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leftover holiday casserole

Spend Smart. Eat Smart. with Family – Holiday Edition

We are in the midst of a blog series where we ask our family members about food, specifically around the holidays. It’s my turn and we get to hear from my dad, Bob! He’s a man of few words so you’ll see I added some color commentary to his answers.

mashed potatoes

Spend Smart. Eat Smart. with Family – Holiday Edition

This week I am continuing our family interviews with a conversation I had with my mother-in-law, Jan. She and my father-in-law, Dean, have been taste testers for many Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes over the years. They are also excellent home cooks and a joyful part of our family. Here is what Jan shared with me:

quick meal ideas

What’s for Dinner at the Hoover Home

Last week Christine started off the month of March sharing about one of her favorite recipes, Scrambled Egg Skillet. As we go through this month, we are each going to share what dinner looks like in our homes and some recipes we are enjoying right now.

meal planning

Meal Planning Done for You

My kids start school in two days. As much as I enjoy the less structured days of summer, I’m ready to get into a routine again. My son will be in 8th grade and will be playing football so I know when he comes home from practice in the evening, he will be hungry! Therefore, I want to be sure to have a plan for what we will have for supper. I do meal planning regularly but sometimes my brain just doesn’t want to think about what to have. Does anyone else feel the same way? On our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website, we have sample meal-planning calendars that do the thinking for you! The week-long meal plans include 3 meals and 2 snacks per day and recipes are linked. If you eat vegetarian or are just interested in more plant-based recipes, there is a whole calendar of vegetarian meals and snacks.

food on a cutting board with a note pad with a recipe

Late Night Meal Planning

Have you heard the saying “New Year, New Me”? Once the calendar shifted to January, my personal email was flooded with ways to create new fitness and eating habits, new wardrobe suggestions, tips on how to become a better parent, and the list went on and on. The start of a new year tends to get people thinking about New Year’s resolutions and setting goals for themselves. I have never been one to set a New Year’s resolution but having a 5-month-old and a 4-year-old at home, I have decided this is a great year to set some intentionality for my late-night habit!

various lentils and beans

Give Plant-Based Protein a Try!

A few years ago, I made the decision to make 2-3 meatless dinners a week. After our daughter turned one, I was hopeful that making this change would be a great way to introduce her to new foods. While searching for meatless recipes, I came to realize there were several benefits from eating plant-based protein a few times a week! Our grocery bills are lower and the health benefits that come with swapping out protein sources is a bonus.

Meal Planning

Planning your Meals with Family Favorite Recipes

Planning your meals and using your meal plan to make a grocery list are a top tip for saving money on food. By planning your meals and using a list when you shop, you know exactly what you need to buy and are less likely to buy items you don’t need.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Tips for meal planning

Planning meals is important if you want to save money at the grocery store, but most people admit they don’t do it.

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

How Many Wooden Spoons Do You Really Need?

A kitchen filled with equipment, gadgets and an excess of food products can put a damper on preparation (and fun!) just as much as not having the right stuff.  Having to sort through layers is frustrating, as is having to move items from shelf to shelf just to get a cupboard to shut.  Can you relate?  It doesn’t have to be this way though!

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Spending Less and Eating Healthier: Part 1 of 3

Meal Planning

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Mise en Place: Work Smarter, Not Harder in the Kitchen

Recently when making supper for my family, I realized part way through making the pizza that I did not have any pizza sauce! I thought I had some, so didn’t check to make sure before I started making the pizza.  So supper got put on hold while I sent my husband to the store to get the pizza sauce. If I would have practiced ‘mise en place’, I would have known before I started that I didn’t have any sauce and could have run to get it before starting to cook or went to Plan B.

oliday-place-setting

Preparing your Kitchen for Holiday Entertaining

It’s the time of year when many of us have family visiting and special get-togethers that involve food. You can save a lot of money by having holiday parties at home rather than in a restaurant and it is usually more fun too. I have friends coming for dinner this month as well as a neighborhood cookie swap at my house.