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Cooking For a Large Family
Keep the Cupboards Full and the Plates Empty
By Amy Rawson
Mom Is a Taxi, Maid, Chief Negotiator, Finder Of All Things -- and She Still Has To Cook?
I have to precede this section with a disclaimer: I hate leftovers. I do not consider cooking enough to feed the family the same dish five dinners in a row a good cooking skill. I don't care how wonderful your lasagna tastes, by the third night, it just isn't right. To keep from causing culinary unrest, try making just one extra item a night. For example, when making white rice, double the portion and have stir fry another night. You could cook an extra meal's worth of chicken or dice extra onions and peppers while you're already doing it for the evening's meal. Saving time with small steps like this can give you more options when deciding what you have the time to prepare. A simple cook and freeze plan is easy to do and the results add up fast. When making up a meal, try making up two of them and put the second one in a foil-lined pan.
Another great time and money saving idea comes from Sheri, mother of six children. She says: "Buy the cheaper cuts of meat regularly and learn to prepare them so they are delicious and tender. A Crock Pot is wonderful for this. For instance, today I've got 3 pounds of chicken legs (.69 cents a pound) in the Crock Pot covered in barbecue sauce. By the time they're done, the meat will be falling off the bone and they'll be really delicious. I'll make mashed potatoes from scratch (.33 cents a pound) and steam some fresh veggies. The Crock Pot is also good for beef stew and other tougher cuts of meat."
