Cooking For Your Family

You can easily prepare foods for a large family without spending a lot of money. Try these tips to save time, money, and stress when making meals for your friends or family.

1. Keep it simple. Healthy and creative meals don’t have to be complicated. A simpler menu will usually cost less money and will be easier to prepare in the end.
2. Allow your family to help. Divide jobs among family members. Remember — kids love to be in the kitchen! With help, you can get more done and have more time to enjoy with your family.
3. Stretch recipes by adding ingredients. Get more servings out of your favorite recipes! Add rice to soups or stews, frozen vegetables to favorite pasta dishes, or beans to burgers to serve more meals.
4. Options for the holidays. Try having a holiday brunch. Breakfast foods like eggs are less expensive and make a great protein for the main dish.  Another fun idea is to have a yogurt parfait bar, where everyone can add their favorite toppings to yogurt.
5. Make it a potluck. Potlucks are a great option for large families. If you are hosting, prepare the main dish and leave the sides to the rest of the family. It creates less work for you and allows everyone to make and sample each other’s creations.