Eat @ HOME August

It's coming!  A brand new challenge I'm calling "Eat @ HOME-August"!  It is exactly how it sounds, you commit to eating all of your meals "at home" or "from home".

We have done this many times before and we love to see how much money we can save.  It's been a long while since we've done this, so we thought we'd give it another try.  I won't lie, it is A LOT of work for me, since Jeff doesn't cook at all. (He can make some yummy scrambled eggs, but that's about it.)  It takes a lot of strategic planning/prepping, but it CAN be done.

We don't spend a ton of money eating out.  But we do take advantage of the drive-thru way too much.  Let's face it, it's cheap, fast, and kid-friendly.  Jeff and I do take-out after the team's in bed, a couple of times a month. We also are guilty of late night trips to Coldstone, Kokomo, or my personal favorite, In-N-Out.  $20 here and there, can really add up!

I am currently planning my menu for the month.  I'm planning for my family's favorites as well as several new recipes.  I will post my menu as soon as it's complete.  I should be done by the weekend.  I'll also be posting recipe reviews throughout the month of the new recipes I'm trying.

So who's with me?  If you'd like to join the challenge just comment below.  I figure accountability is a good thing!  Also, if you have any favorite, team friendly "go-to" meals please share them below.  This Momma appreciates all the help she can get, and I know others will too!  

I know this challenge seems a lot of work, but you can do it!  Just think of how much money you will have left at the end of the month!  CHA-CHING! :)

~Kristee

Trainer Tip: Pizza Pizza!

My team loves homemade pizza, especially cheesy sticks!  I like to make it so it works out well! ;)  Back in January, before Micah was born I mixed up a couple of batches of homemade pizza dough and had tucked it away in the freezer.  I was hoping it would save some much precious time later down the road.  Well, fast forward 5 months, I just remembered I had it! :)

I dug it out, took it out of the baggie, and plopped it in a bowl yesterday morning.  By the evening it was completely thawed and all I had to do is roll it out in the pans!  It was pretty awesome.  It eliminated the measuring and mixing.  Sure it probably only saved me 10 minutes, BUT sometimes 10 minutes is all it takes for complete chaos to break out in my house! :)  I don't know about you, but that is especially true with my team at dinner time!

Anyway, just wanted to pass that along!  Try mixing up your favorite pizza dough and freezing it.  I felt like a rock star yesterday already knowing at 9 a.m. what I was making for dinner! :)

I love time saving tips.  Anyone out there have any great ones to share?

~Kristee