The table is really the family altar! Here those of all ages come together and help sustain both their physical and spiritual existence.....A family meal can be a sacrament. It entwines the material and the spiritual in a remarkable way. ....Here, at one common table is the father who has earned, the mother who has prepared or planned, and thechildren who share according to need, whatever their antecedent participation may have been. ...We can understand something of why our Lord, when he broke bread with his little company toward the end of their earthly fellowship, told them, as often as they did it, to remember him. ...There is no reason why each family meal should not take on something of the character of a time of memory and hope.- Elton Trueblood.
Providing the meals for your family is a great task and one not to betaken lightly. It starts first with budgeting. Figure out how much per week you can spend on groceries. Stay within that budget. Buy generic or store brand products, never name brand. Shop at discount stores such as Aldis and Sav-A-Lot. Clip coupons but only if it is an item that you already use and only if it ends up being cheaper than the store brand of that item. Watch sale ads and look for their weekly loss leaders and stock up when they have a deal on something that you use. -- It is really great when an item is a sale item and you have a coupon. I know of people who have gotten items free that way. Make a list when going to the store and only buy what is on the list....no impulse buying. See my side bar for tips on feeding my family on $50 a week.
Quick Tips....Brown a week's worth of ground beef and freeze or refrigerate it for when you are ready. You can do this in freezer bags or tupperware containers. If you are making a casserole or lasagna....make two and freeze one for future. If you are making bread dough or cookie dough....double it and freeze one half. (Be sure to freeze the cookies in little balls so you can pick out just enough cookies to bake at a time). Use the crockpot....put the meat in to cook in the morning or at lunch and it will be ready by supper! When cooking always clean as you go so you don't end up with a sink full of dishes when you are finished cooking.
Here are some ideas for making meal time more interesting that I gotfrom reading "who got peanut butter on my daily planner" by CindyDagnan....
Monday -- Since Mondays are library days (they are at my house too!),each family member gets to bring the book they are reading with them tothe table. We each take turns reading a certain quote or scene from ourbook.
Tuesday and Thursday - Table Talk. Put questions on colorful index cards and let the children draw one or two. Even when guests are over you can still do this and they will think it is fun. Examples...What color was your day? Tell about the funniest thing that happened to you today. What is your favorite Bible story or verse? Why? If you could have dinner with any famous person, who would it be and why? What is your favorite family memory? What one things we have never done as family that you wish we would do? What is it about your favorite teach that makes them your favorite?Those are just a few questions....make up more for your family!
Wednesday and Friday - family devotions - short family devotions to read and then discuss together
Saturday - family night...do something special as a family. Light candles, play dinner music. Have family movie night. Have pretend restaurant night, etc. See my previous blog for great family traditions to use on these nights.
Sunday -free day. Make sure you eat at least one meal together a day as a family and at least 3 of those as dinners. It is very important!
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