Top 10 Back-to-School Breakfasts, Lunches & Snacks

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Back-to-School time is here and our schedules have just kicked into gear here in Kentucky. Nutritious food choices are more important than ever as our kids return to the classroom and as we adults try to keep it all together as well. While we all have the best of intentions, having a plan and some time-saving strategies is the only way to follow through consistently.

I’ll share my list with you if you share yours with me. Our girls never developed a cereal habit at breakfast. I failed them (or myself) miserably with that one! While I have never allowed alternatives to the dinner I serve, breakfast has always seemed to involve indecision and choice. Over the years, I have tried to clean up my choices keeping the “granola bar on the way out the door” breakfast to a minimum.

Quick Nutritious Breakfast Choices

1.  Greek Yogurt with Blueberries and Granola
2.  French Toast
3.  Oatmeal with Apples and Walnuts
4.  Cinnamon Toast, Peanut Butter Toast or Cheese Toast
5.  High-Fiber Cereal with Almond Milk
6.  Muffins or Sweet Breads (Banana, Amish Friendship)
7.  Bagel with Cream Cheese
8.  Eggs & Toast
9.  Banana with Vanilla Greek Yogurt topped with         Mini-Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
10.  Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich on Whole Wheat Toast

Lunchbox Choices

Do you find yourself constantly resolving to stop eating out for lunch? The boredom of the “sandwich every day” lunch is a killer of our best intentions if you ask me. That said, the sandwich is the obvious first choice. We just have to have some easy options to mix it up a bit.

1.  Ham or Turkey Sandwich
2.  Turkey Wrap
3.  Tuna or Chicken Salad
4.  Grilled Chicken Salad – Plan ahead by grilling extra chicken for dinner to have “planned overs” for lunches.
5.  Soup in Thermos (Canned or Homemade Soups)
6.  Pasta in Thermos – Think bite-sized pasta with marinara or other sauces you have on hand.
7.  Quesadilla – Chicken, Cheese, or Pizza Quesadillas keep well when wrapped in foil in the lunchbox with the dippers in an insulated container (sour cream, salsa, or even marinara sauce)
8.  PB&J – Okay, we all have those days!
9.  Peanut Butter Dippers – Ritz Crackers, Celery, Apple Slices
10. Cottage Cheese and Fresh Pineapple

Snacktime Choices

1.  Fruit Smoothie – Peel and freeze bananas and other fruits in freezer bags to have ingredients at the ready.
2.  Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix
3.  Cheez-Its or other favorite snack crackers
4.  Piemento Cheese and Crackers
5.  Grapes, Apples, Bananas, Peaches, Strawberries, Melon
6.  Carrots & Ranch
7.  Granola Bars
8.  Popcorn
9.  Peanut Butter or Cheese and Crackers
10.Hummus & Pretzel Crisps

Your turn to share!  Help me out, we need some new choices in our lives.

Just Peachy Grilled Chicken Salad

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With summer produce at its peak, I love to combine it with what I have on hand and see how dinner unfolds. It’s a different approach from the planned-in-advance dinners that are so necessary for my sanity on school nights. This is a little number I came up with last night as a dinner for two for the hubs and me with the girls away at camp. You never know how these experiments will go, but this one was a WINNER!

First, I cut a sweet onion in half and then into strips and added it to an iron skillet on medium-low heat with a couple tablespoons of olive oil to caramelize. Caramelized onions can’t be rushed, but the flavor of savory and sweet together is well worth the wait. Trust me on this! I wish I had taken a photo of the glorious things while they were still in the skillet but I will have to add that in the next go-around.

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Next, start assembling the salads with some nice salad greens, washed and chopped. I used green leaf lettuce.

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Then, add some sliced grilled chicken breasts. I usually grill extra to have on hand for salads or quesadillas. Just a quick sizzle in the onion skillet will warm them up for the salad.

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Keep that skillet at the ready, to sear the cut edge of some beautiful fresh peaches or just add them to the grill when your chicken comes off, your call. My friend Allison introduced me to grilled peaches a few summers ago, and my life has never been the same!

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Now for the toppings. Sprinkle on some crumbled feta cheese but don’t go sparingly on the onions. Did I mention how much I love them? Then drizzle with a tangy vinaigrette. I use Red Wine Vinaigrette but a nice Balsamic Vinaigrette would be delicious also. Be ready for a flavor explosion between the smoky grilled chicken, the sweet peach, the salty feta, the savory onion, and the sweet and sour vinaigrette.

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I served the salads with spicy pepper jack cheese bread to take the meal over the top.  I hope you’ll try it and come back to share your thoughts. Happy summer!

Breaded Baked Cod with Homemade Tarter Sauce

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  • 1 – 2 lbs. cod filets, cut into serving sized pieces (any firm white fish will do)
  • 2 t. Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ t. paprika
  • ¼ t. cayenne pepper
  • 1 c. flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 2 ½ c. plain breadcrumbs (Make your own by toasting heals of bread and running in a food processor.  These freeze well for up to one month.)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Canola oil

To bread the fish:

Season flour with paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in one shallow dish. 

Mix beaten eggs and Dijon mustard in another shallow dish.

In a third shallow dish, toss breadcrumbs with Old Bay seasoning. 

Spray baking sheet well with canola oil.  Stoneware works best for a crispy texture.  Dredge fish filets through the flour mixture.  Then, dip both sides with the egg wash and coat with breadcrumbs.  Place on prepared baking sheet and spray the top sides of fish filets with a liberal amount of canola oil.  Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 

Tarter Sauce:

1 c. mayonnaise
3 T. dill pickle relish
Juice of one lemon
1 t. dried parsley or 1 T. fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Fish recipe adapted from http://www.hispanickitchen.com/profiles/blogs/panko-crusted-tilapia-with-chipotl-kissed-tarter-sauce

Menu Plan Monday – June 2 – 8

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Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!  I’m sharing my family’s plan here with you.  I hope you will take a few of these suggestions and incorporate them into your plan.  Don’t get bogged down in the details but do jot down a plan for the week to make more time to focus on what is most important at the table, your family. 

Monday – Pasta Primavera I made this tonight for the first time, and the only problem was that none of us could stop eating!  Delicious and meat-free for a change of pace.

Tuesday – Loaded Beef Nachos

Wednesday – Oh, the sadness!  The church dinners are over for the summer.  Looks like I need to add another recipe to the weekly repertoire.   I plan to keep it simple with Breakfast for Dinner this week.  I’m thinking Omelets with Breakfast Potatoes, Fruit Smoothies, and Whole Wheat Toast.

Thursday – Breaded Baked Cod with Homemade Tarter Sauce, Baked Potatoes, Mandarin Orange Salad

Friday – Pizza

Saturday – BBQ, Mexican Cornbread, Potato Salad, Baked Beans

Sunday – Roasted Chicken must be on the menu since I just used my last jar of chicken broth in the freezer.   This will be a welcome lunch after church on Sunday, and the leftovers will go quickly in chicken salad for lunches next Monday!  Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and a nice Tossed Salad will round out the meal. 

Looking Ahead

It’s grilling season!  Let’s look at our calendars and schedule a cookout with friends this month.

Until next week, enjoy!

Sharing at:  OrgJunkie

10 Ways to Save on Groceries

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Food and household supplies are a large expenditure for most of us, yet the costs are somewhat variable.  This means it is a great place to save money in your budget.  How are you doing compared with the national averages?  The USDA publishes data on average food plans based on family size, ages of children, and four tiers of spending levels (thrifty, low-cost, moderate, and liberal).

Click here for the most recent data:

http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2014/CostofFoodMar2014.pdf

So where do you fall within the spending levels?  What could you do to improve?  Keep in mind the cheapest food prices may not be the best value if you have to spend your savings on healthcare.  Healthy choices should be considered an investment in your family’s health.  According to many sites like https://www.creditfix.co.uk/debt-solutions/trust-deed/ , the savings potential on this category is worth the extra attention it takes to save. ask yourself, what is more expensive? One good quality good or 3 poor ones to make up for their lack?

1.     Menu planning.  Plan dinners for the month to take the guesswork out of cooking.  Plan on “left-overs” for lunches either the original way you served the meal or “reworked” in sandwiches or salads.  Don’t forget to plan for quick week-day breakfasts and special big breakfasts on weekends.

2.    Grocery shopping.  You can’t cook what you don’t have in the house.  Check your supply of staples and make a large “stock-up” shopping trip once per month.  This is the one time I like to go to Aldi for lower prices on staples and produce in addition to my Kroger trip.  Stick with your list for fresh produce, fish, and dairy on your weekly “fill-in” trips. This type of plan will help eliminate those extra trips which tend to really add up.

3.    Coupons.  Match weekly specials to coupons for deep discounts.  To save time, check websites like www.couponmom.com to see the sale items at your store of choice matched with coupons in circulation for them.  They rank items by percentage savings.  Consider stocking up with a one to three month supply for deeply discounted items as most grocery items typically cycle sales with the best deals coming every three months.  Remember coupons are no bargain unless they bring the unit price below other brands.

4.    Pork.  Buy a pork loin when on sale for $1.99/lb. and have the butcher slice it into ¾” pork chops.  Repackage into the number of chops your family will eat at one meal and freeze.  Buy precooked half hams on sale and ask your butcher to slice thin for sandwiches.  The price is significantly less than deli meat and equally delicious.

5.  Snacks.  Purchase snacks such as crackers and pretzels in larger packages with the best unit price.  Then, package individual snacks into snack-sized zipper bags and keep in a basket in the pantry for lunches or afternoon snacks.  I use a popcorn popper to pop our own corn with coconut oil and a little salt for a high fiber, no preservative, snack about once per week.  Another of our family’s favorites for packaged-at-home snacks is Cheesy Ranch Chex Mix.

6.    Chicken Broth.  Make a Roasted Chicken once a month.  Serve roast chicken for one meal.  Use leftover meat for chicken salad, chicken tacos, homemade chicken soup or a casserole for another meal.  One chicken can yield two meals for a family of four and 8 cups of broth.  Feel free to double the recipe for a large family.

7.    Laundry Detergent. Save big by making your own.  There are many different recipes available that are easy and long-lasting.  About $10 in supplies lasts our family for about six months with some ingredients left over.  I use this one:   http://justalittlenutty.com/he-compatable-homemade-liquid-laundry-detergent/ and add Gain scent booster crystals for fragrance.

8.    Salad Dressings.  Make your own salad dressings to save money and get rid of undesirable ingredients in bottled ones.  Most are oil, vinegar, or mayonnaise based or some combination of the three.  Our family’s favorite is Honey Mustard for tossed salads and Red Wine Vinaigrette for salads with fruit and nuts with bacon and feta cheese optional.

9.     Manager’s Specials.  Kroger has a mark-down rack in the bakery where I buy the occasional loaf of French bread, croissants, or dinner rolls.  Pop them into your freezer and use within the month for freshness.  Also, look for markdowns in the meat case.  Beef roasts nearing expiration are great to stock your freezer or ask the butcher to grind them for ground beef.  I typically have roasts ground rather than using the “tubes” of ground meat even if the price is equal so that all my meat comes from the same cow.  It significantly reduces the odds of e. coli contamination and keeps the pink slime away.  Yuck!

10.Grow Your Own Produce.  Okay, I’m no big gardener.  BUT, it truly is easy to put a couple of tomato plants out in a pot on your porch or in a flower bed.  It’s not too late to pick up some vegetable plants and get them in the ground.  It can save you big not having to buy tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, herbs, or whatever you find yourself constantly making trips to the store for.

What are your family’s favorite ways to save on groceries?  I would love to hear your comments!

Red Wine Vinaigrette

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  • 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • 1/2 c. sugar

This one is easy, equal parts of all three.  You could (and I should) reduce the sugar according to your family’s taste.  This dressing is delicious on any salad with red or green leaf lettuce, nuts, fruit, bacon or feta cheese.

Roasted Chicken

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  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, cut into pieces
  • 2 ribs celery, cut into pieces
  • 1 T. butter or olive oil
  • Your choice of seasonings, from seasoned salt and pepper, to fresh herbs, to my choice of homemade taco seasoning for a little more flavor.

Begin by placing a whole chicken in a roasting pan and removing the neck and giblets from the body cavity.  Save those icky parts for broth-making in a zipper bag in the refrigerator.

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Cut the vegetables to use for stuffing.

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Stuff body cavity with vegetables, adding any that won’t fit in the roasting pan around the chicken.  Smear butter over the top and sprinkle with a liberal dose of your favorite seasonings.

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Bake at 375 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.

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Voila!  You now have dinner for the first night.  Hold on to those vegetables in the roasting pan, though.  After you have served the roast chicken, pick the remaining meat from the carcass and save for a casserole, soup, sandwiches or salads.

Then, add the bones and skin back to the roasting pan with the vegetables you roasted it with and those neckbones and giblets you saved in the fridge.  Drown them in about 16 cups of water and place over medium-low heat until the liquid reduces by about half and becomes a nice rich golden colored broth.  Strain the liquid and discard everything else.  Allow broth to cool before storing in an assortment of pint or quart jars in the freezer.  Be sure to allow about 1″ of head space so your jars don’t crack.

The byproduct of homemade chicken broth is one of the best parts of this chicken!  You get to control the sodium content, eliminate the preservatives, and the cost.  Since you’ve already paid for the chicken, the broth is free.

Honey Mustard Dressing

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This is a creamier honey mustard similar to O’Charley’s.  Much cheaper than store-bought varieties and easy to make with simple ingredients.

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1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. yellow mustard
1 c. mayonnaise

Whisk to combine.  Serve.

Menu Plan Monday – May 19 – 26

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Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!  I’m sharing my family’s plan here with you.  I hope you will take a few of these suggestions and incorporate them into your plan.  Don’t get bogged down in the details but do jot down a plan for the week to make more time to focus on what is most important at the table, your family. 

Monday – Chicken and Waffles with Sweet Potato Fries

Tuesday – Crockpot Chicken Fajitas with Chips and Salsa

Wednesday – On Wednesday nights, our church offers a catered meal and a reasonable price.  This allows our family table to include members of our church family as well.  Since this is a night our family is out of the house, I would offer a simple one-dish meal if this meal was not offered. 

Thursday – Shrimp Alfredo, Italian Salad

Friday – Pizza

Saturday – BBQ, Mexican Cornbread, Potato Salad, Baked Beans, Coleslaw

Sunday – Blackened Cod, Baked Potatoes, Strawberry Feta Salad

Looking Ahead

It’s grilling season!  Let’s look at our calendars and schedule a cookout with friends this month.

Until next week, enjoy!

Shared at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday – May 12 – 18

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Welcome to Menu Plan Monday!  I’m sharing my family’s plan here with you.  I hope you will take a few of these suggestions and incorporate them into your plan.  Don’t get bogged down in the details but do jot down a plan for the week to make more time to focus on what is most important at the table, your family. 

Monday – Teriyaki Chicken

Tuesday – Sauerkraut and Smoked Sausage, Macaroni and Cheese, Baked Beans

Wednesday – On Wednesday nights, our church offers a catered meal and a reasonable price.  This allows our family table to include members of our church family as well.  Since this is a night our family is out of the house, I would offer a simple one-dish meal if this meal was not offered. 

Thursday – Garlic Lime Chicken, Parmesan Pasta Roni, Italian Salad

http://savingdinner.com/garliclimechicken/

Friday – Ham Croissants, Baked Beans, Chips and Dip, Corn on the Cob

Saturday – Cajun Pan-Seared Cod Filets, Baked Potatoes, Mandarin Orange Salad

Sunday – Dale’s Seasoning Broiled Pork Chops, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus

Looking Ahead

It’s grilling season!  Let’s look at our calendars and schedule a cookout with friends this month.

Until next week, enjoy!

Shared on Menu Plan Mondays at orgjunkie.com