Pre-packaged meal plans....which ones?

A bit of background. I am married, mom to nine children ages 18-1, full time student, take care of my FIL. I am spending way too much time grabbing fast food on my way to school, and not enough time at home cooking. I know if I had more time, I could cook more at home, but I don't.

Sheri

I don't see how you could afford something like NutriSystem with all of this going on. Your best bet is to plan out your meals and make a detailed grocery list, then take some time immediately after grocery shopping to prepare meals ahead of time. You can freeze individual portions.

I'm a mom of three kids 3 1/2 years - 5 months. I make my lunch the night before and a smoothie every morning before I leave for school. It's also easy to pop a bagel in the toaster oven while I'm getting ready. I didn't get to bed until 2am last night and was up at 6:30 to milk for my baby and to get ready. It's not always easy, but making time to cook real food is always worth it.

isn't that an expensive way to eat? if you think about how little time it actually takes preparing a meal, 15 mins does a lot! and cooking time can be similar timing especially if you cut veg small or do a lot of stir frying....or stick to salads - its possible to have a meal on the table in no time...its hard to beat a fresh home prepared meal, you know what you put in etc. And if you haven't time to cook, buy veg and salads already washed/chopped etc. There's always way to make meal time hassle free
(I do alot of my meal preparing the night before so when I get in from work its just a matter of cooking it - easy!)

YIkes. Topics like this hurt to read... it's like, do I choose fillers, preservatives and sodium OR fillers, preservatives, and sodium. I feel like I have no say in the matter, however, because I don't even have one kid so... I guess all I can say is try to go as natural as possible and I hope hope hope you find something that works for you!

Prepackaged meals are full of all kinds of additives that you can avoid if you make your own ready meals. Whenever you cook, make at least one extra full portion and freeze it in an individual serving container. You can also do bulk batching - make a basic mince in tomato sauce mix, then use part as Bolognese, part for making up individual lasagnes, and add kidney beans and chillies to the last section to make chilli - three different meals all in one go. And if you make a big enough batch, you can get 2 of each in your freezer and have one that night for your dinner too. Next, roast a whole large chicken. Have a chicken dinner, but then portion up the rest and make curry and stew with the rest, as well as making soup with the carcass. Next step is to grab a selection of fish (I like salmon and haddock), cut it into chunks and cook it (doesn't take long). Mix in the sauce of your choice (I like a cheese one) and top with mashed potato. Again, make them into individual portions for the freezer. Fish pie is a delicious, quick meal. You can add veg to it too - I like to add broccoli/peas/sweetcorn - and it's ready just to slip into the oven when you want it.

Now you have a several weeks worth of meals out of just three quick cooking sessions - hurrah! (If you're anything like me, you'll do it all on one day and be done with it - it's worth using up one day off work to make that many ready meals!).

If you don't already have a slow cooker / crock pot, invest in one. They're inexpensive and they will save you a fortune as well as loads of time. I don't know how I'd cope without mine! You also have complete control over what goes into your meals and can tweak the recipes to your own tastes. Label each package with what's in there (you can add the nutritional data too if you like) and the date you made it.

Another bonus is that if not everyone fancies the same meal for dinner, you can take out different ones to please everyone. All you have to do is take them out of the freezer to defrost (take them out before you head to work in the morning) and then pop them in the oven when you get home.

I guarantee that once you start cooking this way, you will never go back, your body (and your family, if you're cooking for more than one!) will thank you for it, because you'll always have tasty, flavoursome, healthy home-cooked meals on the table.

oh, and to clarify I'm all about frozen foods at lunch for work.

I prefer Amy's Organics and Evol burritos. Also, Kashi. I did the research and selected things that are organic, humanely raised meats (like those I eat in my every day life). Those meals are rated B+/A- depending on the choice.

Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice are not at the top of the rating list. I get them once in a while, but I'm loyal to the "good stuff"

I LOVE YOU!!! I have been looking for something healthy that was frozen that would be easy for me to just stick in the microwave or oven. You have been the answer! I am so excited<3
EDIT: That wasn't lean cuisine or whatever those others ones are because honestly..they're not that healthy -.-