Okay, so they didn't eat the actual house. But where you find one teenager, you will generally find ten! It seems like we have had a wonderful flow of kids in and out of our house all summer, but I have to admit is daunting to feed the crew without breaking the bank!
[Note: This post is still being updated and completed]
So here are my top suggestions!
1. Teach your teens to make quick meals because they (and maybe, you) might be making 3 to 4 of them a day in the summer time.
2. Skip fancy ingredients because they add up (Capers - Really - I don't think so).
3. Skip salt filled pre-made items that are easy to make anyway. (Boxed Mac N' Cheese - No!)
Organization:
1. Make a list of Recipes that can be made from the standard contents of your Fridge/Freezer/Pantry. Post this on the front of the refrigerator, preferably with color pictures. I suggest you laminate this sheet, because well, teenagers!
2. Put the recipes in sheet protectors in a small binder. Keep this in the kitchen.
3. And while you are at, go ahead and buy some reusable plastic cups and plates because you know there are going to be broken dishes when teens are involved. (And you might want to buy some plastic forks because your silverware has been known to end up in the trashcan).
4. Keep a large pitcher of sweet ice tea in your fridge (to encourage them to NOT drink an entire gallon of milk everyday!)
5. Buy some snack size containers for portioned snacks like Terrific Trifles, Berry Good Parfaits, Hippy Humus, Cheese Dip, and other quick grabs that you can stock your fridge with.
6. Take 1-2 hours every weekend and make somethings to Stock the Freezer with. Make the teenagers help you do this! They are going to college soon, they need this skill!
Funny Story: So my husband and his younger brother are both over six feet tall, as they were when they were teenagers. Their Mom worked as a nurse, and she became very frustrated that every time she bought groceries, her boys would eat ALL the groceries in one day. So she put a LOCK on her pantry and refrigerator! Now today, they would be calling DSS. But I feel her pain!
Go ahead and understand that teenagers, especially boys, need a lot of calories to grow. Your tall teen athlete may need up to 5,000 calories a day. OMG!!!! Yes, and probably at least 3,000 calories for a regular teen.
Easy Lunches / Dinners (Most they can Learn to Make)
Macaroni Noodles with melted Velveeta (and Ground Beef and a few Veggies)
Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Pasta Salad (with Green Peppers/ Cucumbers)
Hotdogs with Chilli and Baked beans
Tuna Melts with French Fries and Cucumber Salad
German Sausages with Sauerkraut. French fries.
Chilli
Homemade pizza (keep frozen pizza crusts, English muffins, or pita bread)
Quesadillas (Velveeta, Leftover meat, Tortilla)
Sweet Sausage and beans (10 minute recipe)
Tuna Casserole (keep Bechemel sauce portioned in your freezer)
Turkey Burgers
Club Sandwiches with Turkey, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato.
Ruban Sandwiches
Make Ahead Items to Freeze:
Potato & Sausage Casserole. http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Potato-Sausage-Casserole
Spaghetti Sauce in individual portions
Bechemel Sauce (white sauce) in individual portions
Chilli
Pizza Crusts
Cooked Beans
Portioned Cooked Bacon
Biscuits
Sausage Gravy
Pancakes
Muffins (Savory and sweet)
Items to Stock in Your Freezer:
1. Turkey Burger Patties
2. Hamburger Buns
3. Hot Dog Buns
4. Corn (Buy a Bag from your Local Farmer. Shuck the outer Husk, cut off the ends, then Freeze).
5. French Fries
6. Fish Sticks
7. Chicken Breasts (See if there is a whole sale meat distributor in your area or use Sam's)
8. Portioned frozen vegetables (split the frozen veggies into individual bags).
Snacks:
Homemade Rice Krispy Treats
Popcorn
Cinnamon Baked Popcorn from Taste of Home
Popsicles made with real fruit
Muffins (Like Cheddar Sausage!)
Nachos (made with Velveeta)
Hippy Humus
Terrific Trifle
Berry Good Granola Parfait
Ranch Yoghurt Dip with Carrots
My Husband's Desk: Get Your Man Organized!
To get started, I checked out some of the office spaces featured at major retailers. They have some pretty spaces, but some lack real functionality.
The First step in organizing any desk is to figure out what kind of work you plan to use it for, then what types of supplies and files you plan on storing and using to support this work.
Below are some of my favorite products to make your tools and supplies easily accessible and in order.
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