No Holding Back

Living With Purpose

Simple Ideas to make Life Easier

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I really think the key to happiness is keeping life simple.

Often it is the simplest ideas turn out to be the best ideas. Like this particular time saving and fun idea that one of my friends came up with that is just awesome. I don’t know why moms haven’t been employing this trick for years. Or maybe they have, and I’ve just not been paying attention.

So I’m in a couple different moms groups. Personally, I think these types of groups are essential for stay at home moms. I have my Moms Club, then I have a couple of other groups through Meetup.com that I am also in. Keeps our social calendar full, and it’s almost always with inexpensive or free activities.  I have also made some really great friends who are at the same place in life as me, staying at home and raising small children. If I have learned anything through this adventure, it’s the importance of support networks when little people are involved!

It was through one of the meetup groups that I found this so easy, simple, wonderful idea. One of the moms suggested a freezer meal swap. The concept is so simple. We limited it to 8 people. You show up at the designated meeting time with your favorite, freezer friendly meal. Times seven. So you bring seven of the same meal, enough to serve families of 4-6, and the cooking instructions. Each person leaves with 7 different meals, just like a cookie swap.

I mean, duh! Why haven’t we always been doing this?

So, I hit the store today, got all my materials, and set to work. I chose to do an Italian pasta bake. Sometimes I call it Rigatoni if I’m using Rigatoni noodles, but they aren’t mandatory. Finish reading this post, and you’ll get the recipe!

We actually only had 7 people, so I made six to freeze and one for dinner for us tonight. The recipe I use is so simple and easy, it really didn’t take much longer to do six extra ones. I put assembled them and wrapped them up, printed the recipe and taped one on each meal, and stuck them in the freezer. Then I put the seventh one in the oven, and dinner was done!

In addition to being simple, it was inexpensive. Total cost for one full family meal was about $5.00. I spent roughly $35.00, if that much. We had dinner tonight for our family of five, leftovers for my hubs to take for lunch, and I’ll get six more dinners tomorrow at the exchange. Not bad!

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I can’t wait to get my meals tomorrow that I can pull out of the freezer on those days that I just don’t feel like cooking.

If you have a group of friends that you think would be willing to do this with you, I highly suggest a freezer meal swap. The other key element is to share what you are bringing so that not everyone will make the same thing. Our meals are pretty varied – chicken and rice casserole, baja chicken for burritos, baked spaghetti, and so forth.

So here is my simple, 6 item recipe.

Italian Pasta Bake

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Ingredient List:

1 Box of Pasta

1 can of mushrooms

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 lb ground meat (any kind you like)

1 bag of pepperoni (full size or mini)

1-2 cups mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and drain.

2. Brown meat and drain.

3. Layer pasta, meat, pepperoni, mushrooms, sauce, and cheese. Repeat.

4. Bake at 350deg for 30 mins or until cheese is melted.

(from frozen, bake at 350 for one hour to 1.5 hours)

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And of course, I forgot to take a picture of it after it was cooked, but it was YUMMY! Everyone enjoyed it.

Easy, delish, inexpensive.

What is your favorite go-to quick meal?

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katbiggie

Freelance writer at Kat Biggie Press
Alexa B, who blogs as "Kat Biggie" is a wife, mother, and writer. She has three children and one in heaven. She recently self published a book entitled "Sunshine After the Storm: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Mother" which is available on Amazon. She blogs about life after the loss of one of her twin daughters to TTTS, motherhood, all things parenting, advocacy, grief support and social good.

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Comments

    • So, scored really well! Baja chicken for burritos, turkey chili, white chicken chili, baked spaghetti and a green bean casserole, a chicken pot pie, and one other that I can’t remember! Nice variety.

      Reply

  5. We have a crock pot recipe we use for new babies and other scenarios in which a family needs a hot meal for a few days. My friends and I have done cookie swaps, and even soup swaps, but this amazingly awesome idea hadn’t occurred to us yet. So thank you!
    Tamara recently posted…We Had The More Much Fun.My Profile

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  6. I’ve participated in a freezer swap – it’s great! Unfortunately, my kids are such picky eaters that they didn’t like most of the meals, so I dropped out. Just didn’t pay for me to do it for just two of us. I’m glad it’s been more successful for you, though!
    Dana recently posted…A one hundred celebrationMy Profile

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  7. OK, the other times I have seen an idea like this posted made it sound fun, but a lot of work to put together. This looks way less complicated! Do you bring the meals frozen? I really think I am going to have to make this work for me and some of my friends!
    Rabia @TheLiebers recently posted…School RoutinesMy Profile

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  8. This is a fantastic idea!! I have done the cookie swap around Christmas and enjoyed that. I always like trying other people’s meals! Can’t wait to try this!
    Leah recently posted…Good JobMy Profile

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