Home Made Food

I am really getting into this whole home made bread thing. I made another loaf of bread, rolls, and a pita bread last night. I got home and decided to make the bread and it is so easy, I get to multi-task while making it. I am still getting ready for my weekend trip, but got basically three loaves of bread made. And it tastes so good. I am glad I found that book. I also have been enjoying all the other stuff I made on Sunday. I did a lot of batch cooking again. I made tuna casserole, taco stew (usually called soup but I don't make mine that thin), hard boiled eggs for egg salad, pasta salad and healthy sloppy joes. I just had a really good time making everything from scratch. It all tastes better and there is no added salt to anything, just good for you herbs and spices.

I am guessing that it is also a lot cheaper than buying stuff at the store. For example, the taco soup that I make, I used a pound of turkey ($1), one bag of kidney beans ($1), two cans of corn ($1), one can of tomatoes ($.50) and then homemade seasoning mixes (guestimate of $.25). I will get at least 7 meals out of this. I packaged them individually and then stuck them in the freezer. That means that for just over $.50 each, I have just made 7 main courses or total meals. I may add bread or some other veggie if I am really hungry. All in all, even if I add something else to the meal, I can't beat a meal with a cost of around $1. And since I batch cooked, I do not have to keep turning on the oven and stove, I can just microwave it when mealtime rolls around.

I have not calculated for every meal what the cost is, but I am confident that it is cheaper than prepared food from the store, with a whole lot less salt.

I also wanted to add that in many of my dishes, I use shredded carrots. You cannot tell they are in there, you don't taste them, and you will get an extra serving of veggies. I added them this past weekend to the pasta salad, the tuna salad and the healthy joes. Instant serving of veggies for those picky eaters.

This week in Time Savings

This week on Sunday I made a vegetable stock, then froze part of it, and used the rest for soup. I made enough soup to freeze some, and put some in (spillproof) dishes to bring for lunch at work. I ran out of containers, so one bowl just filled and some aluminum foil on top and stuck in the fridge. I will eat that on Tuesday night after running my errands. This way all I have to do is microwave my soup, and as they say: Soup's On! I should have enough soup for lunch every day this week. If I don't get tired of it that is.....



I also have packed all of my bags for my trip this weekend. All I have to do now is add food to the cooler on Friday after work and I will be ready to go. I will get gas probably on Wednesday to avoid the rain that we will be having on Tuesday and Thursday, and I do not want to wait til Friday.



I will pack as much of my bag for work the night before. I put in my diet pepsi, crystal light, any dry snacks, plasticware, and my book to read at lunch if I stay in. This way in the mornings, all I have to do is add in the cold part.



I will lay out my clothes to save time in the morning. If I decide at night what I want to wear I can usually seem to decide faster. It always takes me a really long time to decide what to wear in the mornings.

That seems to be all I did for time saving and preplanning this week. Not a whole lot for sure.

Saving Time

Everyone wants to find more hours in the day. Everyone wishes they did not have so much to do (at least most moms I know!). Just how do we fit all the things that we want to get done each day in? I am going to start a new weekly post here to list all the things that I do to get organized, save time, and in general create a better flow in my life. Join me on my journey of getting from here ( unorganized and poor flow) to there (organized and can find my keys!).

This week I saved time and streamlined my week by:

1. I did batch cooking on Sunday to eliminate the need to cook meals all week, and into next week. As I was cooking, I prepared my meals for the week for breakfast, lunch, snack (at work) and dinner. I put these into containers either in the fridge or freezer so all I had to do was grab the container when I was getting my bag ready for work.

2. I packed my bag for my trip this weekend ahead of time making sure I did not need to do laundry the night before I left for clothes for the trip.

3. I packed the tub that has dishes/utensils and dry/canned food for my trip this weekend to be sure I did not forget anything and have to make a run to the store at the last minute or when I get down there to see my son. This and the last one save me time on the night before I leave when I am loading the van. I cannot load the van early just yet because the night time temps still get below freezing, and I have already been down that road. (and it is a messy one!)

4. I did not save too much time in the mornings because of the switch to DST. This time change is the one that throws me for a loop. I like having the light later, but now it is dark in the mornings when I get up, and it takes me about a week or so to get back on schedule.

5. I will make a list tonight of all the things out of the fridge or freezer that I want to take with me so that I am not trying to figure it all out tomorrow as I am packing after work to leave.

6. I will get gas tonight as well so I can pick up a bag of ice and be ready for packing the cooler tomorrow. Getting gas saves me time and streamlines the process of getting out my door and on the road on Friday after work.

How did you organize and streamline today?