Menu planning is essential in a large family. There is no last minute guessing about what to prepare for dinner. The natives get restless way too quickly!
This week’s menu is a short one. We will only be eating at home for 3 dinners. Easy peasy!
On the menu:
Monday:
Spaghetti with parmesan/ garlic bread. Daddy has most of the kids this night so I like to make something quick and easy. Keeps them from having to “cook” anything. Another plus: I don’t have to clean up the littles with the spaghetti in their hair and up their noses. LOL
Tuesday:
Beef BBQ Stew- easy to make in the crock pot and have ready at just the right time. Part of our family eats early, and part of our family eats late. Crock pot has everything ready to eat when we need it.
Wednesday:
Chicken Fajitas with refried beans. I am home Wed. nights so I am able to prepare dinners that take a little more time.
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Before you go, I need a little bit of help from you all. Two nights a week the kids and I are not at home. Eating out is way too expensive. I have tried cooking and taking meals like spaghetti, mini pizzas and such, but they are too messy, take a lot of space to bring food, requires heating and lots of clean up of the littles. I need some ideas of meals to take with. A bunch of snacks just doesn’t cut it. We eat enough sandwiches for lunch. What can I take for the kids and I that is quick, easy, and healthy? It can require cooking or not. I am just looking for suggestions of food that is portable and easy to clean up after. Suggestions, please!!
For more great menus pop over to Organizing Junkie. Maybe even join in yourself. 
God bless,
~Rhen
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Posted by Ginny on October 12, 2009 at 8:14 am
Hi there! Have you thought about doing Spanish omelette/vegetable fritatta or quiche? You can make it in advance then warm it up, or not, depending on whether you’ve got the time or inclination. You could bring along some ketchup or sauce for dipping. I don’t know how your kiddies feel about eggs, but you can put loads of veggies in. Or if you don’t put any potatoes in the Omelette/fritatta, you can always give them some potato salad or coleslaw on the side.
The other thing we do sometimes is to wrap up rice and chilli in corn tortillas. Which again, you can eat hot or cold. But that might be a bit too close to sandwiches!
Cheers!
Ginny
Posted by MamaHall on October 12, 2009 at 8:21 am
What about wraps or burritos? You could make them ahead of time, wrap them up with plastic wrap or tin foil, pack them and eat on the go!
Some ideas for wraps: PB& banana, black bean & vanilla yogurt or cheese, sprouts w/ deli meat and cheese, refried beans w/ cheese, chili w/ crushed corn chips… I’m sure there are a bunch of recipes out there
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the meal planning ideas
Posted by Kayren on October 12, 2009 at 10:10 am
I make my own chicken strips and they are yummy cold too, so you could make those ahead of time. They are fried, so I’m not sure how you feel about that. I also have a sloppy joe recipe that I’ve cut down to make enough for 16 (which makes a few leftovers since I’m just cooking for six but have three teenagers). Not the neatest, but easy to take along and warm up if you had to. Both of those recipes are on my sidebar if you’re interested in them.
I think the burrito ideas were another excellent one, especially some type of breakfast burrito with eggs and sausage or bacon, a little cheese…yummy!
Posted by Erin @ American Mom in England on October 12, 2009 at 10:37 am
My suggestion would be trying a cornish pasty or sausage roll. They’re both very popular with little ones in the UK!
Posted by Victoria on October 12, 2009 at 11:02 am
How about a thermos to keep noodles or soups warm? Then take grilled cheese, saltines, or even gold fish with you.. I will think some more.
Posted by Shannie on October 12, 2009 at 11:08 am
Chicken Bundles! Easy-peesy! Shredded Chicken, Celery, Cream Cheese, Salt & Pepper (and onion if your family like) baked inside crescent rolls. Heat up the chicken, mix with celery, cream cheese and S&P. Unroll a tube of crescent rolls and put a spoonfull of the chicken mixture on the dough before you roll it up. Follow instructions on tube. These freeze well too.
Posted by Katie on October 12, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I was going to say things like quesadillas — tortillas w/ cheese & whatever kinds of filling you like. You can either sandwich the filling between two tortillas or fold a single tortilla over. Also, similar to the crescent roll idea above — you can wrap practically anything up in pizza dough. Or meat on a stick — chicken, meatballs, sausages + container of some sort of dipping sauce + raw veggies.
Homemade chicken strips don’t have to be fried — I bake them all the time (15-20 min. in a 450F oven).
Breakfast items — egg bagel/english muffin sandwiches, pancakes w/ syrup on the side to dip in?
Posted by Lee on October 12, 2009 at 2:01 pm
How about mini corn-dogs w/fruit? Or, there is a bisquick muffin recipe that sausage and cheese mixed into them. I think both of these would travel well. Also, I found a blt wrap (I think it was from the Betty Crocker website) that is really good. It is mostly lettuce and tomato, with just a little bacon and shredded cheese added in.
Good luck!!
Posted by niki on October 12, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Ooooh, BBQ beef stew sounds yummy right about now! I would love the recipe!
Great menu plan ya got there. Stop by and see mine over at Free 2 Be Frugal!
P.S. I would do breakfast for dinner if I was in that predicament.
Posted by MemeGRL on October 12, 2009 at 8:52 pm
If I know we’re eating out one night (summer nights at the playground, watching practices or whatnot) I flip and have supper for lunch and make something like noodles or soup for lunch so the sandwiches aren’t a repeat. Hope that works for you sometime!
Posted by Carol from crazy coupon carol on October 13, 2009 at 1:01 pm
If I know I’m going to be out and need to have food for my daughter (She is almost 2 – she will be in like a week!!!) I make one of the following:
Breakfast Casserole that I can cut into squares and we can just eat
chicken caesar salad served in a pita pocket…you can serve with a fork and eat the pita or not…
you could make a white pizza which would maybe require less cleanup…
Fruit cups make wonderful sides
Posted by Heidie on October 14, 2009 at 2:22 pm
how about using a biscuit mix, rolling it out and sprading it with tuna or chicken salad… then roll it up, slice it and bake them.. pinwheel sandwiches.
Posted by Antoinette on October 18, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Such great suggestions from everyone! Like Erin, I would recommend Pasties (http://www.recipezaar.com/Upper-Michigan-Pasties-119068). You can make them on the weekend and freeze them. Then pull them out in the morning to thaw. I have made this recipe, including using the 1/2 lb. of lard in the crust. But next time I’ll be using a lard/shortening/butter mixture. It was way too greasy for me. But the pasties were very yummy!