it's what's for dinner

My effort to cook meals for the month went by the wayside. I considered making the goal more manageable by cooking two weeks at a time, but somewhere between having a two-year-old, putting the house up for sale, and grading 160 or more pages a week, I didn't get there. We were increasingly scraping the bottom of our cupboards and freezer and starting to eat out. I wasn't feeling to good about myself. Fortunately, my co-worker started to talk about e-mealz in the middle of my frustration. I probably asked her about her experience with it every day for two weeks, and then I poured over the website (I was excited to see the company is endorsed by Dave Ramsey) before signing up for it myself. (I also love the story behind the company. Why couldn't I think of something like this?)

I waited until I had two or three weeks of meal plans in my hand (since I didn't like all of the meal choices) and truly saved money. Yeah! The menu plan doesn't save me from cooking on weeknights entirely. Since all the meals are simple and use relatively few dishes, this has saved me a lot of time. Not to mention, I walk into my kitchen feeling confident about preparing a tasty, healthful meal within a matter of thirty minutes or less.

Miah was super excited two nights ago when I pulled beans out of the pantry. She was right beside me because you just never know what Mom might have stored on the top shelves. At her eye level she spotted one can of beans after the other. Never mind that they are all different types, she pointed at every one and said, "Beans!" I can't believe how much clearer some words are becoming as she finally starts to talk to us. Her personality is shining through every day, from the crossed arms over a pea to the Broadway show she puts on between bites. I really want a table without benches, or I'll never teach this child to sit still!

I'm not sure I'll stick with e-mealz all year, but it is helping me be a better wife and mom. Because one of my new favorite meals is loaded baked potatoes (and for 5lbs for 99 cents, they're one of my favorite foods to buy) I searched for potato recipes. My question to myself is: could I feed my family primarily on potatoes for a week without going crazy? My answer might be found here.