Need to stop eating out... meal ideas?

[PollyannaMom]

Then there is the freezer... the place of no return.

This is so true in my house!

If someone wrote me a check for all the times we spent eating out this year...well, it would be a large check.

Same here. I don't feel the pinch with a little here and there, but if it was all added up, I'm sure I'd want to do something else with that money!

I don't love many meats cooked in the crock pot...especially since I am gone from the house 12 hours a day. I find the meat is just not that appealing to me or my family either.

I agree, 12 hours is too long. I used to love using the crock pot when DS was a baby, though. DH and I liked a bunch of things I made in it, DS was still on baby food (so he didn't care what we were eating) and it took all the prep time away from "the witching hour." But now that he's older, he hardly goes for anything made in there. - He'd have all meats grilled and all vegetables roasted if he could.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Gravy is all I eat at some meals - I skip the potatoes and just dip my roasted veg in the gravy. I am all about sauces

We went out on Friday night to a local German place. I got spatezel...just for the hunter's gravy. Which I ate with a spoon.

Thanksgiving is coming and that means gravy. I made my gravy so good it was like turkey soup. I will be eating THAT gravy.

 

[grumpy28]

Check out budgetbytes. Best site I've found.

 

[MichelleAMouse]

DH and I are trying to lose weight right now so for us these recipes have been my easy go-to's:
https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/nutrition/get-fit-with-this-meal-prep-for-two
https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/no-cook-meal-prep

I would also HIGHLY recommend picking up a crock pot if you need quick, easy meals that don't take a lot of effort (just planning)! As long as you plan out your meals in advance you can make all sorts of delicious soups, stews, etc. without doing much actual cooking. Pulled Pork Sandwiches are my guilty pleasure meal: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/92462/slow-cooker-texas-pulled-pork/

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Garlic-chip chicken
Put potato chips in a plastic bag (1/4-1/3 C per serving), crush to make coating.
Place chicken breasts in bag and shake, covering with coating
Melt 2 T butter in baking pan in oven (350 degrees)
Place chicken in pan (use left over chip coating to press on top), cover with foil.
Bake 1/2 hour
Turn chicken over, bake with loose cover additional 20 minutes. remove cover last 5 minutes
serve

HAMBURGER CASSEROLE
3/4 lb hamburger
3/4 C (approximately) each tomato, potato, celery, carrot diced
1/2 C diced onion
BBQ sauce (whatever flavor you prefer)

layer 1/2 of each ingredient in casserole dish
pour 1/2 C BBQ sauce over
layer other half of ingredients
pour 1/2 C BBQ sauce over top
Cover and back at 350 degrees for 1 hour
Uncover, stir and continue cooking 15-20 minutes more
serve

PULLED CHICKEN
Chop one onion roughly
Place chicken breasts in crock pot (however many = to people eating)
layer onion
cover with BBQ sauce.

Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours (6-7 hours on low).

Remove chicken from pot and shred, return to pot, stir
Cook additional 30 minutes on low.

serve over hamburger buns

 

[rigs32]

I've used and enjoyed meal planning services. Emeals has various plans to choose from - paleo, crockpot, etc - and they often run specials on groupon. Each week I got 7 recipes and a shopping list. Often the recipes shared an ingredient.