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[Pammie]

Off subject -

What are your kids' favorite cereals?? I'd tried the frosted mini shredded wheat and a few other Great Value cereals and I just can't find a cereal that all the kids are ok eating. My girls could eat oatmeal every day but the dcks...not so much.

I love the Walmart Great Value cereals. My kids here eat the generic versions of Cheerios, Rice Krispies and Corn and Rice Chex.

I don't buy the brightly colored or sugared cereals, but will add a dash of sprinkles/jimmies on top of their cereal, or a drop of food coloring into the milk in their bowl - they LOVE those "treats"::

[Golden Rule]

As for lunches: I have basic ingredients I mix together for a casserole. I chose a protein, either noodles or rice and a vegetable. That's lunch with an added fruit on the side.



Im not very good at making casseroles, can you give me an example of an easy one with all the ingredients?
Thank-you

Breakfast and snacks are pretty simple, here....one bread, one fruit/vegetable. Milk with meals. Juice with snacks. Toddlers (anyone not on infant formula) get one Pediasure milkshake a day, as well.

Lunch is the bigger plan.

I pre-cook and fill my deep freeze every few months, then all I do is pull it out the night before and re-heat. Comes in handy with 3 teenagers in the house...and a husband whom still works 24 hour shifts 3 times a week. (I often fill my elderly MIL's freezer as well to simplify her life, too) It really has been the best plan, here.

I use party wear (tin-foil type containers and lids from party/restaurant supply stores).
Staples:
1.Meatloaf (ground beef, eggs, onion powder/diced onion, bread crumbs, ketchup on top, usually served with mashed potato's, green beans)
2. Sheppard's Pie (mashed potatoes topped with ground beef, diced chicken or diced ham, topped with shredded cheese, usually served with corn on the cob)
3. Chicken/Broccoli Alfredo (diced chicken, egg noodles, olive oil, steamed broccoli florets, mixed with shredded cheese, sometimes even topped with cheese)
4. Spaghetti with meat sauce .(yep, just mix the sauce right in and top with shredded cheese, instant casserole, usually served with tossed salad)
5. Tuna casserole (spiral pasta, tuna, mayo/olive oil, dill relish, serve cold, usually served with sweet peas)
6. Taco Dip (huge hit!) (re-fried beans topped with sour cream mixed with taco seasoning, and shredded cheese. Serve cold with rounded corn chips and carrot sticks)
7. Beanie Weenie (baked beans, use your favorite recipe with hot dogs sliced longways then diced into small pieces, usually served with sweet cornbread and Brussel sprouts)

Sprinkle in some easy meals like :

1. Sombreros (bologna with an ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes in the center, topped with cheese, heat in frying pan/bologna will curl up and hold contents like a hat)
2. Personal pizzas (English muffin, pizza sauce, pepperoni, shredded cheese)
3. Hot Ham and Cheese
4. Soft tacos
5. Chicken tenders (baked with shake-n-bake instead of frying)

Then I just add fruits/veggies and rotate out the dishes. Make it as simple as possible....