Back to School Meals!

OK Friends!  Back to school means back to reality!  And that means back to freezer meals!

In the past, I have relied on Freezer Meals/ Crock Pot Meals because of our schedule.  With Adam coaching and the kids' after school activities, there literally wasn't anybody at the house to cook dinner.  But!  Adam resigned from football!  He is still the Head Varsity Softball coach, but that doesn't start until February.  He will be home earlier after school and be around to help me take the kids to dance and gymnastics and all that jazz.  However, I am still planning to cook some meals ahead of time and plan some crock pot dinners because it makes life so much easier. 

If you have some questions about Freezer Meals, go here, here, or here.  

So... here are the meals I'm starting off with!

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Baked Spaghetti (I cooked noodles, sauce, and meat and dumped it all in a freezer bag.  I just need to add cheese the day I want to bake it.)

Cheeseburger Wraps (Just make the meat and freeze it.  Assemble everything the day you plan to eat it.)

Crock Pot Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap

Chicken Philly

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Taco Meat using this for the seasoning 

Sloppy Joes

Pulled Pork 

Uncrustables

Good luck with your meals!  Let me know if you have any questions! :)

How to Make Your Own Uncrustables

One of the things that I do save money and make life a little easier, is make my own uncrustable sandwiches.  It's so much cheaper and it's nice to already have some sandwiches pre-made.  This is a very "Duh" How-To process, but several people have asked me about it, so here's what I do:

First, I lay out the bread on my cutting board.  Harper doesn't like peanut butter, so I have to do 3 with just jelly.  Keep the peanut butter and/ or jelly in the middle of the bread.  Don't judge my bread, people.  I have found that the "healthy" bread is too small for the Pampered Chef cutter that I use.  So, it is what it is.  (Even though the picture makes it look like it's regular white bread, it's not--it's whole wheat.)  Anyhow!

After you've put the PB&J on, put the other slice of bread on top just like you normally would.  I have a Pampered Chef uncrustable maker thing that I use.  The outside circle cuts the crusts off.  The inside one seals it.

Then, I put each sandwich in a small Ziploc bag.  I have to label "C" and "H" since Harp's sandwiches don't have peanut butter on them.  (Weirdest child ever.)

Then I put each bag in a bigger Ziploc bag and stick it in the freezer! I bought an entire loaf of bread just make uncrustables with.  I usually get 10-12 sandwiches from one loaf.  They don't have a sandwich every day, but it's the perfect option for busy nights when I don't have a lot of time to make their lunches.  It's all about survival, friends! :)

April 4-10

Saturday-- Crock Pot Chicken Philly Sandwich, mac and cheese, broccoli salad

Easter Sunday-- Ham, organic corn, carrots and zucchini in coconut oil and Pink Himalayan salt, roasted sweet potatoes, fruit salad (strawberries, pineapple, cantaloupe, grapes)

Monday-- Roast with Saffron and Tomato (Adam bought an African cookbook at Disney.  Should be interesting.) I'm not sure what I will add with it.  Rice? Some kind of veggie?!

Tuesday (Harp's Birthday)-- She has requested "Wegular Wed Spaghetti," red peppers, and a salad

Wednesday-- Hawaiian Chicken, couscous, green beans

Thursday-- One Pot Wonder Southwest Pasta

Friday-- No clue right now.... motivation is gone.

Saturday--  Ditto.

March 22-28

Sunday--

Monday--One Pot Chicken Lo Mein

Tuesday-- Stromboli, raw veggies, fruit

Wednesday-- Subway (dance night, plus a home softball game)

Thursday-- Pulled pork, couscous, green beans

Friday-- IDK

Saturday-- IDK

Menu for Feb. 2-15

Softball officially starts this week.  So, no more help with dinners!  Since it's my first week back in "Single-Mom" mode, I want everything to be easy and quick! 

February 2-8

Monday-- One Pot Chicken Lo Mein

Tuesday-- Slow Cooker Quinoa Tex Mex (This is a vegetarian dish, but I'm gonna add ground turkey)

Wednesday-- Sloppy Joe's, veggies (peppers, carrots, cucumbers), salad

Thursday--Pulled Pork, Broccoli and Carrots (in coconut oil and pink Himalayan salt)

Friday-- ?!  I don't like to cook on Fridays, if possible

Saturday-- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Sunday-- Sweet and Sour Meatballs, green beans, couscous

February 9-15

Monday-- Waffles, Bacon, Eggs

Tuesday-- Spaghetti, salad

Wednesday-- Chicken Tacos, Spanish rice

Thursday-- Marinara Chicken and Veggies (cook noodles the day you eat it)

Friday-- Sunday--Talent Show will consume this entire weekend... My parents will be in town... I won't need to cook! :)

"Easy" Recipes

Crock Pot Freezer Meals

These meals are super easy and don't require any cooking ahead of time.  Just get all the ingredients together, dump them in a bag, and freeze everything together.  The night before you want to eat it, put the frozen bag in the fridge.  In the morning, dump everything in the crock pot.  (Sometimes mine is still slightly frozen--it's ok!)

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo (cook noodles the day you are going to eat it)

Pulled Pork 

Taco Chili

Sweet Garlic Chicken

Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Make sure this isn't one you leave in the crock pot all day.  This is one we use on the weekends so I can turn it off after 4-5 hours.  But this is really, really good.)

Teriyaki Pork Chops (one of our favorites!)

Hawaiian Chicken

Not Crock Pot Meals

These meals require cooking ahead of time, cooling, and then freezing.  They are still easy, just don't involve a crock pot.

Sloppy Joes

Cheeseburger Wraps (one of our favorites!)

Pizza Bake

Tacos (use this for the seasoning)  Or whatever taco seasoning you want to use!

One Pot Chicken Lo Mein (This isn't a freezer meal---but... it's super easy to make and so, so good!)

Menu for January 18-31.... Kinda

If you need some help with the whole freezer meal thing, here are few posts I did with some tips:
Tips and Tricks for Freezing Meals, My Prep for the Week, Meal Plan and My Process

Sunday, January 18-- ??  Adam will be gone all day at a softball clinic... the kids and I will just eat whatever I can find! :)

Monday, January 19-- Quick Skillet Steak, Mushrooms, and Onions, zucchini and carrots

Tuesday, January 20--Chicken Stir Fry (Chicken, rice, broccoli and carrots-- using this recipe for the Teriyaki sauce)

Wednesday, January 21-- Hawaiian Chicken (made it like 2 weeks ago.  Still haven't eaten it! haha), couscous, organic corn

Thursday, January 22-- Taco Chili (I have a meeting after school, so another crock pot meal will have to do!)

Friday, January 23-- Homemade pizza.  (I buy whole wheat pizza crusts, organic pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni.  I also cook some peppers and add those.  Super good.  Super easy.)

Saturday, January 24--

Sunday, January 25--

Monday, January 26-- Lasagna, salad

Tuesday, January 27-- Southwest Chicken Bake, organic corn, Spanish rice

Wednesday, January 28-- Sweet Garlic Chicken, couscous, green beans

Thursday, January 29--

Friday, January 30--

Saturday, January 31--

Sometimes I can't do two complete weeks worth.  Why?  Because my brain can't handle it.  Because I am so OCD.. and the next thing I know it's been 2 hours and I still have like 5 days to figure out.  So then I'm over it.  I try to do one "Mexican" dish and one pasta dish a week.  Sometimes, I feel like every freezer meal is some kind of taco thing, or something involving pasta.  So I  start obsessing over finding new recipes.  But, after you've looked at as many recipes as I have, they all are basically the same.  Give or take an ingredient or two.  And then I think I have found a new recipe and it uses "Cream of" something soup.  And I'm too lazy to figure out a substitute.  So... I don't have a complete two week menu for you today.  So sorry.  And they aren't all freezer meals.  Again, so sorry.  I'm over it.  :)

Menu for January 11-16

Last week didn't go as planned, so I have some meals leftover.  Which will make tomorrow's prep day a lot easier.  :)

Sunday-- White Chicken Chili 

Monday-- Chicken Parmesan Casserole, salad

Tuesday-- Sloppy joes, sweet potato fries, veggies (My kids eat a lot of peppers, cucumbers, and carrots.  Raw.  So, I like to keep some cut up and ready to go in the fridge.  Makes snacking easier. And very easy to add to dinners!) 

Wednesday-- Tacos (using this for the seasoning), Spanish rice, corn

Thursday-- Hawaiian Chicken, couscous, peas

Friday-- Pizza Bake

Have a good week, friends! 

Menu for December 31- January 10

Wednesday, December 31-- Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Couscous, green beans

Thursday, January 1-- Lunch at Adam's Mom's house

Friday, January 2-- One Pot Paleo Chicken Curry Stir Fry

Saturday, January 3-- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Sunday, January 4-- Red Spaghetti, salad

Monday, January 5-- Tacos (using this for the seasoning), Spanish rice, corn

Tuesday, January 6--

Wednesday, January 7-- Hawaiian Chicken, rice, peas

Thursday, January 8-- Chicken Parmesan Casserole, salad,

Friday, January 10--

Menu for Nov. 30- Dec. 6

December?!  What?!?!  Craziness!!
And I haven't posted since the first week in November.  Oops.


Sunday--Sweet and Sour Meatballs, zucchini and carrots (cooked in coconut oil and pink Himalayan salt), couscous

Monday--  One Pot Paleo Chicken Curry Stir Fry

Tuesday--Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Wednesday--  Beef Stroganoff 

Thursday-- Baked chicken (like chicken dipped in egg and then in bread crumbs), salad, corn

Friday-- My school's Christmas party

Saturday-- Christmas party at a friend's house

Menu for November 1-8

Saturday-- Chicken Quesadillas (we never had them last week)

Sunday-- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Monday-- Baked Spaghetti, salad

Tuesday-- Chicken Stir Fry (using this recipe for the sauce) with veggies and rice

Wednesday-- Sloppy joes, sweet potato fries, peas

Thursday-- Waffles, sausage, eggs

Friday-- ??

Saturday-- ??