Friends- This podcast was a hard one to record. Sitting and writing this post my eyes are filled with tears. But I am choosing joy today!  It is time to close down Feed Your Family Tonight. This project I started in 2017 has taken so many twists and turns that I would never have imagined! I have met so many amazing people and helped so many families make life just a little bit easier. I could not have done it without you! Thank you for all your support over the years! I will dearly miss you.  For now, the website will remain up. I will archive the Facebook group in May.  If you have questions, message me on Instagram. I am still always happy to help you with your questions. For now friends, take care! Marie For show notes and a transcript click here.

Friends- This podcast was a hard one to record. Sitting and writing this post my eyes are filled with tears. But I am choosing joy today!  It is time to close down Feed Your Family Tonight. This project I started in 2017 has taken so many twists and turns that I would never have imagined! I have met so many amazing people and helped so many families make life just a little bit easier. I could not have done it without you! Thank you for all your support over the years! I will dearly miss you.  For now, the website will remain up. I will archive the Facebook group in May.  If you have questions, message me on Instagram. I am still always happy to help you with your questions. For now friends, take care! Marie For show notes and a transcript click <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-180-thank-you/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.

180 Thank You!

Ground Beef is a staple in many homes, but there are some basic techniques to make the most of your ground beef!  For full show notes and a transcript  click here. 

Ground Beef is a staple in many homes, but there are some basic techniques to make the most of your ground beef!  For full show notes and a transcript <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-179-best-ways-to-cook-ground-beef-replay/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> click here.</a>

179 Best Ways to Cook Ground Beef (Replay)

Lots of life has been happening behind the scenes. In this podcast I talk about how things have been going the past month as I started a new full-time job. There have been ups and downs.  The most challenging thing for me has been grocery shopping. Join the conversation in the Feed Your Family Tonight Facebook Group. I want to know when you do your grocery shopping.    For a transcript  click here.

Lots of life has been happening behind the scenes. In this podcast I talk about how things have been going the past month as I started a new full-time job. There have been ups and downs.  The most challenging thing for me has been grocery shopping. Join the conversation in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/FeedYourFamilyTonight" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Feed Your Family Tonight Facebook Group</a>. I want to know when you do your grocery shopping.  For a transcript  <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-178-transcript/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

178 Personal Update from Marie

 I am in the middle of a really busy season in my personal life and I am relying on my pantry to help me get dinner on the table fast. Pantry cooking is using ingredients that you keep on hand to make meals. For me this includes my pantry, freezer and refrigerator staples. 4 Tips for Pantry Cooking: Tip 1: Have a well-stocked pantry and freezer.  Tip 2: Create a list of pantry staples.  Tip 3: Add fresh ingredients to make pantry dinners delicious. Tip 4: Create a list of "base ingredients" to make lots of different meals.  For full show notes and a transcript click here.

I am in the middle of a really busy season in my personal life and I am relying on my pantry to help me get dinner on the table fast. Pantry cooking is using ingredients that you keep on hand to make meals. For me this includes my pantry, freezer and refrigerator staples. 4 Tips for Pantry Cooking: Tip 1: Have a well-stocked pantry and freezer.  Tip 2: Create a list of pantry staples.  Tip 3: Add fresh ingredients to make pantry dinners delicious. Tip 4: Create a list of "base ingredients" to make lots of different meals.  For full show notes and a transcript <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-177-pantry-cooking/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

177 Pantry Cooking

We all have days when there just isn't time to fix dinner. You may be running kids to activities and need to eat in the car or at the activity. For many families that means hitting the drive thru and that's okay. If you know you are going to eat out on a busy night, put it on your meal plan. Plan for it! This helps you not feel guilty about hitting the drive thru on a busy night because you chose it on purpose. If you don't want to hit the drive thru I have six tips for feeding your family when there isn't time to cook. 6 Tips to Feed Your Family When There Isn't Time to Cook: Tip 1: Make a cold dinner. Tip 2: Fix dinner at 10:00 AM. Tip 3: Use the grocery store as your drive thru.  Tip 4: Use a backup meal. Tip : Make a snack board dinner. Tip 6: Have a leftover night.  For full show notes and a transcript  click here.

We all have days when there just isn't time to fix dinner. You may be running kids to activities and need to eat in the car or at the activity. For many families that means hitting the drive thru and that's okay. If you know you are going to eat out on a busy night, put it on your meal plan. Plan for it! This helps you not feel guilty about hitting the drive thru on a busy night because you chose it on purpose. If you don't want to hit the drive thru I have six tips for feeding your family when there isn't time to cook. 6 Tips to Feed Your Family When There Isn't Time to Cook: Tip 1: Make a cold dinner. Tip 2: Fix dinner at 10:00 AM. Tip 3: Use the grocery store as your drive thru.  Tip 4: Use a backup meal. Tip : Make a snack board dinner. Tip 6: Have a leftover night.  For full show notes and a transcript <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-176-when-you-dont-have-time-to-fix-dinner/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> click here</a>.

176 When You Don't Have Time to Fix Dinner

Everyone faces busy seasons of life. There are many reasons you may be facing a hectic season.  Having a baby Moving Remodeling project Sports season  Work season (I see you accountants in March and April)  There are dozens of reasons and I am facing one in my life right now. Starting a new job is definitely a hectic season.  6 Tips to prepare for a hectic season: Tip 1- Clean out your freezer and pantry. Tip 2- Take an Inventory of your Freezer and Pantry. Tip 3- Make a list of the basic items you need and do a deep dive shopping trip to stock up. Tip 4- Make a list of backup and basic meals. Tip 5- Do a little freezer prep. If you want the easiest way to make 6 full freezer meals in 1 hour, check out my friends Polly and Rachel at Thriving Home. Use the code Marie20 to save 20%. Tip 6- Be realistic with yourself during busy seasons.  For full show notes, links, and a transcript,  click here.

Everyone faces busy seasons of life. There are many reasons you may be facing a hectic season. <ul> <li>Having a baby</li> <li>Moving</li> <li>Remodeling project</li> <li>Sports season </li> <li>Work season (I see you accountants in March and April)</li> </ul> There are dozens of reasons and I am facing one in my life right now. Starting a new job is definitely a hectic season.  6 Tips to prepare for a hectic season: Tip 1- Clean out your freezer and pantry. Tip 2- Take an Inventory of your Freezer and Pantry. Tip 3- Make a list of the basic items you need and do a deep dive shopping trip to stock up. Tip 4- Make a list of backup and basic meals. Tip 5- Do a little freezer prep. If you want the easiest way to make 6 full freezer meals in 1 hour, check out my friends Polly and Rachel at <a href="https://thrivinghomestore.com/?ref=mariefiebach" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thriving Home</a>. Use the code <a href="https://thrivinghomestore.com/?ref=mariefiebach" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marie20</a> to save 20%. Tip 6- Be realistic with yourself during busy seasons.  For full show notes, links, and a transcript, <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-175-preparing-for-a-busy-season/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> click here</a>.

175 Preparing for a Busy Season

I love kitchen gadgets. Some are essential and some just make life a little easier. Years ago I did a presentation for parents of teens and young adults about setting up a first apartment kitchen. I made a 1st Kitchen Essentials list.  For links and show notes  click here. 

I love kitchen gadgets. Some are essential and some just make life a little easier. Years ago I did a presentation for parents of teens and young adults about setting up a first apartment kitchen. I made a <a href="http://feedyourfamilytonight.com/parents" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">1st Kitchen Essentials list.</a> For links and show notes <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-174-kitchen-gadgets-101/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> click here</a>.

174 Kitchen Gadgets 101

How many times have your looked at a recipe and really underestimated the amount of time it takes to make the recipe? If you are like me, more times than you want to admit. Today I have 3 Tips for estimating the real time it takes to make a recipe and 4 tips to be faster in the kitchen, 3 Tips for estimating the real time it takes to make a recipe.  Read the entire recipe.  Do they have you preheat the oven in step 1 or step 6? Look for words that equal time like marinate, rest, and let sit. Look for words that equal multi-tasking like "meanwhile" or "while x is going do y."   Know your personal cooking style.  Are you comfortable chopping veggies while meat is cooking? Do you need everything measured and ready to go before adding heat?   Rely on your past experience.  How long does it take to brown hamburger? What skillet works best for this type of task?    4 Tips to be faster in the kitchen  Do a little prep ahead.  Thaw your meat the night before Salt your meat in the morning or the night before Use the "prep" section of the free weekly meal planning sheet.   Use sharp knives and invest in your knife skills  Look up YouTube videos or find a local culinary pro who offers knife classes Get a knife sharpener.  Electric or  Manual both work.   Do multiple steps at once.  Boil Water Cook Meat Chop Veggies   Don't be afraid to use grocery store shortcuts.  Buy frozen veggies (the are washed and cut) Buy chopped veggies from the salad bar. Have the butcher cut your meat in 1 inch pieces.    For Full Show Notes, Links, and Transcript  Click Here. 

How many times have your looked at a recipe and really underestimated the amount of time it takes to make the recipe? If you are like me, more times than you want to admit. Today I have 3 Tips for estimating the real time it takes to make a recipe and 4 tips to be faster in the kitchen, 3 Tips for estimating the real time it takes to make a recipe. <ol> <li>Read the entire recipe. <ol> <li>Do they have you preheat the oven in step 1 or step 6?</li> <li>Look for words that equal time like marinate, rest, and let sit.</li> <li>Look for words that equal multi-tasking like "meanwhile" or "while x is going do y."</li> </ol> </li> <li>Know your personal cooking style. <ol> <li>Are you comfortable chopping veggies while meat is cooking?</li> <li>Do you need everything measured and ready to go before adding heat?</li> </ol> </li> <li>Rely on your past experience. <ol> <li>How long does it take to brown hamburger?</li> <li>What skillet works best for this type of task?</li> </ol> </li> </ol> 4 Tips to be faster in the kitchen <ol> <li>Do a little prep ahead. <ol> <li>Thaw your meat the night before</li> <li>Salt your meat in the morning or the night before</li> <li>Use the "prep" section of the free weekly meal planning sheet.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Use sharp knives and invest in your knife skills <ol> <li>Look up YouTube videos or find a local culinary pro who offers knife classes</li> <li>Get a knife sharpener. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CA5LZ6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B001CA5LZ6&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=fyft-20&amp;linkId=9747d0590eb174876d73f9972c1f8b03" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Electric</a> or <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008AF0Y9Y/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B008AF0Y9Y&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=fyft-20&amp;linkId=1e2609330621bd62bfb6c9fa6714dee1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Manual</a> both work.</li> </ol> </li> <li>Do multiple steps at once. <ol> <li>Boil Water</li> <li>Cook Meat</li> <li>Chop Veggies</li> </ol> </li> <li>Don't be afraid to use grocery store shortcuts. <ol> <li>Buy frozen veggies (the are washed and cut)</li> <li>Buy chopped veggies from the salad bar.</li> <li>Have the butcher cut your meat in 1 inch pieces.</li> </ol> </li> </ol> For Full Show Notes, Links, and Transcript <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-173-how-long-does-a-recipe-really-take/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Click Here</a>.

173 How Long Does a Recipe Really Take?

Dana Malstaff

This on air coaching call was so fun! Dana Malstaff is the founder of Boss Mom. As a co-parenting mom she faces some unique challenges to feeding her two kids. We talk about picky eaters, snacks, and how to systematically test new foods to slowly expand her kid's palettes. With kids who do not prefer pasta, potatoes, or rice, most of the "normal" tricks for feeding picky eaters are tossed out the window. I suggested polenta and Dana loved the idea! For show notes, links, and a transcript click here.

This on air coaching call was so fun! Dana Malstaff is the founder of Boss Mom. As a co-parenting mom she faces some unique challenges to feeding her two kids. We talk about picky eaters, snacks, and how to systematically test new foods to slowly expand her kid's palettes. With kids who do not prefer pasta, potatoes, or rice, most of the "normal" tricks for feeding picky eaters are tossed out the window. I suggested polenta and Dana loved the idea! For show notes, links, and a transcript click <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/?p=3900&amp;preview=true" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.

172 Getting Kids to Try New Foods [Coaching] with Dana Malstaff

Everyone faces busy seasons of life. There are many reasons you may be facing a hectic season.  Having a baby Moving Remodeling project Sports season  Work season (I see you accountants in March and April)  There are dozens of reasons and I am facing one in my life right now. Starting a new job is definitely a hectic season.  6 Tips to prepare for a hectic season: Tip 1- Clean out your freezer and pantry. I have two podcasts on cleaning out your freezer and pantry.   Episode 70 Spring Clean Your Freezer and Pantry  Episode 128 Spring Pantry and Freezer Clean Out  Tip 2- Take an Inventory of your Freezer and Pantry. Tip 3- Make a list of the basic items you need and do a deep dive shopping trip to stock up. Tip 4- Make a list of backup and basic meals. Tip 5- Do a little freezer prep. If you want the easiest way to make 6 full freezer meals in 1 hour, check out my friends Polly and Rachel at Thriving Home. Use the code Marie20 to save 20%. Tip 6- Be realistic with yourself during busy seasons.  For show notes and a transcript click here.

Everyone faces busy seasons of life. There are many reasons you may be facing a hectic season. <ul> <li>Having a baby</li> <li>Moving</li> <li>Remodeling project</li> <li>Sports season </li> <li>Work season (I see you accountants in March and April)</li> </ul> There are dozens of reasons and I am facing one in my life right now. Starting a new job is definitely a hectic season.  6 Tips to prepare for a hectic season: Tip 1- Clean out your freezer and pantry. I have two podcasts on cleaning out your freezer and pantry. <ul> <li><a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-70-spring-clean-your-freezer-and-pantry/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 70 Spring Clean Your Freezer and Pantry</a></li> <li><a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-128-spring-pantry-and-freezer-cleanout/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 128 Spring Pantry and Freezer Clean Out</a></li> </ul> Tip 2- Take an Inventory of your Freezer and Pantry. Tip 3- Make a list of the basic items you need and do a deep dive shopping trip to stock up. Tip 4- Make a list of backup and basic meals. Tip 5- Do a little freezer prep. If you want the easiest way to make 6 full freezer meals in 1 hour, check out my friends Polly and Rachel at <a href="https://thrivinghomestore.com/?ref=mariefiebach" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thriving Home</a>. Use the code <a href="https://thrivinghomestore.com/?ref=mariefiebach" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Marie20</a> to save 20%. Tip 6- Be realistic with yourself during busy seasons.  For show notes and a transcript <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-175-transcript/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Are you overwhelmed thinking about weeknight family dinner? Do you have trouble figuring out when you are going to eat because you have lots of after school activities? Or maybe you are tired of choosing what to eat each night. The Feed Your Family Tonight podcast is here to help busy families plan and execute weeknight family dinners so they can recapture a little calm in the crazy.  Business owner, wife and mother of four, Marie Fiebach, serves up weekly inspiration and motivation to help you take back control and Feed Your Family Tonight.

Marie’s podcast is my favorite podcast I subscribe to. You can really tell that Marie cares about helping us Feed our Families. She has lots of great ideas and suggestions. I purchased her cookbook too and I have made quite a few recipes. I highly recommend the Feed Your Family Tonight Podcast.

Great Podcast

Great tips and tricks for getting dinner on the table! I love Marie’s meal plan template.

Great Resource for Busy Families

Feed Your Family Tonight Podcast

Rachel Tiemeyer

It was joy to talk with Rachel Tiemeyer of Thriving Home. Rachel and her friend and business partner, Polly, have a new cookbook. From Freezer to Cooker is a very unique cookbook full of recipes that can be made in the slow cooker or the instant pot with freezing directions for each recipe. We take a deep dive into instant pots, slow cooker safety and how to make delicious food. Freezer cooking can be a great way to have  backup meals or quick dinners for your busy family. Using a few of their techniques can really improve the quality of your finished product. Rachel has a free download for our listeners including her Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart. It is a great resource for beginner and experienced Instant Pot users so be sure to get your free copy here. For other links in this episode click here. 

It was joy to talk with Rachel Tiemeyer of <a href="https://thrivinghomeblog.com/feedyourfamilytonight/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Thriving Home</a>. Rachel and her friend and business partner, Polly, have a new cookbook. From Freezer to Cooker is a very unique cookbook full of recipes that can be made in the slow cooker or the instant pot with freezing directions for each recipe. We take a deep dive into instant pots, slow cooker safety and how to make delicious food. Freezer cooking can be a great way to have <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/04-step-3-a-always-have-a-backup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> backup meals</a> or quick dinners for your busy family. Using a few of their techniques can really improve the quality of your finished product. Rachel has a <a href="https://thrivinghomeblog.com/feedyourfamilytonight/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free download</a> for our listeners including her <a href="https://thrivinghomeblog.com/feedyourfamilytonight/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart</a>. It is a great resource for beginner and experienced Instant Pot users so be sure to get your free copy <a href="https://thrivinghomeblog.com/feedyourfamilytonight/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. For other links in this episode <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-63-freezer-cooking-with-rachel-tiemeyer-of-thriving-home/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>.

Episode 63 Freezer Cooking with Rachel Tiemeyer of Thriving Home

Kate Schulz

Betsy Wallace

This interview with The Dinner Sisters, Kate Schulz and Betsy Wallace, is full of fun and laughter. Kate and Betsy host a podcast where they test three recipes from around the web every week and talk about how the recipes worked (or didn’t) in their homes. Listen to hear about how they manage three new recipes every week, how their loved ones deal with a steady stream of new foods, and what happened when Betsy’s attempt to make a simple fish dish went terribly wrong. (Hint- you can’t just put a whole fish in the oven without removing the guts.)  Full show notes can be found here. 

This interview with The Dinner Sisters, Kate Schulz and Betsy Wallace, is full of fun and laughter. Kate and Betsy host a podcast where they test three recipes from around the web every week and talk about how the recipes worked (or didn’t) in their homes. Listen to hear about how they manage three new recipes every week, how their loved ones deal with a steady stream of new foods, and what happened when Betsy’s attempt to make a simple fish dish went terribly wrong. (Hint- you can’t just put a whole fish in the oven without removing the guts.) <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-26-kate-schulz-and-betsy-wallace-the-dinner-sisters/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Full show notes can be found here. </a>

Episode 60 (Replay) Kate Schulz and Betsy Wallace, The Dinner Sisters

We are at episode 52 which means we have reached 1 year of the Feed Your Family Tonight podcast. Thank you so much for all your support and for spending a little time with me each week.   This week I am introducing the  Feed Your Family Tonight Holiday Planning Guide 2019.   This comprehensive  holiday planner ebook has 30 pages of planning tips and tricks to help you have the best holiday season ever. It includes pages for planning and many printable worksheets to help you get organized this holiday season.  Food for the Holiday Season Pre-Holiday Shopping for Basics Holiday Activities Holiday Gift Guide Holiday Shopping Gift Wrapping Holiday Decorating Holiday Donations Christmas Cards Planning for Large Gatherings (such as Thanksgiving Dinner)  So grab your copy of this digital download  here and have the best holiday season ever!

We are at episode 52 which means we have reached 1 year of the Feed Your Family Tonight podcast. Thank you so much for all your support and for spending a little time with me each week. This week I am introducing the <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/product/feed-your-family-tonight-holiday-guide-2019/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Feed Your Family Tonight Holiday Planning Guide 2019</a>. This comprehensive <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/product/feed-your-family-tonight-holiday-guide-2019/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> holiday planner</a> ebook has 30 pages of planning tips and tricks to help you have the best holiday season ever. It includes pages for planning and many printable worksheets to help you get organized this holiday season. <ul> <li>Food for the Holiday Season</li> <li>Pre-Holiday Shopping for Basics</li> <li>Holiday Activities</li> <li>Holiday Gift Guide</li> <li>Holiday Shopping</li> <li>Gift Wrapping</li> <li>Holiday Decorating</li> <li>Holiday Donations</li> <li>Christmas Cards</li> <li>Planning for Large Gatherings (such as Thanksgiving Dinner)</li> </ul> So grab your copy of this digital download <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/product/feed-your-family-tonight-holiday-guide-2019/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> here</a> and have the best holiday season ever!

Episode 52 Introducing the Feed Your Family Tonight Holiday Planning Guide 2019

Roast Chicken can be intimidating, but I am here to tell you that it can be one of the best dinners for busy weeknights. It is great for the kind of days where your kids have piano from 3:45-4:45, soccer from 5:00-6:00 and you have a meeting at 7:00, roast chicken can be a great dinner. My recipe for roast chicken actually takes 3 days, but please don’t let that scare you. I promise it only take a few minutes each day and you have cooked chicken and chicken broth for quick dinners in the future.   The full recipe is in  my cookbook, but this is a general guide for my process.   Day 1 (I like to do this when I’m cleaning up dinner dishes, but you can do it earlier in the day too.)  Get your sink full of soapy water and add a Tablespoon of bleach if you wish. Set out your roasting pan with rack or a rimmed baking sheet with cooling rack Cut 1 12 inch piece of kitchen twine per chicken (optional) Mix 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning per chicken in a small bowl Open the chicken packaging over the drain in your sink or a bowl to catch any liquid that will leak out when you open the package. (I always look for chickens without any salt added.) Remove the giblets from the cavity. Some chickens will not have giblets. You can roast these or discard. Place the chicken on the roasting rack and repeat with the second chicken. Lift the skin and rub the salt mixture directly on the meat under the skin. I like to cut a slit on the back of the thigh to make it easier to rub with salt. You may have to break apart the connective fascia to separate the skin from the meat. Place seasoned chickens breast side up on the roasting rack and tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine if you have it. Place the roasting pan uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. The air will circulate and dry out the surface of the skin and the salt will penetrate deeply into the meat yielding chickens with crisp skin and juicy meat.  Day 2  Preheat oven to 425 Place roasting pan in oven and bake for 1 ½ hours. Remove chickens from oven and let rest 20 minutes. Serve the first chicken for dinner. Remove all meat from the bones of the chickens and place in a bowl. Place bones in a slow cooker with an onion, carrot, celery, garlic and 6 whole cloves (optional, do not use ground cloves.) Add any drippings from the pan or cutting board to the slow cooker. OR- Roast the bones for 30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit before adding to the slow cooker. Cover the bones with water and place the slow cooker on low. Place the meat in labeled zip bags or containers in meal-size portions for your family. Freeze the chicken meat.  Day 3  I like to do this when I am cleaning up dinner dishes. Remove most of the bones and veggies from the broth with tongs and discard. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain out any remaining bones or veggies and discard. Cool the broth in the bowl with frozen broth or ice cubes. Pour the broth into containers and label. If you are using glass jars, leave several inches of room at the top and wide-mouth jars work much better for freezing liquids. Freeze the broth. 

Roast Chicken can be intimidating, but I am here to tell you that it can be one of the best dinners for busy weeknights. It is great for the kind of days where your kids have piano from 3:45-4:45, soccer from 5:00-6:00 and you have a meeting at 7:00, roast chicken can be a great dinner. My recipe for roast chicken actually takes 3 days, but please don’t let that scare you. I promise it only take a few minutes each day and you have cooked chicken and chicken broth for quick dinners in the future. The full recipe is in <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/product/feed-your-family-tonight-cookbook/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> my cookbook</a>, but this is a general guide for my process. Day 1 (I like to do this when I’m cleaning up dinner dishes, but you can do it earlier in the day too.) <ul> <li>Get your sink full of soapy water and add a Tablespoon of bleach if you wish.</li> <li>Set out your roasting pan with rack or a rimmed baking sheet with cooling rack</li> <li>Cut 1 12 inch piece of kitchen twine per chicken (optional)</li> <li>Mix 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning per chicken in a small bowl</li> <li>Open the chicken packaging over the drain in your sink or a bowl to catch any liquid that will leak out when you open the package. (I always look for chickens without any salt added.)</li> <li>Remove the giblets from the cavity. Some chickens will not have giblets. You can roast these or discard.</li> <li>Place the chicken on the roasting rack and repeat with the second chicken.</li> <li>Lift the skin and rub the salt mixture directly on the meat under the skin. I like to cut a slit on the back of the thigh to make it easier to rub with salt. You may have to break apart the connective fascia to separate the skin from the meat.</li> <li>Place seasoned chickens breast side up on the roasting rack and tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine if you have it.</li> <li>Place the roasting pan uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. The air will circulate and dry out the surface of the skin and the salt will penetrate deeply into the meat yielding chickens with crisp skin and juicy meat.</li> </ul> Day 2 <ul> <li>Preheat oven to 425</li> <li>Place roasting pan in oven and bake for 1 ½ hours.</li> <li>Remove chickens from oven and let rest 20 minutes.</li> <li>Serve the first chicken for dinner.</li> <li>Remove all meat from the bones of the chickens and place in a bowl.</li> <li>Place bones in a slow cooker with an onion, carrot, celery, garlic and 6 whole cloves (optional, do not use ground cloves.)</li> <li>Add any drippings from the pan or cutting board to the slow cooker.</li> <li>OR- Roast the bones for 30 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit before adding to the slow cooker.</li> <li>Cover the bones with water and place the slow cooker on low.</li> <li>Place the meat in labeled zip bags or containers in meal-size portions for your family.</li> <li>Freeze the chicken meat.</li> </ul> Day 3 <ul> <li>I like to do this when I am cleaning up dinner dishes.</li> <li>Remove most of the bones and veggies from the broth with tongs and discard.</li> <li>Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain out any remaining bones or veggies and discard.</li> <li>Cool the broth in the bowl with frozen broth or ice cubes.</li> <li>Pour the broth into containers and label.</li> <li>If you are using glass jars, leave several inches of room at the top and wide-mouth jars work much better for freezing liquids.</li> <li>Freeze the broth.</li> </ul>

Episode 50 Roast Chicken - A Great Dinner for Busy Weeknights

Summer is upon us and with the kids coming home from school it is time to get a game plan to make feeding your family easier this summer. Take some time to plan for:                  Lunches- I use planned leftovers and pantry staples like hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.                  Snacks- Do you need portable snacks for the pool or outings? I let my kids have 1 “packaged” snack per day and then it is fruit and veggies. Or follow  Steph Jenkin’s snack rule of “fruit, veggie, nuts, or raisins.”                  Dinner- You will want some quick and easy meals for when you have had days full of activities. It is also a good time to try new recipes because the evenings are a little slower in the summer.                  Treats- Will you go for ice cream or ride your bike to the local pizza place? Our family has a tradition of “fry days” where I break out a deep fryer and make treats like corn dogs and funnel cakes                  Drinks- Make sure everyone in the family gets in the habit of taking a water bottle with them every time you leave the house.   Make  a large shopping trip and stock up on staples so you can be ready for the summer.

Summer is upon us and with the kids coming home from school it is time to get a game plan to make feeding your family easier this summer. Take some time to plan for:                 Lunches- I use planned leftovers and pantry staples like hot dogs and macaroni and cheese.                 Snacks- Do you need portable snacks for the pool or outings? I let my kids have 1 “packaged” snack per day and then it is fruit and veggies. Or follow <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/02/22/episode-16-real-food-on-a-budget-with-cheapskate-cook-steph-jenkins/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Steph Jenkin’s snack rule</a> of “fruit, veggie, nuts, or raisins.”                 Dinner- You will want some quick and easy meals for when you have had days full of activities. It is also a good time to try new recipes because the evenings are a little slower in the summer.                 Treats- Will you go for ice cream or ride your bike to the local pizza place? Our family has a tradition of “fry days” where I break out a deep fryer and make treats like corn dogs and funnel cakes                 Drinks- Make sure everyone in the family gets in the habit of taking a water bottle with them every time you leave the house. Make <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/12/07/episode-5-holiday-food-planning/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> a large shopping trip</a> and stock up on staples so you can be ready for the summer.

Episode 28 Summer Food Game Plan

Did you clean out your freezer? If you did, I bet you are like me and smile every time you open it. If not, no worries. I understand how crazy life is this time of year. Today we are talking about how to stock your freezer for weeknight dinner success. It is important to note that this is going to look different in all our homes. I have a large deep freeze and a. freezer attached to my refrigerator. You may only have a little freezer with your refrigerator so the amount and types of things we keep in our freezers will be very different. We will go through the categories of things I keep in my freezer and I’ll help you adapt them to your situation. Note- I am not a big “freezer meal” person. If you are looking for pinterest pretty meals 100% prepped and ready to go into the oven or crockpot, then this episode isn’t for you. I like to prep parts of the meal, but my family isn’t fond of casseroles and most crock pot meals. But I will help you get proteins pre-cooked and have lots meal components prepped so you can get a quick dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes. Frozen Meats (Raw) My large freezer is full of frozen meat. I get my beef in bulk from a local farmer and I buy chicken in bulk when it is on sale. I had a listener ask if I kept an inventory of my freezer and, alas, I do not. She bought her meat from an online meat store and I suggested that she just attach the packing slip to the outside of her freezer and mark off the cuts of meat as she uses them so she can easily see what she has left. When I buy boneless, skinless, chicken breasts I get them in bulk. I open up the packages and cut the meat into chunks or single serving portions and wrap it in zip bags or plastic wrap. I freeze it flat on a cookie sheet and then transfer it to gallon zip bags. If you are single or there is just 2 of you in your home, you can do this with a single “family size” package of chicken. Use what you need the first day and freeze what is left in single serving portions for quick meals later. I live in Kansas and any fish that we get this far inland has been frozen at some point. I find it less expensive and more convenient to buy fish already frozen. Same goes for shrimp. If you family likes shrimp, I highly recommend keeping a bag of frozen shrimp on hand. It thaws quickly in a bowl of water and cooks in minutes making it perfect for quick suppers. I also keep homemade turkey sausage, bacon, and turkey bacon on hand for easy breakfasts.   Cooke Meats I always have cooked  taco meat and  chicken taco meat in my freezer. In the fall I will have BBQ beef and roast chicken meat too. When I have roast chicken, I will also have chicken broth ready for quick and easy soups.   Veggies I like to keep bags of frozen veggies for quick side dishes.  This podcast talks about my favorite way to cook frozen veggies. I also keep the leaves and inside pieces of celery on hand to add to my chicken broth. Some people like to keep a “broth bag” of little bits and ends of all their veggies to add to the stock pot when they  make broth. Fruit- I like to keep frozen berries and 2 kinds of frozen bananas on hand. If your family is fond of smoothies then this is a must in your home. The two kinds of bananas are ripe bananas that I slice and freeze on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for smoothies and my favorite  banana ice cream. The second kind is overripe bananas. These bananas are completely black. I peel them and freeze them in zip bags for banana bread and breakfast cookies. Other things I Freeze Baking supplies like gluten, yeast, and specialty flours Nuts Bread Special “project foods” like pot stickers and stuffed grape leaves that I make no more than once or twice a year. Spaghetti Sauce Soups Cookie Dough – Look at this post to see how I freeze cookie dough.

Did you clean out your freezer? If you did, I bet you are like me and smile every time you open it. If not, no worries. I understand how crazy life is this time of year. Today we are talking about how to stock your freezer for weeknight dinner success. It is important to note that this is going to look different in all our homes. I have a large deep freeze and a. freezer attached to my refrigerator. You may only have a little freezer with your refrigerator so the amount and types of things we keep in our freezers will be very different. We will go through the categories of things I keep in my freezer and I’ll help you adapt them to your situation. Note- I am not a big “freezer meal” person. If you are looking for pinterest pretty meals 100% prepped and ready to go into the oven or crockpot, then this episode isn’t for you. I like to prep parts of the meal, but my family isn’t fond of casseroles and most crock pot meals. But I will help you get proteins pre-cooked and have lots meal components prepped so you can get a quick dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes. Frozen Meats (Raw) My large freezer is full of frozen meat. I get my beef in bulk from a local farmer and I buy chicken in bulk when it is on sale. I had a listener ask if I kept an inventory of my freezer and, alas, I do not. She bought her meat from an online meat store and I suggested that she just attach the packing slip to the outside of her freezer and mark off the cuts of meat as she uses them so she can easily see what she has left. When I buy boneless, skinless, chicken breasts I get them in bulk. I open up the packages and cut the meat into chunks or single serving portions and wrap it in zip bags or plastic wrap. I freeze it flat on a cookie sheet and then transfer it to gallon zip bags. If you are single or there is just 2 of you in your home, you can do this with a single “family size” package of chicken. Use what you need the first day and freeze what is left in single serving portions for quick meals later. I live in Kansas and any fish that we get this far inland has been frozen at some point. I find it less expensive and more convenient to buy fish already frozen. Same goes for shrimp. If you family likes shrimp, I highly recommend keeping a bag of frozen shrimp on hand. It thaws quickly in a bowl of water and cooks in minutes making it perfect for quick suppers. I also keep <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/13/turkey-sausage/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">homemade turkey sausage</a>, bacon, and turkey bacon on hand for easy breakfasts. Cooke Meats I always have cooked <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/08/31/taco-mix-and-big-batch-taco-meat-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> taco meat</a> and <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/09/10/instant-pot-chicken-tacos/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> chicken taco meat</a> in my freezer. In the fall I will have BBQ beef and roast chicken meat too. When I have roast chicken, I will also have chicken broth ready for quick and easy soups. Veggies I like to keep bags of frozen veggies for quick side dishes. <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/11/episode-10-vegetables/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> This podcast</a> talks about my favorite way to cook frozen veggies. I also keep the leaves and inside pieces of celery on hand to add to my chicken broth. Some people like to keep a “broth bag” of little bits and ends of all their veggies to add to the stock pot when they <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/10/02/roast-chicken-cook-once-eat-3-times/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> make broth</a>. Fruit- I like to keep frozen berries and 2 kinds of frozen bananas on hand. If your family is fond of smoothies then this is a must in your home. The two kinds of bananas are ripe bananas that I slice and freeze on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/03/12/shamrock-smoothie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">smoothies</a> and my favorite <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/18/chocolate-walnut-banana-ice-cream-no-sugar-added-vegan-paleo/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> banana ice cream</a>. The second kind is overripe bananas. These bananas are completely black. I peel them and freeze them in zip bags for banana bread and <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/25/breakfast-cookies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">breakfast cookies</a>. Other things I Freeze Baking supplies like gluten, yeast, and specialty flours Nuts Bread Special “project foods” like pot stickers and stuffed grape leaves that I make no more than once or twice a year. Spaghetti Sauce Soups Cookie Dough <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/27/holiday-planning/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">– Look at this post</a> to see how I freeze cookie dough.

Episode 45 Beyond Freezer Meals - What do You Keep in Your Freezer for Dinner Success

It is the time of year when many of us get the itch to bake cookies. Some people do it because they love it, others do it because they want to make memories with their kids. It is important to ask yourself why you want to bake. Do you want to spend time with your children or do you want beautiful cookies to give away to friends and neighbors? In my experience, it is difficult to accomplish both of those goals at the same time. That is why we make gingerbread cookies just for our family. Making gingerbread cookies was the most important holiday activity for my children. We will make one batch of cookies in several different sizes and decorate them with royal icing. I don’t stress bout kids licking their fingers or about the cookies looking perfect because my goal with gingerbread cookies is to enjoy my time with my kids. My mother, on the other hand, loves to give away cookies. She usually makes 45 batches of dough and freezes it. She will have a long day of cookie baking and then she and my father will plate and wrap the cookies and deliver them to friends and neighbors. This year she is changing things up. She only made two kinds of cookie dough and plans to give away fewer cookies. She has made the same five recipes for over 30 years and this year she is ready to try something new. It doesn’t matter if you make one batch or dozens of batches of cookies, what matters is that you know why you are making the cookies. If your goal is to spend time with your kids, then don’t worry about having lots of cookies to give away. If your goal is to use the cookies as gifts, then you may want to make them without the kids. Both ideas are great, it is just important to identify why you are making them and to keep your expectations clear.   Tips for stress-free cooking baking: 1-Put it on the calendar. You want to schedule a time to make the cookies. This time of year is so busy and if you don’t schedule time, you will feel stressed as you make the cookies. 2- Try not to make the dough and bake the cookies in the same day. Most cookie recipes chill the dough after it is made before shaping and baking. If you can make the dough one day and chill it, the next day you are ready to bake. If you try to do it all in one day, you will spend hours in the kitchen which can create unnecessary stress. 3-Make sure you leave time for your butter to come to room temperature. That means you want to take the butter out of the refrigerator at least two hours before you make your dough. 4-If you are making cut out cookies, roll out the dough between parchment paper before you chill the dough. Place the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper, sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Roll out the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Place the rolled dough on a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator. You can stack several layers of dough on one cookie sheet. Then, you can cut the cookies and pull the scraps away. Leave the cookies on the parchment and bake. 5-Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats. It will keep the cookies from sticking and makes cookie baking easier. Use pre-cut parchment sheets if you can. This is the parchment I buy. (not affiliate) 6-If you enjoy decorating cookies, keep a few for yourself to decorate. You can still decorate with the kids, but have some to decorate all by yourself without the kids.   Links for this episode My mother’s icing for sugar cookies How to use frozen cookie dough Link chocolate chip cookie Didn’t I just feed you  Amazon link for parchment

It is the time of year when many of us get the itch to bake cookies. Some people do it because they love it, others do it because they want to make memories with their kids. It is important to ask yourself why you want to bake. Do you want to spend time with your children or do you want beautiful cookies to give away to friends and neighbors? In my experience, it is difficult to accomplish both of those goals at the same time. That is why we make gingerbread cookies just for our family. Making gingerbread cookies was the most important holiday activity for my children. We will make one batch of cookies in several different sizes and decorate them with royal icing. I don’t stress bout kids licking their fingers or about the cookies looking perfect because my goal with gingerbread cookies is to enjoy my time with my kids. My mother, on the other hand, loves to give away cookies. She usually makes 45 batches of dough and freezes it. She will have a long day of cookie baking and then she and my father will plate and wrap the cookies and deliver them to friends and neighbors. This year she is changing things up. She only made two kinds of cookie dough and plans to give away fewer cookies. She has made the same five recipes for over 30 years and this year she is ready to try something new. It doesn’t matter if you make one batch or dozens of batches of cookies, what matters is that you know why you are making the cookies. If your goal is to spend time with your kids, then don’t worry about having lots of cookies to give away. If your goal is to use the cookies as gifts, then you may want to make them without the kids. Both ideas are great, it is just important to identify why you are making them and to keep your expectations clear. Tips for stress-free cooking baking: 1-Put it on the calendar. You want to schedule a time to make the cookies. This time of year is so busy and if you don’t schedule time, you will feel stressed as you make the cookies. 2- Try not to make the dough and bake the cookies in the same day. Most cookie recipes chill the dough after it is made before shaping and baking. If you can make the dough one day and chill it, the next day you are ready to bake. If you try to do it all in one day, you will spend hours in the kitchen which can create unnecessary stress. 3-Make sure you leave time for your butter to come to room temperature. That means you want to take the butter out of the refrigerator at least two hours before you make your dough. 4-If you are making cut out cookies, roll out the dough between parchment paper before you chill the dough. Place the dough on a floured piece of parchment paper, sprinkle the top of the dough with more flour and cover with another piece of parchment paper. Roll out the dough between the two sheets of parchment. Place the rolled dough on a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator. You can stack several layers of dough on one cookie sheet. Then, you can cut the cookies and pull the scraps away. Leave the cookies on the parchment and bake. 5-Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats. It will keep the cookies from sticking and makes cookie baking easier. Use pre-cut parchment sheets if you can. This is the parchment I buy. (not affiliate) 6-If you enjoy decorating cookies, keep a few for yourself to decorate. You can still decorate with the kids, but have some to decorate all by yourself without the kids. Links for this episode <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/icing-for-pumpkin-cookies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My mother’s icing for sugar cookies</a> <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/holiday-planning/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to use frozen cookie dough</a> <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/chocolate-chip-cookies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Link chocolate chip cookie</a> <a href="https://didntijustfeedyou.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Didn’t I just feed you</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/2dayShip-Quilon-Parchment-Baking-Premium/dp/B071VPBR1R/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=parchment+paper+sheets+1000&amp;qid=1575578913&amp;sr=8-4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Amazon link for parchment</a>

Episode 57 Stress-Free Holiday Cookie Baking

Last week I had 7 meals planned and we followed that plan 2 times. The other 5 days my plans fell apart. But I was okay. I didn’t have go through the drive-thru. My family was fed and that was enough.   This happens to all of us and the key to reducing the stress is to always have a backup. Have 3 meals that you can get on the table in 20 minutes or less with ingredients you have in your pantry or kitchen.   Everyone has weeks where the plans all fall apart. It’s okay in the summer to spend extra time at the pool or enjoy a unexpected outing with friends. You can adapt and move on. You’ve got this!  Episode 1 Master Meal Planning Sheet Episode 2 “P” Plan and Prep  Episode 3 “S” Set a Dinnerbell  Episode 4 “A” Always have a backup BBQ Beef Recipe Roast Chickens with the Dinner Sisters  Roast Chicken on KAKE TV

Last week I had 7 meals planned and we followed that plan 2 times. The other 5 days my plans fell apart. But I was okay. I didn’t have go through the drive-thru. My family was fed and that was enough. This happens to all of us and the key to reducing the stress is to always have a backup. Have 3 meals that you can get on the table in 20 minutes or less with ingredients you have in your pantry or kitchen. Everyone has weeks where the plans all fall apart. It’s okay in the summer to spend extra time at the pool or enjoy a unexpected outing with friends. You can adapt and move on. You’ve got this! <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/30/01-master-meal-planning-sheet/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 1 Master Meal Planning Sheet</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/30/plan-and-prep/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 2 “P” Plan and Prep</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/30/03-steo-2-s-set-a-dinner-bell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 3 “S” Set a Dinnerbell</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/30/04-step-3-a-always-have-a-backup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 4 “A” Always have a backup</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/12/03/bbq-beef/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BBQ Beef Recipe</a> <a href="https://dinnersisters.com/protips/2019/4/5/roastchickens" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Roast Chickens with the Dinner Sisters</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/10/02/roast-chicken-cook-once-eat-3-times/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Roast Chicken on KAKE TV</a>

Episode 33 When the Wheels Fall Off

This is the third episode in our Back to School Series.  Episode 39 focused on packing kid lunches.  Episode 40 focused on avoiding the drive thru when life get’s busy. This episode focuses on breakfast for busy mornings. My kids can be a little picky about breakfast. They all have strong preferences and they are not always the same. If your kids are less picky than mine, the best strategy is to assign a theme to each day and make the same breakfast all year long. Diane has a theme like Monday = Eggs, Tuesday = Peanut butter Toast, Wednesday = Oatmeal and follows the theme all year long. If you kids are pickier, you may have a broader framework like mine. I try and make some type of breakfast meat at the beginning of the week and have a well-stocked pantry and freezer with lots of make-ahead options for quick breakfasts on the go. Some easy make-ahead breakfasts include:  Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal  Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal  Breakfast Cookies  Spinach Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches  Chocolate Almond Granola  Spinach and Hash Brown Breakfast Bake  Shamrock Smoothie  Chai Spiced Granola  Breakfast Casserole  Overnight Yeast Belgian Waffles Quick and Easy Turkey Sausage Some special treat breakfasts include:  Sourdough French Toast with Strawberry Syrup Lemon Scones (with dairy – free option) and  Lemon Curd  Blueberry Streusel Muffins  Oatmeal Pancakes  Home Fried Potatoes  Orange Streusel Coffee Cake Cream Biscuits Puffy Pancake with  Buttermilk Syrup

This is the third episode in our Back to School Series. <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/08/02/episode-39-lunchbox-tips-for-back-to-school/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 39</a> focused on packing kid lunches. <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/08/09/episode-40-avoiding-the-drive-thru-when-life-gets-crazy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 40</a> focused on avoiding the drive thru when life get’s busy. This episode focuses on breakfast for busy mornings. My kids can be a little picky about breakfast. They all have strong preferences and they are not always the same. If your kids are less picky than mine, the best strategy is to assign a theme to each day and make the same breakfast all year long. Diane has a theme like Monday = Eggs, Tuesday = Peanut butter Toast, Wednesday = Oatmeal and follows the theme all year long. If you kids are pickier, you may have a broader framework like mine. I try and make some type of breakfast meat at the beginning of the week and have a well-stocked pantry and freezer with lots of make-ahead options for quick breakfasts on the go. Some easy make-ahead breakfasts include: <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/03/19/apple-cinnamon-baked-oatmeal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/07/23/lemon-blueberry-baked-oatmeal/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/25/breakfast-cookies/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Breakfast Cookies</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/04/spinach-egg-and-cheese-breakfast-sandwiches/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spinach Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/04/30/chocolate-almond-granola/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Chocolate Almond Granola</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/03/26/spinach-and-hash-brown-breakfast-bake/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Spinach and Hash Brown Breakfast Bake</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/03/12/shamrock-smoothie/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Shamrock Smoothie</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/08/chai-spiced-granola/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Chai Spiced Granola</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/12/18/breakfast-casserole/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Breakfast Casserole</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/20/overnight-belgian-waffles-yeast-waffles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Overnight Yeast Belgian Waffles</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/13/turkey-sausage/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quick and Easy Turkey Sausage</a> Some special treat breakfasts include: <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/11/sourdough-french-toast-with-strawberry-syrup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Sourdough French Toast with Strawberry Syrup</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/04/09/lemon-scones/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lemon Scones (with dairy – free option)</a> and <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/04/16/cheater-foolproof-lemon-curd/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Lemon Curd</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/04/02/blueberry-streusel-muffins/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Blueberry Streusel Muffins</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/03/05/oatmeal-pancakes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Oatmeal Pancakes</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/02/26/home-fried-potatoes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Home Fried Potatoes</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/02/19/orange-streusel-coffee-cake/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Orange Streusel Coffee Cake</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/02/05/cream-biscuits/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cream Biscuits</a> <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/15/puffy-pancake/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Puffy Pancake</a> with <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/22/buttermilk-syrup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Buttermilk Syrup</a>

Episode 41 Breakfast Tips for Busy Mornings

Making school lunches is a struggle for me, but I have some tips and tricks that make it a little easier. 1-I use my blue refrigerator bin. You can learn about it in  episode 12 “Let’s Talk About Lunch.” 2-My favorite equipment:   Vera Bradley Lunch Bags My favorite is the Lunch Tote.  -Find the containers first and see how they fit in the lunch bags.  b) Get good water bottles. I like the insulated  Thermos brand and the small  Klean Kanteen water bottles.                   -Buy the same brand for all your kids. It will make filling the bottles much easier.  c) Ice Packs. I like thin ones like  these. d) Thermos for hot food. I like stainless steel ones like  this one. e)  2 Cup Pyrex Measuring Cup. f)  Glass food storage containers. g) Real Silverware including Forks and Spoons. You can get these at Dollar Tree.    3-The process I use for packing school lunches: The Night Before  During dinner I ask who is having school hot lunch and who is bringing lunch. I ask who wants dinner leftovers I pack dinner leftovers in glass storage containers and put them in my blue bin. I prep fruit and veggies. Wet fruit goes into  these Ziploc containers and dry fruit like apples or oranges go into baggies and then it all goes in the blue bin. Any food that can sit at room temperature like chips or peanut butter sandwiches goes directly into the lunchbox. Napkins and silverware go into the lunchbox.  In the Morning  Fill all water bottles Take Blue Bin out of refrigerator and start putting items in lunchboxes If I need to heat leftovers I start by heating water in the 2 cup Pyrex cup and then transfer the boiling water to the thermos. Heat the food in the microwave for 3 minutes at 50% power and 30 seconds at 100% power Remove hot water from thermos and add hot food. Place water bottles and thermoses in lunchboxes. Put a napkin between hot and cold items. Put ice packs on the cold side. Make sure there is silverware.    Other Tips  Train your kids to bring home everything from the lunch, including trash This lets you know what they are eating and what they aren’t eating. You can reuse uneaten items. It reduces waste.  My Kid’s Favorite Lunchbox Foods  Taco meat with tortilla chips. You can add containers of lettuce, tomato and cheese and containers of salsa. Hummus with pretzel crisps Yogurt Apples with peanut butter (sometimes with melted chocolate chips) Homemade Lunchables. Add meat, cheese and crackers. Leftovers  Share what you like to put in lunchboxes and any tips you have for packing lunches. Facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight

Making school lunches is a struggle for me, but I have some tips and tricks that make it a little easier. 1-I use my blue refrigerator bin. You can learn about it in <a href="https://www.feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/25/podcast-episode-12-lets-talk-about-lunch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> episode 12 “Let’s Talk About Lunch.”</a> 2-My favorite equipment: <ol> <li><a href="https://www.verabradley.com/us/browse/bags/lunch-bags-3333227678?cm_mmc=paidsearch-_-bing-_-181219-_-Brand_Bags-Exact_DAC&amp;msclkid=e85f32d80f301467405f6f9b7d5695cb&amp;utm_source=bing&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=Brand_Bags-Exact_DAC&amp;utm_term=Vera%20Bradley%20Lunch%20Bag&amp;utm_content=Brand_Lunch_Bags-E&amp;gclid=CKnqgsTm4uMCFfCKxQIdRI8JVw&amp;gclsrc=ds" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Vera Bradley Lunch Bags</a> My favorite is the Lunch Tote.</li> </ol> -Find the containers first and see how they fit in the lunch bags. <ol> <li>b) Get good water bottles. I like the insulated <a href="https://www.thermos.com/genuine-thermos-brand-funtainer-vacuum-insulated-stainless-steel-bottle-16oz.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Thermos brand</a> and the small <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Klean-Kanteen-Bottle-Classic-Coastal/dp/B078STRMYR/ref=sr_1_3?hvadid=77653070435923&amp;hvbmt=be&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvqmt=e&amp;keywords=kleen+canteen+water+bottles+kids&amp;qid=1564701563&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Klean Kanteen</a> water bottles.</li> </ol>                 -Buy the same brand for all your kids. It will make filling the bottles much easier. <ol> <li>c) Ice Packs. I like thin ones like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Pack-Lunch-Box-Long-Lasting/dp/B01M06AQLF/ref=sr_1_5?crid=22D454SZQGW6&amp;keywords=lunchbox+ice+packs&amp;qid=1564701691&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=lunchbox+ice+%2Caps%2C171&amp;sr=8-5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> these</a>.</li> <li>d) Thermos for hot food. I like stainless steel ones like <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Funtainer-Ounce-Food-Purple/dp/B00CBFAE5I/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2H013THCSNLXQ&amp;keywords=thermos+for+lunch+box&amp;qid=1564701755&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=thermos+for+l%2Caps%2C167&amp;sr=8-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> this one</a>.</li> <li>e) <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-Prepware-2-Cup-Measuring-Graphics/dp/B00LGLHU0K/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1UNB0FKNZBNM4&amp;keywords=2+cup+pyrex+measuring+cup&amp;qid=1564701816&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=2+cup+pyrex+mea%2Caps%2C174&amp;sr=8-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> 2 Cup Pyrex Measuring Cup</a>.</li> <li>f) <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-Round-Storage-Cover-Glass/dp/B017I2RQEA/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=2+cup+pyrex&amp;qid=1564701863&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A3F5SN6HDJZ2HP&amp;spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyRTlENzdRUVNEVks2JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTg4NDY3QjM2WjlVWEszUTgmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDcyNDgyNDE2OEFLTE1QUTcyU0gmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Glass food storage containers.</a></li> <li>g) Real Silverware including Forks and Spoons. You can get these at Dollar Tree.</li> </ol> 3-The process I use for packing school lunches: The Night Before <ol> <li>During dinner I ask who is having school hot lunch and who is bringing lunch.</li> <li>I ask who wants dinner leftovers</li> <li>I pack dinner leftovers in glass storage containers and put them in my blue bin.</li> <li>I prep fruit and veggies. Wet fruit goes into <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ziploc-Small-Square-Press-Container/dp/B019ZTZZMO/ref=sr_1_11?crid=3JI0AB2E2BQNO&amp;keywords=ziploc+1%2F2+cup+containers+with+lids&amp;qid=1564702281&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=ziploc+1%2F2+cup+%2Caps%2C219&amp;sr=8-11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> these Ziploc containers</a> and dry fruit like apples or oranges go into baggies and then it all goes in the blue bin.</li> <li>Any food that can sit at room temperature like chips or peanut butter sandwiches goes directly into the lunchbox.</li> <li>Napkins and silverware go into the lunchbox.</li> </ol> In the Morning <ol> <li>Fill all water bottles</li> <li>Take Blue Bin out of refrigerator and start putting items in lunchboxes</li> <li>If I need to heat leftovers I start by heating water in the 2 cup Pyrex cup and then transfer the boiling water to the thermos.</li> <li>Heat the food in the microwave for 3 minutes at 50% power and 30 seconds at 100% power</li> <li>Remove hot water from thermos and add hot food.</li> <li>Place water bottles and thermoses in lunchboxes.</li> <li>Put a napkin between hot and cold items.</li> <li>Put ice packs on the cold side.</li> <li>Make sure there is silverware.</li> </ol> Other Tips <ol> <li>Train your kids to bring home everything from the lunch, including trash</li> <li>This lets you know what they are eating and what they aren’t eating.</li> <li>You can reuse uneaten items.</li> <li>It reduces waste.</li> </ol> My Kid’s Favorite Lunchbox Foods <ol> <li>Taco meat with tortilla chips. You can add containers of lettuce, tomato and cheese and containers of salsa.</li> <li>Hummus with pretzel crisps</li> <li>Yogurt</li> <li>Apples with peanut butter (sometimes with melted chocolate chips)</li> <li>Homemade Lunchables. Add meat, cheese and crackers.</li> <li>Leftovers</li> </ol> Share what you like to put in lunchboxes and any tips you have for packing lunches. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight</a>

Episode 39 Lunchbox Tips for the School Year

Flavored water is super easy to make and a fun drink for the summer. Using filtered water make a big difference. I have a Reverse Osmosis system, but a  Brita Pitcher works great. What container do you want to use to make the water? Mason jars work well, or you can use an  ice tea pitcher or  a water infusing pitcher or  water bottle. Flavorings are super easy and there are lots of options. Some of my favorites are: Mint Lime Mojito- made of mint leaves in lime juice Orange- Sliced oranges are added to the water. Lemon Ginger- Chop 2 inches of fresh ginger and add it to 1 gallon of water with large pieces of the lemon zest (use a vegetable peeler to get the very outer part of the lemon) Bring the water with the zest and ginger in a large saucepan to a boil and turn off the heat. Let the water cool to room temperature and add the juice of 1 lemon. Strain out the ginger and zest and chill. Cucumber- add sliced cucumbers Watermelon mint- Add chunks of watermelon and mint leaves. Strawberry Basil- Cut off the green stem and cut the strawberry into several pieces. Add several chopped strawberries and a few fresh basil leaves. You can make homemade “Gatorade” or electrolyte water by adding 1 teaspoon coarse  Celtic Sea Salt and 2 teaspoons of honey to 1 quart of flavored water. It is best to use room temperature or warm water to help the salt and honey to dissolve, then you can chill it. Follow Feed Your Family Tonight Instagram @feedyourfamilytonight  YouTube Feed Your Family Tonight with MarieFiebach.com Facebook Facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight

Flavored water is super easy to make and a fun drink for the summer. Using filtered water make a big difference. I have a Reverse Osmosis system, but a <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Brita-Large-Everyday-Pitcher-Filter/dp/B01FXN3E74/ref=sr_1_3?crid=40R63JDWD9CP&amp;keywords=brita+water+filter&amp;qid=1558648738&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=bri%2Caps%2C526&amp;sr=8-3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Brita Pitcher</a> works great. What container do you want to use to make the water? Mason jars work well, or you can use an <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/FineDine-Beverage-Dispenser-Spigot-Gallon/dp/B074ZGZNJX/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=ice+tea+pitcher+with+spigot&amp;qid=1558648913&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-11" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> ice tea pitcher</a> or <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/International-Luminarc-Quadro-Pitchers-57-25-Ounce/dp/B007JM5JLC/ref=sr_1_29?keywords=infuse+water+pitcher&amp;qid=1558648979&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> a water infusing pitcher</a> or <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Live-Infinitely-Infuser-Water-Bottles/dp/B06ZZKGJM7/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=infuser+water+bottle&amp;qid=1558649024&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;psc=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> water bottle</a>. Flavorings are super easy and there are lots of options. Some of my favorites are: Mint Lime Mojito- made of mint leaves in lime juice Orange- Sliced oranges are added to the water. Lemon Ginger- Chop 2 inches of fresh ginger and add it to 1 gallon of water with large pieces of the lemon zest (use a vegetable peeler to get the very outer part of the lemon) Bring the water with the zest and ginger in a large saucepan to a boil and turn off the heat. Let the water cool to room temperature and add the juice of 1 lemon. Strain out the ginger and zest and chill. Cucumber- add sliced cucumbers Watermelon mint- Add chunks of watermelon and mint leaves. Strawberry Basil- Cut off the green stem and cut the strawberry into several pieces. Add several chopped strawberries and a few fresh basil leaves. You can make homemade “Gatorade” or electrolyte water by adding 1 teaspoon coarse <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Light-Celtic-Sea-Salt-Resealable/dp/B000TIZP5I/ref=sr_1_4?crid=EMQ2DL7BYZFP&amp;keywords=celtic%2Bsea%2Bsalt&amp;qid=1558649558&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=celtic%2B%2Caps%2C164&amp;sr=8-4&amp;th=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Celtic Sea Salt</a> and 2 teaspoons of honey to 1 quart of flavored water. It is best to use room temperature or warm water to help the salt and honey to dissolve, then you can chill it. Follow Feed Your Family Tonight <a href="https://www.instagram.com/feedyourfamilytonight/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram @feedyourfamilytonight</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdBSKLeG7uvjchfTrzxLxjA?view_as=subscriber" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> YouTube Feed Your Family Tonight with MarieFiebach.com</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Facebook.com/feedyourfamilytonight</a>

Episode 29: How to Make Flavor Infused Water

Using the Feed Your Family Tonight Grocery List Builder, Marie walks us through the things she considers pantry and refrigerator staples. You can get a free copy of the Grocery List Builder at FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/list.   You want a pantry that has the staples you use and is not cluttered with things you rarely use. This is what Marie keeps on hand. It will not be the same as the foods you need to keep in your home, but create a system to keep track of your staples so that you are not out of a key ingredient when you need it. Fruits and Veggies Lettuce, Carrots, Celery, Green Onions, Potatoes, Lemons, Limes and Apples Canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans, pears, and ginger beer Milk, Cheese and Eggs Unsalted Butter, Ghee, Salted Irish Butter, Whole Milk, Sweetened and Unsweetened Almond Milk, ½ and ½, Eggs, Parmesan, Shredded Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack Slices, Lunchmeat Frozen Foods Green Beans, Corn, Spinach, All kinds of Frozen Meat (See Freezer Episode 45) Breads, Cereals, Grains, Legumes Quick Oats, Old Fashioned Oats, Rice, Pasta, Boxed Macaroni and Cheese, Lentils Spices, Oils, Condiments Ketchup, Mustard, BBQ Sauce, Mayo, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Sesame Oil, Salad Dressings, Vinegars, Peanut Butter, Jam Snacks Chocolate Chips, Tortilla Chips, Popcorn Baking Supplies White Whole Wheat Flour, Yeast, Gluten, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda Personal and Cleaning Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Lemon Verbena Dish Soap (I use this to treat laundry stains) Hair Dye, Zip Bags, Plastic Wrap, Tin Foil, Napkins, Paper Towels, Paper Plates   Keep a list of the basics you like to keep in your home. Get your free copy of my Grocery List Builder at FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/list.

Using the Feed Your <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/list/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Family Tonight Grocery List Builder</a>, Marie walks us through the things she considers pantry and refrigerator staples. You can get a free copy of the Grocery List Builder at <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/list/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/list</a>. You want a pantry that has the staples you use and is not cluttered with things you rarely use. This is what Marie keeps on hand. It will not be the same as the foods you need to keep in your home, but create a system to keep track of your staples so that you are not out of a key ingredient when you need it. Fruits and Veggies Lettuce, Carrots, Celery, Green Onions, Potatoes, Lemons, Limes and Apples Canned tomatoes, garbanzo beans, pears, and ginger beer Milk, Cheese and Eggs Unsalted Butter, Ghee, Salted Irish Butter, Whole Milk, Sweetened and Unsweetened Almond Milk, ½ and ½, Eggs, Parmesan, Shredded Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack Slices, Lunchmeat Frozen Foods Green Beans, Corn, Spinach, All kinds of Frozen Meat (See Freezer Episode 45) Breads, Cereals, Grains, Legumes Quick Oats, Old Fashioned Oats, Rice, Pasta, Boxed Macaroni and Cheese, Lentils Spices, Oils, Condiments Ketchup, Mustard, BBQ Sauce, Mayo, Olive oil, Coconut oil, Sesame Oil, Salad Dressings, Vinegars, Peanut Butter, Jam Snacks Chocolate Chips, Tortilla Chips, Popcorn Baking Supplies White Whole Wheat Flour, Yeast, Gluten, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda Personal and Cleaning Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Lemon Verbena Dish Soap (I use this to treat laundry stains) Hair Dye, Zip Bags, Plastic Wrap, Tin Foil, Napkins, Paper Towels, Paper Plates Keep a list of the basics you like to keep in your home. Get your free copy of my Grocery List Builder at <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/list/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/list</a>.

Episode 46 - What Do You Need to have a Well-Stocked Pantry?

It is the time of year that many of us want to purge and clean out our homes. I have done some purging and it got me thinking about the things I really need. I went through my kitchen and thought about the very basic items necessary to have a functioning kitchen. You can find the list with links to my essential kitchen items here.

It is the time of year that many of us want to purge and clean out our homes. I have done some purging and it got me thinking about the things I really need. I went through my kitchen and thought about the very basic items necessary to have a functioning kitchen. <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-62-essential-kitchen-equipment-paring-down-in-the-new-year/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">You can find the list with links to my essential kitchen items here.</a>

Episode 62 Essential Kitchen Equipment, Paring Down in the New Year

It is less than 1 week until the 5 Day Meal Planning Challenge FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day We have a new search function on the website FeedYourFamilyTonight.com Cooking multiple batches of food and freezing them for later use is a key tool to weeknight dinner success. There are many ways to do it. Most Pinterest recipes are for casseroles which my family does not prefer.   I do have a Lasagna Recipe in the cookbook and I make a baked ziti, but that is a close to a casserole as my family will go. Never forget that every family is very different and this is about making dinner work for you.   As we get closer to Fall the meals in our home naturally start shifting from grilled meats and summer vegetables to soups and roasted veggies. But, all year long you will always find taco meat in my freezer. I make it 12 pounds at a time and it is a go-to for quick easy dinners. My mother is a big fan of having cooked hamburger in the freezer to make spaghetti,  cheeseburger baked potatoes, or lettuce wraps. I like to cook mine with pureed onions. When you make food for the freezer and use gallon zip bags, I do not recommend freezing it flat. It stacks well and looks pinterest pretty, but it is super hard to thaw food in that shape. I prefer to let the food collect at the bottom of the bag and wrap the top of the bag around the food forming a brick shape that is easier to thaw and reheat. Don’t forget to mark bags with a sharpie before you add the food. It is super hard to write on the bags filled with food.   My favorite foods to make in batches and freeze:  Tacos Hamburger  Hamburger Patties BBQ Beef Chicken Thighs BBQ Meatballs Meatballs Turkey Breast Soups and Stews Spaghetti Sauce Meatloaf  Dinner Sisters Cuban Black Beans Cheapskate Cook Veggies Garbonzo Beans

It is less than 1 week until the 5 Day Meal Planning Challenge <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/5day/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day</a> We have a new search function on the website <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com</a> Cooking multiple batches of food and freezing them for later use is a key tool to weeknight dinner success. There are many ways to do it. Most Pinterest recipes are for casseroles which my family does not prefer. I do have a Lasagna Recipe in <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/5day/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the cookbook</a> and I make a baked ziti, but that is a close to a casserole as my family will go. Never forget that every family is very different and this is about making dinner work for you. As we get closer to Fall the meals in our home naturally start shifting from grilled meats and summer vegetables to soups and roasted veggies. But, all year long you will always find taco meat in my freezer. I make it 12 pounds at a time and it is a go-to for quick easy dinners. My mother is a big fan of having cooked hamburger in the freezer to make spaghetti, <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/11/09/cheeseburger-baked-potatoes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> cheeseburger baked potatoes</a>, or lettuce wraps. I like to cook mine with pureed onions. When you make food for the freezer and use gallon zip bags, I do not recommend freezing it flat. It stacks well and looks pinterest pretty, but it is super hard to thaw food in that shape. I prefer to let the food collect at the bottom of the bag and wrap the top of the bag around the food forming a brick shape that is easier to thaw and reheat. Don’t forget to mark bags with a sharpie before you add the food. It is super hard to write on the bags filled with food. My favorite foods to make in batches and freeze: <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/08/31/taco-mix-and-big-batch-taco-meat-2/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Tacos</a> Hamburger <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/06/03/make-ahead-hamburger-patties/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Hamburger Patties</a> <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2018/12/03/bbq-beef/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BBQ Beef</a> Chicken Thighs BBQ Meatballs Meatballs Turkey Breast <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/08/maxs-favorite-soup/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Soups</a> and Stews Spaghetti Sauce Meatloaf <a href="https://dinnersisters.com/2019/07/17/episode-56-cuban-black-beans/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dinner Sisters Cuban Black Beans</a> <a href="https://www.cheapskatecook.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cheapskate Cook Veggies</a> Garbonzo Beans

Episode 43 Cook Once, Eat Twice (No Casseroles)

Bri DeRosa

This episode is a fun interview with Bri DeRosa of The Family Dinner Project. This book is so much more than a cookbook. It is filled with a year’s worth of recipes, conversation starters and games to use at family dinner.   Each section tackles a common obstacle to family dinner and offers creative ways to navigate family dinner. It meets the reader where they are and helps them create a dinner experience that works in our busy lives.   The recipes are approachable for the home cook and are family friendly. The conversation starters and games are tagged by age group and the stories are of real families who have learned how to create just a little more space for family dinners in their home.   The book is available wherever books are sold.  You can get your copy of Eat, Laugh, Talk! The Family Dinner Playbook here.   Check out The Family Dinner Project for tips recipes and encouragement for making family dinner a fun tradition in your home.   To learn more about  The Family Dinner Project, listen to  Episode 21 where I interviewed  Dr. Anne Fishel, Co-founder of The Family Dinner Project.

This episode is a fun interview with Bri DeRosa of <a href="https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Family Dinner Project</a>. This book is so much more than a cookbook. It is filled with a year’s worth of recipes, conversation starters and games to use at family dinner. Each section tackles a common obstacle to family dinner and offers creative ways to navigate family dinner. It meets the reader where they are and helps them create a dinner experience that works in our busy lives. The recipes are approachable for the home cook and are family friendly. The conversation starters and games are tagged by age group and the stories are of real families who have learned how to create just a little more space for family dinners in their home. The book is available wherever books are sold. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Laugh-Talk-Family-Playbook/dp/1641701641/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HDTA3TR2I0C7&amp;keywords=eat+laugh+talk&amp;qid=1570130510&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=eat+laugh+%2Caps%2C193&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> You can get your copy of Eat, Laugh, Talk! The Family Dinner Playbook here.</a> Check out <a href="https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Family Dinner Project</a> for tips recipes and encouragement for making family dinner a fun tradition in your home. To learn more about <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-21-the-family-dinner-project-with-dr-anne-fishel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Family Dinner Project</a>, listen to <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-21-the-family-dinner-project-with-dr-anne-fishel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Episode 21</a> where I interviewed  Dr. Anne Fishel, Co-founder of The Family Dinner Project.

Episode 48 Eat, Laugh, Talk! The Family Dinner Playbook with Bri DeRosa of the The Family Dinner Project

When was the last time you cleaned out your freezer? If you are like me, you may not be able to remember. This week I cleaned out and organized my freezer. It only took 20 minutes and I am ready to transition from summer foods to fall foods in my home.    Take everything out of the freezer and wipe down the shelving. Toss any food that is not recognizable. Arrange food by category and put it back in the freezer. Make a mental note of the things you no longer eat and the things you have overpurchased.   Food Safety Episode   Get on the interest list for Feed Your Family Tonight private group coaching. FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/group

When was the last time you cleaned out your freezer? If you are like me, you may not be able to remember. This week I cleaned out and organized my freezer. It only took 20 minutes and I am ready to transition from summer foods to fall foods in my home. <ul> <li>Take everything out of the freezer and wipe down the shelving.</li> <li>Toss any food that is not recognizable.</li> <li>Arrange food by category and put it back in the freezer.</li> <li>Make a mental note of the things you no longer eat and the things you have overpurchased.</li> </ul> <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/2019/01/18/episode-11-are-those-leftovers-in-your-refrigerator-safe-to-eat/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Food Safety Episode</a> Get on the interest list for Feed Your Family Tonight private group coaching. <a href="FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/group" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/group</a>

Episode 44 When Was the Last Time You Cleaned Out Your Freezer

Do you love ALDI? Are you nervous to shop at ALDI? Marie talks about all the things she loves about ALDI. What do you need to know before you shop at ALDI? What do you want to avoid when shopping at ALDI? It’s ALDI 101. All the basics for shopping at ALDI. Full show notes can be found at FeedYourFamilyTonight.com. -Bring a quarter -Bring grocery bags, but if you forget, grab a box in the store or buy a couple of paper bags at the checkout for 7 cents each. (You will save so much that it is okay to buy a few bags.) -ALDI has the best prices on conventional produce and good prices on organic produce. -All house brand items are free of synthetic food dye. -If you try an item and do not like it, they will replace the item and refund your money with a receipt, so don’t be afraid to try new items. -Watch out for “Special Buy” or “Seasonal” items. If you find a product you like, go back right away and stock up because it may not be back again for a year. -Non-food “Special Buy” items are okay, but you may do better to purchase those at other retailers. It’s like going to Target, you can go home with more than your list if you are not careful. -Best buys in the store:                  Frozen Berries                  Conventional Produce                  Apples                  Cheeses                  Charcuterie Meats                  Dairy like milk, butter, and yogurt                  Almond Milk                  Frozen Ground Turkey -Watch Prices Carefully                  Cooking Oils (Coconut, Olive, Avocado)                  Organic Produce                  Paper Products                  Health Items -Pack your groceries according to where they go in your home. Refrigerator Pantry Deep freeze Snack Cabinet -Pack your grocery bags “Square.”

Do you love ALDI? Are you nervous to shop at ALDI? Marie talks about all the things she loves about ALDI. What do you need to know before you shop at ALDI? What do you want to avoid when shopping at ALDI? It’s ALDI 101. All the basics for shopping at ALDI. Full show notes can be found at <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-68-aldi-101/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com</a>. -Bring a quarter -Bring grocery bags, but if you forget, grab a box in the store or buy a couple of paper bags at the checkout for 7 cents each. (You will save so much that it is okay to buy a few bags.) -ALDI has the best prices on conventional produce and good prices on organic produce. -All house brand items are free of synthetic food dye. -If you try an item and do not like it, they will replace the item and refund your money with a receipt, so don’t be afraid to try new items. -Watch out for “Special Buy” or “Seasonal” items. If you find a product you like, go back right away and stock up because it may not be back again for a year. -Non-food “Special Buy” items are okay, but you may do better to purchase those at other retailers. It’s like going to Target, you can go home with more than your list if you are not careful. -Best buys in the store:                 Frozen Berries                 Conventional Produce                 Apples                 Cheeses                 Charcuterie Meats                 Dairy like milk, butter, and yogurt                 Almond Milk                 Frozen Ground Turkey -Watch Prices Carefully                 Cooking Oils (Coconut, Olive, Avocado)                 Organic Produce                 Paper Products                 Health Items -Pack your groceries according to where they go in your home. Refrigerator Pantry Deep freeze Snack Cabinet -Pack your grocery bags “Square.”

Episode 68 ALDI 101

Cooking multiple batches of food and freezing them for later use is a key tool to weeknight dinner success. There are many ways to do it. Most Pinterest recipes are for casseroles which my family does not prefer.  You can find the full show notes here. 

Cooking multiple batches of food and freezing them for later use is a key tool to weeknight dinner success. There are many ways to do it. Most Pinterest recipes are for casseroles which my family does not prefer. <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/episode-43-cook-once-eat-twice-no-casseroles/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> You can find the full show notes here. </a>

Episode 61 (Replay) Cook Once, Eat Twice (No Casseroles)

Have you heard my meal planning journey? When my kids were little I never meal planned. My idea of meal planning was having an overstocked freezer and pantry. Late every day I would go to my pantry and get meat out of my freezer and a few pantry staples and fix something for dinner. It was mentally draining. I often had the feeling of “dinner dread” because all day long I would lament having to fix dinner for my family. My kids were little and it was hard to get out of the house. My best friend lived hours away and we would talk on the phone several times a week. During this time bloggers became my “friends.” Many blogs and podcasts of this era were sponsored by a meal planning service and it felt like everyone else had meal planning under control. I felt defeated. About the time my twins started preschool I discovered Simple Simon and Company. I fell in love with their beautiful blog about sewing children’s clothing. Simple Simon and Company started a series based on a book,  The Womanly Art of Homemaking. One post in this series was about meal planning and that post literally changed my life. Liz talked about how she spent 10 minutes each week and built a meal plan.   I took her idea and 15 minutes every Monday morning and began what would become Feed Your Family Tonight. I would grab a scrap of paper from my minivan, write the days of the week, and figure out the best meal for each day. It took me years to commit to doing this every week, but the weeks that I planned were always more peaceful. I had so much mental freedom because I no longer had to think about what I was making for dinner every day. Our grocery bill went down, and shopping was easier too!   Now I am sharing with you my meal planning system. Join the free 5 Day Meal Planning Challenge at FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day. We start Tuesday, September 3 2019. You will get printable worksheets emailed to you before the challenge starts. We will have daily email tasks (that take less than 5 minutes) and daily Facebook Live training.   Ask a friend to join you and get meal planning under control in your home this fall.  FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day

Have you heard my meal planning journey? When my kids were little I never meal planned. My idea of meal planning was having an overstocked freezer and pantry. Late every day I would go to my pantry and get meat out of my freezer and a few pantry staples and fix something for dinner. It was mentally draining. I often had the feeling of “dinner dread” because all day long I would lament having to fix dinner for my family. My kids were little and it was hard to get out of the house. My best friend lived hours away and we would talk on the phone several times a week. During this time bloggers became my “friends.” Many blogs and podcasts of this era were sponsored by a meal planning service and it felt like everyone else had meal planning under control. I felt defeated. About the time my twins started preschool I discovered <a href="https://www.simplesimonandco.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simple Simon and Company</a>. I fell in love with their beautiful blog about sewing children’s clothing. <a href="https://www.simplesimonandco.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Simple Simon and Company</a> started a series based on a book, <a href="https://www.simplesimonandco.com/2012/10/the-art-of-homemaking-meal-planning.html/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> The Womanly Art of Homemaking</a>. One post in this series was about meal planning and that post literally changed my life. Liz talked about how she spent 10 minutes each week and built a meal plan. I took her idea and 15 minutes every Monday morning and began what would become Feed Your Family Tonight. I would grab a scrap of paper from my minivan, write the days of the week, and figure out the best meal for each day. It took me years to commit to doing this every week, but the weeks that I planned were always more peaceful. I had so much mental freedom because I no longer had to think about what I was making for dinner every day. Our grocery bill went down, and shopping was easier too! Now I am sharing with you my meal planning system. <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/5day/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Join the free 5 Day Meal Planning Challeng</a>e at <a href="http://FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day</a>. We start Tuesday, September 3 2019. You will get printable worksheets emailed to you before the challenge starts. We will have daily email tasks (that take less than 5 minutes) and daily Facebook Live training. Ask a friend to join you and get meal planning under control in your home this fall.  <a href="https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/5day/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FeedYourFamilyTonight.com/5day</a>

Episode 42 My Meal Planning Journey and a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

Summer is here and that means many of you are taking family vacations. There are many types of travel and planning for food is important. In this first of two episodes about vacation food planning Marie talks about planning for food when you are mainly staying in hotels. -Try to find a hotel with breakfast on the premises. It is even better if breakfast is included in the cost of the room -Plan your restaurants ahead of time. Even if you want to be spontaneous (which is great) you will still have a plan to fall back on. -Look at internet reviews on trip advisor or yelp to see what others are saying about the restaurant. -Plan at least one “Grocery Store Lunch.” This can be a nice break form heavy restaurant food. -Plan for snacks. Think about what kinds of snacks you will need and take them with you from home if at all possible -Have everyone bring a water bottle. They can go through airport security empty and you can fill them later.   Next week Marie will talk about planning for vacation food if you are staying in cabins or rental homes as well as family reunion food planning.

Summer is here and that means many of you are taking family vacations. There are many types of travel and planning for food is important. In this first of two episodes about vacation food planning Marie talks about planning for food when you are mainly staying in hotels. -Try to find a hotel with breakfast on the premises. It is even better if breakfast is included in the cost of the room -Plan your restaurants ahead of time. Even if you want to be spontaneous (which is great) you will still have a plan to fall back on. -Look at internet reviews on trip advisor or yelp to see what others are saying about the restaurant. -Plan at least one “Grocery Store Lunch.” This can be a nice break form heavy restaurant food. -Plan for snacks. Think about what kinds of snacks you will need and take them with you from home if at all possible -Have everyone bring a water bottle. They can go through airport security empty and you can fill them later. Next week Marie will talk about planning for vacation food if you are staying in cabins or rental homes as well as family reunion food planning.

Episode 30 Vacation Food Planning Part 1

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