OP, my current minimally-processsed, somewhat healthy, quick favorites:

Cook chicken breasts on a Sunday afternoon. Use for tacos, salads, and stir-fries later in the week.

Buy a tube of ready-made polenta. Slice 1/2" thick, brush with EVOO, and broil, flipping when the edges begin to brown. Top with marinara and serve with a green salad.

Southwestern breakfast: eggs, black beans, and avocados with Hatch brand green chile enchilada sauce (at Whole Foods).

Ready-made soups and sushi from Whole Foods (still cheaper than eating out!)

Funny post. Love it. here are some pantry/food ideas:

oils: extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, toasted sesame oil, hazelnut oil (choose your favorites)
vinegars: white vinegar, white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar (a must for beans)
salt: celtic sea salt, kept in a small dish for use in cooking and at the table
whole peppercorns and pepper grinder
soy sauce, tamari for Gluten free daughter
flours: white wheat flour, wheat flour
bay leaves
dried beans ( soak some beans overnight, cook them them the next day)
whole wheat pastas
yeast (pizza dough, bread, rolls)
real maple syrup (comes, like many things we get, from Amish farmers)
brown sugar
white sugar (kombucha)
grass fed butter: always in house, always some soft and on the counter, some cold in fridge for baking; we do not use margarine or butter-like substances
2-3 favorite cheeses (one is always parmesan)
plain whole milk yogurt (great baby food, great for smoothies, great with granola, great for dressings; we often make our own yogurt)
homemade granola (our favorite cereal), i buy sprouted garm=nola, too
onions, garlic, carrots, celery, ginger
eggs: we keep 1-3 dozen pasturedchicken eggs at home all the time: great for breakfast, snacks, baking, and they make the BEST flan ever!
local pastured chicken: we cook one a week on the stove and use the pulled meat and stock for the week
the chicken can be used to:
mix with pasta and veggies
make soup
make chicken salad
Grass Fed Beef: ground beef, 1-2 steaks, cook, slice, add to salads
caramelized onions: make them when you have people over-they smell great cooking; add to sandwiches, pasta, soups
canned or preserved organic tomatoes: in the off season for tomato sauce (no excuse four ingredient tomato sauce recipe on smitten kitchen)
fish or other seafood; small portions with lots of veggies

three last minute chances to make things more healthy:
1. grow your own sprouts at home and put them on everything (we love these folks here)
2. add your cooked beans to sauces and pasta dishes
3. add dark greens to sauces and pasta dishes raw and let the heat cook them for optimum nutrition


--
Christy Przystawik
Holistic Health Coach. Chef. Mother. Motivator.
coachchristymarie.com

Anonymous wrote:You have no idea how often I say this. And now that my kis are getting to the teen years, they eat like 10 times a day. Big food each time. Ugh!

I knew a mom of seven boys. SEVEN! At one point, 5 of them were teens simultaneously. She said her secret was to have a solid, nutritious meal planned 3 times per day. Balanced, healthy, nutritious, chock-full of veggies, etc. She also bought boxed mac n cheese, ramen soup, and jiffy muffin mix by the caseload. She told her sons that anytime between meals, they were welcome to cook and eat as much as they liked of any of those things, provided they did the dishes afterward.

You have no idea how often I say this. And now that my kis are getting to the teen years, they eat like 10 times a day. Big food each time. Ugh!

sadly, no

Do they come to your house and make it? I used to love to cook (and eat), but spending time making a meal that is guaranteed to fall short of someone's standards -- it's pretty much sucked the love out of me.

PP here. Link below:

http://www.menufortheweek.com/

Daily Candy Deals ran a special not long ago for 1/2 off a one year subscription to a service called Menu for the Week. You might be interested....they provide weekly shopping lists and dinner menus that are kid tested and approved. I believe they have a free trial membership. It's nice because it takes the mystery out of what to make for dinner. Sounds like you might find it worth a look: www.menufortheweek.com

French toast. the eggs are protein right?

*sigh*

Does anyone else have this problem? It seems like my kids want to eat every day, usually more than once. I mean sure, you can give them bananas and cheese sticks, and the older one is pretty good at finding the cookies her dad hides in his office, but at some point, they're going to look at me with those precious-moments-figurine eyes and say "are we EVER going to have dinner?"

Basically, I'm writing this post to avoid going into the kitchen and staring blankly into the fridge for 15 minutes. It's bad for the environment to leave your fridge open for so long.

What are YOU making for dinner?