Conagra Brands sponsored this post, but the opinions are my own #potpieseason
5 Tips to Help You Save Time on Making Dinner
I am overwhelmed. There is just too much going on. Too many things with school. Too many things with work. Too many things with chores. In case you think I am exaggerating, let me just tell you that, last night, I hired a babysitter to watch the kids while I went shopping for my daughter who is celebrating her 10th birthday today. Yes, I work from home. Yes, I just had a weekend without the kids. But this was, literally, the only time I had to do it. When it gets this crazy in my life, I crave comfort food. Warm, inviting, hearty meals that force me to sit down and relax while I eat them because they are so good. One of my all time favorite comfort foods? Pot Pies. Chicken, Turkey, Beef… whatever the flavor. I love the warm flaky crust and the creamy insides. But with my lifestyle, there is no way I am spending hours in the kitchen making them. So, as a busy mom, I turn to Banquet and Marie Callender’s Pot Pies to give me and the girls the comfort foods we want without all the fuss. Buying ready made meals is just one tip I have to save me at dinnertime. Keep reading for more of my ‘super busy, never had enough time, does not even think about dinner until dinner time’, tips on how to save time on making dinner.
IBOTTA OFFER: Earn $0.50 with purchase of 2 of either Marie Callender’s Pot Pies or Banquet Pot Pies 16 oz. or smaller.
Buy your favorite foods already made
As mentioned, I am a big supporter of purchasing ready made meals. They are a time saver, they are easy to make and it is easier to find things my kids like. I cook and I love to cook. I am actually a really good cook. But my time and energy are going into other things right now. So as I walk through the frozen food aisles at Walmart, I picked up my favorite comfort food ready made staples and tossed them in the cart.
Marie Callender’s Pot Pie and Banquet Pot Pies are made in the oven and provide me with a delicious meal all of my kids will eat. With varieties like Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie and Sausage Gravy Pot Pie (which I had for lunch yesterday and, OH.MY.GOSH it was good!), there is something for everyone.
As we sit around the table, happy and chatting, I feel zero guilt that dinner came out ready made as opposed to my spending an hour on it!
Use paper plates for how to save time on making dinner
I made a joke on Facebook a while back about how I see commercials with moms with perfectly made tables for dinner. I showed my pretty paper plates and the swirly design they had. I just don’t have time to set the table with plates that I will then have to find time to wash. So I am a BIG supporter of paper plates and recommend them! Just be sure to put them in your recycle bin when done.
Stock up
Stocking up on meals that I can pop in the oven and serve is a necessity when you need to save time on dinner. I love stacking my pot pies up in the freezer and just grabbing them when I need them. They are great for lunch when I am busy working too! Stocking up saves you time and money and the headache of, ‘What’s for dinner?’
Set the oven timer
One thing that throws me at dinner is remembering to look at the clock. I like to feed the kids around 6 at night but, sometimes, I don’t even think of dinner until 6. So I learned a while back that setting the oven timer helps me stay on track. I can hear it ding and turn on, can put my pot pies in and can have dinner on the table on time!
Release the Homemade Dinner Guilt
I had to let it go. The pressure to slave over a homemade dinner every night. I had to release the guilt and understand that the important thing at dinner time is time with my girls. By having ready made meals on hand I spend more time with the kids and less time making dinner and cleaning up afterwards.
Pick up your Marie Callender’s Pot Pies and Banquet Pot Pies at your local Walmart and get your family to the dinner table with delicious food you love to enjoy!
What tips would you add?
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