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Magical Fruit Salad in a dish

Elevate Your Dessert

I love dessert and always find myself wanting something sweet after my meals or throughout my day to satisfy my “sweet tooth”. I have been this way ever since I can remember. As a young child I relished birthday cake at parties for friends and family, so now I consider myself an experienced consumer of all desserts!

kids cooking in the kitchen

Taking Over the Kitchen

Last week Katy shared about how she includes her young children in the kitchen. My children are a little bit older and it has been fun to watch their skills and interest improve in the kitchen. Here are some of the things all three of my children help with in the kitchen:

cutting vegetables on a cutting board

“Mom, What’s for Dinner”?

As a busy mom to two kids under 5, I get asked “mom, what’s for dinner?” around the same time every day. To help me stay organized, every Saturday I decide on a meal plan devoted strictly to dinners for the upcoming week. By looking at each day individually I have a better idea of how much time I will have to devote to preparing dinner. This also helps me track which days my family has evening commitments that may make it more difficult to prepare a time-intensive meal.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY

What’s for Dinner at the Gatewood Household?

This week it’s my turn to share what we’re having for dinner at my house! I’m a big fan of having dishes that include multiple food groups. That means I don’t have to think of or make many side dishes. Some recipes that are often in the rotation at our house include Quick Pad Thai, Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry, and Pasta Fagioli Soup. Since all of these have vegetables, protein, and grains, a side of fruit and maybe a glass of milk are the only other things I need to serve.

food waste

Foiling Food Waste Frustrations

There are a few things that frustrate me in the kitchen. Want to hear about them?

kitchen spices

A Spicy New Year

We are refreshing our kitchens here at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. in the new year. Last week Jody shared how she is working on getting back in the groove of meal prepping by making some meals ahead to pack for her lunch. She highlighted our Vegetarian Chili recipe and also shared some great tips on managing our canned food at home to make sure we use the oldest items first. The same principle applies to our spices and the start of a new year is a great time to take a look at what you have.