Six on Sunday: Time, Energy, & $$$ Saving Meal Tips

One of the things I strive for as a wife is to make delicious meals for Mr G. I'll admit we've resorted to Ramen Noodles many times for the sake of budget or time (and sometimes Mr G requests them!), but overall I like to cook as much from scratch as possible. It is a little difficult to accomplish this every day with our work schedules but, here are some time and energy saving tips I've learned that at least help make meal prep easier.

1. Have a plan: At the beginning of each week, take a few minutes and jot down menus, assigned to a specific day, based on your whatever your  upcoming schedule may look like. Then make your grocery list. This will save both time and money, since you won't wonder and wander at the grocery store. The easiest way to spend too much money is not having a focused list for very specific items.  
2. Prepare multiple meals: When cooking casseroles, meats (chicken & turkey work the best) soups, sauces or just about anything else that will freeze well, make two more meals at a time. My favorite is to make lasagna for dinner for tonight, then make another to put in the freezer for later. 
3. Freeze homemade baked goods: I make a huge batches of fully baked cookies, rolls, bread sticks and cinnamon rolls(these stay in dough form) every time I get the chance. It's just not worth it to take the time to make homemade yeast breads for 2 people, so the extras go in the freezer to later pull out to thaw in the microwave or oven when needed.
4. Pre-Chop your vegetables & fruit: This works well if you have your menu planned for the week since you will already know their uses. When you get home from the store, just chop what you can and put them in baggies for the weeks use. Just be careful with vegetables or fruits that brown easily. Those should always be chopped at the last minute.
5. Don't be afraid to buy in bulk: Even with only the two of us, it's still worth it to buy in bulk. Just utilize your freezer! It will save you time from the grocery store and can save you money if you buy things at the right price. If you are like me, I'd rather NOT spend my time in the grocery store.
6. Left overs are OK!: Yes, it's okay to pick one night per week that you eat up the remnants from your meals. You can either create something new with those leftovers, or just have samplings of each thing. The key to staying in budget is not to be wasteful!

Here is what our last week's menu looked like, so you get an idea how I used these tips.

Monday: Turkey Fettuccine Alfredo with Veggies, Homemade Bread Sticks :

I used fully cooked and chopped turkey from the freezer, and chopped broccoli and cauliflower from the fridge. I also made the bread sticks from scratch this time, but put 1 dozen extras in the freezer for later.

Tuesday: Taco Salad in Homemade Tortilla Cups : 

I used ground beef purchased in bulk 3 months ago!

Wednesday: Dinner at Family's

Thursday: Leftovers :

From Monday's meal and the previous weekend

Friday: BLTs on Homemade Rolls, Green Salad & Fresh Pineapple :
Used frozen dinner rolls from the freezer, and bacon that I had stocked up on 2 months ago.

What you'll currently find in my freezer:

Chili Verde Green Sauce

Enchilada Red Sauce

Alfredo Sauce

1 dozen Italian Breadsticks

1 pan of frozen Cinnamon Rolls (still in dough form)

1 dozen Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Stocked Ground Beef

Stocked Chicken Thighs

Frozen Egg Whites

Please comment and share your meal tips, I'd love to hear them!

I Can't Keep Silent...

Ephesians 5:22-24, 33 -- Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything... and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

" 1. Obedience is doing what you know the other person wants you to do.
2. Submissions is your heart giving over to the other person's will.
3. Reverence is more that just doing what a man expects or demands. It is an act of the woman's will to treat him with a high degree of regard and awe.

Obedience, submission, and reverence are all acts of the will and are not based on feelings. Showing deference [respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another] toward one's husband is an act of reverence toward the God who placed you in that role. "
- Created to Be His Help Meet, Debi Pearl

God hasn't assigned us an easy task. I'm always joking with Tyler, "why did God give women two seemingly impossible tasks, childbirth and the command to respect our husbands?!" As women, our sinful nature has made it so difficult to do what is commanded throughout the Bible.

Many women have been duped by our feministic society... you see it every day in the media, and even worse in marriages. Women have be led to believe that the more independent they are from their husband and home, the more happy they will be. Men are portrayed as "controlling" and stupid creatures... and therefore many have vacated their God given roles as leader, and given the role to the less than stable woman.

About that last statement: "less than stable woman" ... which of you women can honestly say that you aren't a proverbial basket case at least once a week? Women are ruled by emotion, feelings, and cravings. And yes, that bad hair, can amount to the ruination of the entire day. Our minds are like a giant mess of spaghetti; even the simplest problem can cause havoc in our minds and actions.

God has given Men the role of leader for a reason. They aren't ruled by how "fat they feel."

Women also try to give the excuses " That verse says men are called to love their wives, and he sure doesn't love me!" SINCE WHEN do we obey God's Word, only if others are doing what is right? If you believe God's Word to be the 100% authority in your life, then you WILL respect your husband, despite his actions. It is God's command ( need I repeat command) and thus, HIS WILL for your life to respect and reverence your husband. The Bible doesn't say, women submit to your husband, but only if he is showing perfect love to you.

Our standard as wives is the Word of God. Consider it your mission, your first calling to respect, obey, and submit to your husband, and consider that calling a privilege. God has given your husband only one woman. You are that woman, and you have an opportunity, every minute of every day to bless your husband. No one else has that place in his life.

If you are a bride-to-be, have been a bride for 40 years, or you are somewhere in between, consider reading this book. Every time I open it, the Biblical perspective convicts and encourages me to be a better wife.