About My Blog

"What should I make for dinner?"  Isn't this the question on about every busy momma's mind?  If you take the time to find the recipes you like, will you have time to write up shopping lists?

I have to admit, for most of my adult life, I really didn't think about what I was going to make for dinner until it was dinner time.  I would endlessly roam the kitchen, opening the refigerator, opening cupboards, trying to piece together......SOMETHING.  Let me say that some of the resulting recipes were, um, less than desirable.  Another problem I had was that I would go to the grocery store, walk up and down the aisles, usually with some little person throwing things into the cart, trying to buy "staples" and remember what we needed at home.  This usually resulted in daily trips to the grocery store as a result of forgetting something. You know how that $3.00 gallon of milk that ends up being a $50.00 gallon of milk?  My grocery budget could get really out of control.  We have seven people in our family (two of them hungry teenagers).  Our grocery bill could easily skyrocket to over $1200.00 a month.  That's a mortgage payment!  Yikes! 

Make ahead meals and make ahead mixes are a great way to buy in bulk, capitalize on key ingredients, save money, and add the one ingredient that you can't buy at the store.....LOVE!  Mixes and make ahead meals limit those surprise trips through the drive through window when mom or dad are too tired to cook.  You are also in control of what is in your food, so its more nutritious!

I have done the Paleo thing, the gluten free diet, the keto diet, low fat diet, low carb, high fat diet, whole grain diet, and everything inbetween.  I think that if these diets meet the needs of your family, then that is great.  I found that they were breaking my bank.  I decided to go back to some good ol' recipes, made from scratch, and just have small servings and fill my plate up with lots of veggies.  I think its a good compromise.  If its not for you, then that's ok.  It works for our family. 

My goal is to post the recipes for the make ahead mixes (not just for baking, but for lots of different recipes), and the meals that coordinate with them.  You can use your favorite online shopping list template or app on to type in the ingredients to generate your shopping list.

My grocery budget and time are in control.  I KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER!  Yay!  Enjoy :)