Save time on dinner throughout the week!

It’s the question all mothers ask – “How can I save time after work throughout the week, so that I will have more time to spend with my sweet pea (and maybe throw in some me-time every once in a while as well)?”

I have some answers that just may help you…as far as dinner goes, that is.

1.       Go with a meal delivery service that provides pre-cooked, healthy and affordable meals.  This is great because you pay a certain amount for a bulk quantity of a pre-cooked meal, and all you have to do is pop it into the oven or microwave.  I have a local caterer here that I buy from, but I have listed some companies that provide in large cities, and just may be in your area.

The pros of a meal delivery service are:

• It is healthier than eating out.
• You don’t have to cook.
• There are a lot of choices.

The cons of a meal delivery service are:

• It may be more expensive than cooking.

Below are some choices when it comes to Meal Delivery Services:

• http://www.healthychefcreations.com
• http://www.freshology.com
• http://www.urbandetoxclub.com/
• http://www.sweetrootsnyc.com/
• http://dine.deliverybizpro.com/home.php

2.       Go with a Meal-Planning Service.  The difference between a meal-delivery service and a meal-planning service is that a meal-delivery service actually prepares and delivers the meals, whereas a meal-planning service plans your weekly recipes and grocery list based on your dietary needs and budget, and saves time and hassle for you, so that all you have to do is print out your grocery list and prepare the recipe, that sometimes leaves you with leftovers for the next night.

Pros of a meal-planning service are:

• It can be the healthiest choice of all.
• Your grocery list is created for you
• Your recipes are tailored to your specific dietary needs
• Your grocery list is tailored to your budget
• There are a lot of choices

Cons of meal-planning service:

• You have to do the actual work of cooking and grocery shopping.

Some examples of Meal-Planning services are:

• http://emeals.com/
• http://www.thescramble.com/
• http://www.relishrelish.com/
• http://www.foodonthetable.com/preset

3.        Use your crock pot.  Using your crockpot saves a LOT of time and money, and can be very healthy!  You can cook a meal to last 2-3 nights in your crockpot with very basic ingredients.  I have listed some recipes below to get you started.

Pros of using the crock pot:

• It can be very healthy
• It can save you lots of time
• It can be an inexpensive way of cooking

Cons of using your crock pot:

• You still have to cook
• You still have to grocery shop for the items
• You might get tired of eating the same thing two-three nights in a row.

A great link to crock pot recipes:

• http://allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/slow-cooker/

4.        Make a casserole that will last two to three nights.  Similar to the crockpot method, making a casserole that will last a couple nights will, in the end, save you time.  I have listed a link to some delicious casseroles below:

Pros of cooking casseroles:

• They are usually pretty delicious
• They last two-three nights

Cons of cooking casseroles:

• Not always the healthiest choice of cooking
• They can get pretty expensive
• You may get tired of eating the same thing for two-three nights in a row.

Hope you enjoyed this post and hope that it saves you time, so that you can spend more time on your little munchkin and yourself!  Happy eating!