Each week we sit down as a family usually on Sunday and make a daily meal plan, the most important step here is to write it down! We keep a simple template that we print and complete and then hang on the cupboard in the kitchen. This helps in so many ways. Not only does it cut down on and most of the time eliminates the dinner time battles we had previously faced but it also helps Mom and Dad tremendously. We too were sometimes challenged when it came to dinner time. All too often we wouldn’t know what to make or we would have forgotten to take something out of the freezer to thaw. And by the time we would make up our minds it would be too late to cook anything and we’d end up with a nutritious meal of frozen pizza or take out. This way we know exactly what we need and when we need it. I cannot tell you how much time and frustration this simple 15 minute exercise saves and best of all the kids are far more likely to eat the meals knowing they had some input.
I have also discovered they can be excellent helpers in the kitchen, and seeing new and different foods aren’t so intimidating when you have helped to prepare the meal. It’s a great way to spend some time together on often too hectic and short on time week nights. And they take great pride in presenting the finished meal to the rest of the family. Some of my most favorite childhood memories are cooking in the kitchen with my grandparents, and I hope I am making lasting memories with my children as well.
One of our family favorites:
Mostaccoili Bake
1 lb. Italian Sausage (sweet or mild)
1 lb. box Mostaccioli
2 24oz jars Prego Chunky Garden Combo Pasta Sauce (or jarred sauce of your choosing, I like this to get an extra serving of vegetables in the kids!)
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups Italian 5 cheese blend
Brown sausage and drain fat. In the meantime cook pasta as directed and drain. In a large pan, combine meat, pasta and vegetables. Starting with 1 jar add sauce, continue with 2nd jar until you reach desired “sauciness” (I usually use about 1 and ¾ jars and save the remaining sauce to dunk breadsticks). Stir in parmesan cheese, and transfer pasta mixture to a baking casserole. Top with 2 cups of cheese and bake at 350° until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve with a salad and garlic bread or breadsticks on the side, Enjoy!!
