Save dinner!

There is little worse at the 5:00 o'clock hour than realizing that you are missing one or two ingrediants required for dinner. UGH! No alfredo sauce, no shredded cheese for tacos..you get the idea. To avoid PB&J's, again, a few simple hints and tips will put dinner back on the table!

• Make a complete list of items regularly purchased by the entire family. Like this Deluxe list or this Vegetarian list. Just print out a few copies, stick them to your fridge and when you are running low on an item just mark it! When menu planning, just make a check mark. No need to make a second list for the store - just take the one from the fridge! Hint: Make a special notation, like highlighting an item, when you have a coupon. It will save time & money!
• If organizing your pantry in great detail is too much, try dedicating areas or specific shelves to items or categories.  For example, top shelf is for cereals and taller boxes, foil/plastic bags/etc. The right side of the second shelf is the "kid" shelf. You'll be able to see at a glance if you're running low on their snacks, mac n' cheese, etc.....you get the idea!
• Use bins to corral smaller items that may get lost between larger boxes or behind loose cans. There are so many great bins of all sizes and colors that will match your needs.
• Have a back up plan! For those nights that your schedule is so hectic and nothing seems to go right, keep a  pizza or homemade lasagna and a bag of veggies in the freezer. Just heat and eat!

Following these tips will help your family enjoy a less stressful evening, save money and time by eliminating last-minute trips to the store and save TONS of money by not eating out. Your waist line may thank you too!