking your in-laws to teach you to prepare some of the meals they made when you lived with them (I assume that somebody else in the house did the cooking, if you didn't -- and if instead you were eating out all the time then you are smart to look into learning how to cook because the restaurant and fast-food meals are way too expensive, fattening and salty to eat on a daily basis). Try learning a few basic but versatile items that you can use frequently through the week. For example, eggs can be used for breakfast or even for lunch/dinners, if you scramble them or bake in a quiche in a pre-made pastry shell. Chicken breasts grill very easily or you can saute them in a pan or even just boil them. Leftover cooked chicken breasts are great to throw on salads, into soups or eaten on their own. Use as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible, because they don't require any cooking so they're easy, and they have fabulous nutrition. Let your kids dip them into ranch dressing, yogurt, or hummus (hummus can be bought pre-made in the supermarket), or salsa. You can bake potatoes in the microwave by scrubbing them, pricking them all over with a fork and nuking on high for 6 to 10 minutes depending on the size of the potato. Then use half of each baked potato as a base for steamed broccoli, or canned black beans, or salsa, plus some shredded cheese -- that's an entire meal in itself. Learn to make a few basic soups because they can also be very healthy, affordable and in large batches can provide several lunches or later dinners from the leftovers. If you're new to cooking or have very little time for it, just DON'T attempt recipes with a long list of ingredients or a lot of steps. They take too long and will frustrate you. Keep it as simple as possible and work your way up from there once you have a better sense of what you like to eat and how much time you want to devote to it. Good luck and have fun.

Check out http://www.savingdinner.com I subscribed (for $10) to a 3 month plan. Each week you get a choice of 3 different menus. The menu has 6 recipes for the week and a complete shopping list of everything you need to make it. You can also subscribe to specialty meals - crockpot, freezer, etc. This has saved me so much effort. My whole family has enjoyed the meals. And, for the most part, they've been pretty easy and quick to make. It even comes with daytime meal suggestions.

One of my favorite places to get recipes are www.livinglowfat.com and the other is www.allrecipes.com
You can always go to the Food Network website. So many great ideas. The best thing about making things from scratch yourself is that you can control the sodium content.
Everything I have made from either site has been great. Congratulations on getting your own place. Enjoy!

I use the site www.allrecipes.com and books from the library.

You could subscribe to www.weelicious.com. There are 100's of healthy recipes for the entire family. Everyone will enjoy them from your 10 month old to the Grandparents!

I had the same problem when I took over this huge responsibility!

I wanted to make healthy but uncomplicated meals. Here is my secret:

I used to make my meals with three ingredients:

a starch ( rice, potato, bread, noodles, chips/taco shells, couscous..)
a veggie ( brocoli, carrots, bellpepper, tomato, salad, cauliflower, ..)
and a protein ( cheese, beans, chicken, ground beef, tofu, bacon, eggs...)

I would make a card for each item and then for meal planning I would choose one of each.

for example:

potato-broccoli-chicken = garlic mashers,steamed broccoli crowns and grilled chicken breast. (yum)

OR

rice-bell peppers-cheese (+ground turkey) = stuffed bell peppers (my kids LOVE this one)

OR

Noodles-tomatoes-ground beef = spaghetti W/ beefy marinara sauce. (sooo easy)

OR

Bread-salad-chicken = deli chicken sandwiches with a small side salad ( you can add some cheese slices too )

OR

chips-tomatos-beans = nachos! ( melt some cheese over it )

Then of course you can add to these skeleton recipes to make each meal more exciting. Add garlic bread or a salad to the spaghetti or make a veggy-meddly with two or three veggies, or whatever. But at least you got somewhere you can start.

I usually sit down Saturday and plan out the whole next week, this way you can buy the starch items and veggies, and some even the packaged meats and cheese and you don't have to run out to the grocery store every day...

good luck!
email me if you want any of my recipes!!
:)
-C.

B.,
Get a crock pot.... you can put everything in the crock pot the night before, in the morning plug it in and set it to low, when you get home from work your dinner is done and your home smells like a home-cooked dinner. Check out my favorite recipe site recipeezaar.com, just type in crock pot on the search tap and you will fine over 4,000 recipes. I like to make BBQ beef. All you need is a roast and BBQ sauce, 8 hours in the crock pot when done shred the beef and serve on buns. Good luck

I like to stir fry. IMO, it's pretty quick & easy. Get the rice cooking first, since it cooks on it's own. And, while it's cooking, slice up some meat and veggies. Chop some garlic. And stir fry!

My basic rule for stir frying - With a generous amount of oil in the pan, get the minced garlic to sizzle, add a spoon of sugar, a few dashes of salt & pepper. As the sugar browns and before anything starts burning, add the meat. Add some oyster sauce (any grocery store sells this now in the asian aisle). Then, after the meat's about 50% cooked, add the veggies. Keep stirring it till it's all cooked.

Good combo's

Beef & Broccoli
Beef & Tomatoes with Scallions
Chicken & Mushroom
Shrimp & Mushroom
Chicken & Spinach

Enjoy!

Hi B.,
You should really come check out my store, Super Suppers. We have prepared meals that can save you time, money and provide a nice variety for mealtime. It's restaurant quality food at fast food prices and all meals are cooked in your home so you can take all the credit. You can come prepare meals in our store or you can take them right out of the grab and go freezer. The most you'll ever pay (at current pricing) is $5.33/serving at the regular Grab N Go price. Please check out the website www.supersuppers.com and choose the Hawthorne, Ca location. We are conveniently located at the 405 and Rosecrans next to the FedEX Kinko's (near Costco). See our ad in Member Perks.

Let me know if you have any questions!

L. Robb

Since you're working, I suggest looking into and trying to master the slow-cooker option. The meal will cook itself throughout the day while you're gone and you come home to a great smelling home and a ready meal. Many recipes include your startch and meat (rice and pok chops, potatoes and chicked, etc). Some may even include veggies but those usually take very little time anyway. There are some great books out there, but I can guarantee you will find many good recipes on line if you care to try it out.

Try chicken banquet meals for the two year old. my son loves the chicken nuggets that are only $1 and its a complete meal. makes life real easy especially after a long work day. Now for your husband. make things that will last a couple of days so you can have a break or two. like spagetti, baked chicken, tacos. when i make my chicken i make enough for two nights and that way all i have to do is switch up on my side dishes. one thing about it once your on your own, meals will come to you and practice makes perfect. also go to Rachel rays website! :)

You have some really great ideas listed! What I would do to start out is this. Find one of the meal planning websites (menus4moms, savingdinner) and just follow it for a month or so without thinking until you get the hang of it. From there, start to plan week by week with the things your family really likes. I agree with the group, crock pots are the best. There are several easy crock pot recipe books out there, and I am sure just as many ideas online. We plan the menu Saturday mornings and everyone gets to share a preference. Invariably my 2 year old asks for waffles, so we put them on the list (for breakfast, not dinner), but it is a start. Then, we make the list and, go! Good luck to you, you can do it!

Dream Dinners.com. They have a location in Solana Beach and Carlsbad. Soooooo great. And the price is reasonable!

I love Rachael Ray's books (30-minute meals). I have tried many of her recipes - they are easy and, so far, my husband has liked them all. I go through the book, pick out the recipes that I would like to try, and make a list of the ingredients that I need to get.

If you can't afford or don't want to buy any cookbooks, you could check some out at a public library.

Enjoy.

I use Google calendar to organize my meal planning and I plan out things in advance. I shop every Sunday with my list to make all the meals for the week.

I keep a three ring notebook with tabbed categories that I put recipes in that I have tried and we like. If I see a recipe on the internet I print it out and save it in another folder of things to try.

Good resources for recipes are Cooking Light, allrecipes.com, cooks.com, and Weight Watchers. I also subscribe to the Taste of Home magazine Simple & Delicious which has moms submit recipes.

Check out the "10 minute" cookbook series. Also, I like to do pre-made meat dishes with fresh veggies. Like, buy the pre-made Hormel pork au jus or beef stroganoff. Cooks in 6 minutes total. While that's heating up in the microwave, you can make the fresh veggies, including a simple salad and a sauteed or steamed veg. Make a little couscous, frozen rice from Trader Joe's or other fast-cooking starch, and you can have the whole meal done in 15 minutes.

I love "chicken tacos". I don't know if it really is but it's good. I take some of that frozen chicken breasts from costco (we eat those every night in some way or another). Cut about 4 breast up into 1" pieces and then put them in a pan. The kind you would cook eggs in but biggger. Then get frozen peppers (I get them at Ralphs) 1 bag should do and pour the whole frozen bag in with the chicken. I cook t on medium or a little higher until the chicken is cooked through. Stir a few times while cooking. Heat some corn tortillas on a flat pan and then chop some lettuce and voila tacos. My 2 year old loves them because they seem plain but to our family they are soooo yummy. Oh yeah you can add some sour cream too maybe some tomatoes. they're yummy, filling, good for you and the easiest thing sine top ramen. I am in no way a cook... never have been and never will be, but this meal makes my man think I know what I am doing in the kitchen :-) Have fun and enjoy.

One easy and quick meal.
I buy the packaged turkey kilbasa (comes as one long link, near the sausage at the grocery store) slice that up and just cook it over the stove until it's warm. Steam some broccoli and serve it with either noodles or rice or even mac-n-cheese.

First make a list of all the things you know hubby and baby like. Categorize into food groups - no need to be too technical. Then start matching up menu's. Also, use your mother-in-law as a guide. She probably has some great recipe's and if she is not a recipe sharer that go to easy.betterrecipes.com/ and you can get a lot of ideas. Don't be afraid to tailor a recipe. If it calls for garlic and you hate Garlic -omit it or replace with say onions and/or mushrooms. You can also just type in recipe in your browser and lots of recipe sites will come up....some easy some not but you will have a tone to choose from. If you will be on a budget, be sure to sit down with your list of liked foods and your store ad and plan smart so great dinners won't break your budget. Also use coupons, you can get a lot free or very cheap that way. Happy cooking!

Keep it simple - there are just so many sources of information and people's fav. recipes, etc. Just start with 7 favorites, one for every day of the week and do that for a while. Then change to 7 more, or something like that. When you find good, simple and inexpensive recipes that everyone likes, let those be your staples. And don't forget to let your toddler "cook" with you - she can sit on the counter and stir things, taste things, and that might help her try things. Have fun!

crock pot roasts easy... cassoroles easy and always left overs,

brown 1 lb of hamburger meat,
boil 1 bag of egg noodles
use 1 1/2 jars of preggo spagetti sauce
1 can or yellow corn
mix all together
in a baking dish
layer noodles sprinkle with chedder cheese
noodles then top it with chedder cheese
bake at 400 degrees
depending on how deep your dish is
about 40 mins to bake, serve with warm garlic bread..

takes about 15 mins to prep

easy & good with left overs serves about 8-10 servings

Ham & potatoes

peel four large potatoes,
slice them thin
add 1 can of chedder cheese soup I mix 3/4 can of milk with soup heat it up first to make it easy to pour over potaotes & ham
add some pre cook dices of ham
mix together
place in baking dish bake for 45 mins at 400 untill potatoes are done

I cook some bisquts with this...

chicken & rice

take 4 bonless or with bones breast of chicken
wash them de-skin them place in 8x11 baking dish
take two bags of the ready to make rice
I use chicken flavor,
follow directions and act like you are making them in a pan, warm the rice mix enough just to blend the ingredients
then pour over chicken
cover dish tin foil
bake at 400 for about an hour

Create a "favorites" folder with your internet browser to add sites that have good dinner ideas so you don't need to remember all these great ideas. (I'd start with THIS page... the other moms have offered some great websites to get you started!)
:-)

All the ideas below have been fantastic. As a working mom, I use all of them. Another suggestion- you may also want to look into a Dream Dinners or a Super Suppers place. Sometimes I prefer these places b/c the recipe is there, the ingredients are right in front of you, and the meats are pre portioned.

You can make 6-12 dinners at a set cost. Usually, there are enough leftovers for me to take to work. A bonus is our kids actually like the food that I prepare.