| As one of the oldest children in a family of nine, I | | | | cooked and diced, how many chicken breasts need |
| know that cooking for a crowd can almost be a | | | | to be cooked and left whole, how many need to be |
| full-time job. Once-a-month-cooking has been a | | | | left frozen, etc.). |
| lifesaver for our family. In the beginning though, when | | | | You will also want to make sure you have plenty of |
| we first heard of cooking 30 meals in one day, it | | | | freezer bags and foil on hand. These will be essential |
| sounded rather impossible. It was not until we had | | | | on your cooking day. |
| tried it, though, that we found it is not only possible, | | | | Cooking Day Strategy: It is wise to develop a basic |
| but it can even be quite simple and fun! | | | | cooking day strategy of what you will do when. This |
| Blessings | | | | does not need to be an exhaustive list, but it will |
| If you are skeptical about taking on what might | | | | save you time and effort if you have planned the |
| seem like an overwhelming task to you, let me first | | | | basic order of what you will be cooking when. If you |
| share some of the blessings which have resulted for | | | | are going to be working together as a family on |
| our family from once-a-month-cooking.o It has saved | | | | cooking, plan who is responsible for what tasks. |
| us many hours of trying to figure out what to have | | | | Although everyone will need to be flexible, it will |
| for dinner and answered the infamous question, | | | | definitely save hassle to have most of the schedule |
| "What's for dinner?"o We have been more readily | | | | worked out ahead of time. |
| able to show hospitality to other families when the | | | | Shopping: The day before you begin cooking, do your |
| main dish is already made and in the freezer. (We | | | | grocery shopping. Make sure you do not rush through |
| usually plan ahead for this by doubling or tripling | | | | this. Read your list thoroughly and check to get the |
| seven to ten of the recipes on cooking day to use | | | | best deal. |
| as "company meals.") In like manner, it is much easier | | | | Cooking |
| to being meals to needy families when you have | | | | The sooner you can start in the morning, the better. |
| casseroles in the freezer ready to be pulled out and | | | | Begin by cooking the meats, grating the cheese, |
| heated at the drop of a hat. (We also plan for this | | | | chopping the onions, or whatever bulk preparations |
| by preparing many of the dishes in disposable pans.)o | | | | your "food preparation list" says you need to do. If |
| It saves time (You only have to do mountains of | | | | you have planned to make soups, you should start |
| dishes one day a month, not every day! You also | | | | these early on, as they usually need to cook for |
| don't have to start dinner at 4:30 p.m. or earlier | | | | longer. |
| everyday... just pull dinner out to thaw in the | | | | Cooking the meat is one of the most time-consuming |
| morning.) and money (You can usually save quite a | | | | projects and you will probably find you end up |
| bit by buying in bulk).o We are brought closer | | | | browning ground beef and boiling chicken most of the |
| together as we spend a special day as a family | | | | day! As much as is possible, use all of the burners on |
| cooking these meals.o This is an excellent lesson in | | | | your stove at the same time. |
| Home Economics for your children. Mom always has | | | | Keep soapy water in the sink at all times and take |
| the oldest girls plan the menu, grocery list, and | | | | turns being on "dish duty." As soon as a dish is used, |
| strategy for the cooking day. She often has us do | | | | wash it. This will save you from having an enormous |
| the grocery shopping, as well. | | | | mess at the end of the day. You might also find it |
| Planning | | | | helpful to take a five-minute kitchen cleaning break |
| Proper planning is essential for a successful cooking | | | | every hour or so to wipe down the counters and put |
| day. I usually start planning at least a week in | | | | things away which you are no longer using. |
| advance. First, pick which day will be your cooking | | | | Freezing |
| day. Clear your schedule that day. You will want to | | | | What do you do with the completed dishes? Here |
| focus your energies entirely on cooking. | | | | are some guidelines for freezing:o We always |
| Menu Planning: After you have chosen your cooking | | | | designate the kitchen table as our "finished recipe" |
| day, begin menu planning. Go through your | | | | zone. We often have someone who is specifically |
| cookbooks and find recipes suitable for freezing. | | | | just working on labeling things and taking them to the |
| Strive for variety. My list usually includes: one-dish | | | | freezer from the kitchen table.o Proper labeling is a |
| dinners, meatloaf, meatballs, layered casseroles, | | | | key factor in making sure you know what you have |
| soups, chili, hamburgers, meatless dishes, and so on. | | | | in freezer. Make sure you label the containers with |
| Make sure that you include a number of family | | | | the recipe, the cookbook it came from, the page |
| favorites, in addition to any new recipes you may be | | | | number, how many it serves, and any additional |
| trying out. You do not want to fill your freezer with | | | | instructions for the dish. Also write out a list with all |
| meals your family won't find appetizing! When you | | | | of the recipes you make and freeze and how many |
| write down your menu, make sure and write down | | | | they serve on the outside of your freezer.o Transfer |
| the cookbook and page number the recipe came | | | | soup to a big bowl and cool for about an hour. You |
| from. In addition, mark whether you are planning to | | | | can either place the soup in plastic freezer bags or |
| double or triple the recipe. | | | | plastic containers with lids (32 oz. cottage cheese and |
| Make Your Grocery List: Using your menu list, write | | | | yogurt containers work well for this).o Most other |
| down the quantities of ingredients needed for each | | | | recipes can be transferred to plastic freezer bags. Do |
| recipe. I like to categorize like ingredients on five to | | | | not fill the bags very full, as foods expand when |
| seven different lists (meats, vegetables, cheese, | | | | frozen. Do not put anything which is still hot into |
| pasta, spices, etc.). Take these lists and combine all | | | | bags. You will likely split the bag at the seams and |
| like ingredients onto a final list. For example, if there | | | | have a gigantic mess to deal with!o Use smaller |
| are fifteen recipes calling for one pound of ground | | | | labeled bags for cheese or anything else to be |
| beef, you will write "15 pounds ground beef" on your | | | | sprinkled on top once the dish is cooked. Make sure |
| final grocery list. | | | | you keep these in a very accessible place in the |
| After you have made your final grocery list, make | | | | freezer.o If the recipe is something like lasagna which |
| sure and check your cupboards to see what you | | | | cannot be frozen in a plastic bag, freeze it in the size |
| might already have on hand. You probably have most | | | | of pan the recipe calls for, cover with foil, and label. |
| of the seasonings. But be sure that if you need four | | | | I wholeheartedly encourage you to give |
| teaspoons of garlic powder, you actually have that | | | | once-a-month-cooking a try. If you are like us, you |
| much in the jar. I have not checked thoroughly | | | | will soon wonder how you ever lived without cooking |
| before, and it has been real headache. | | | | this way! You could also simplify this plan and just |
| I have found it most helpful to keep a separate | | | | cook for two weeks at a time to start. |
| "food preparation list" along with my grocery list | | | | For further information, ideas, and recipes, I highly |
| which states what is to be done with the items | | | | recommend you read Once-A-Month-Cooking by Mimi |
| which I need large quantities (Such as, if one the | | | | Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg and Dinner's in the |
| items on your list is "20 pounds of chicken breasts," | | | | Freezer by Jill Bond. |
| note beside that item how many cups need to be | | | | |