I’m so excited to share with you a post from one of my favorite women I follow! She is a fellow “big-family” mom expecting her seventh baby in February. If you’re a Trim Healthy Mama, you’ve probably heard of her and even used several of her recipes. If not, head over to her site for some delicious healthy foods for you and your family! One of our favorite simple meals of hers is White Bean Chicken Soup. It’s so easy my eight-year-old can make it and it’s delicious! 

Meet Mrs. Sarah Criddle:  

  Hey y’all, I’m Sarah Criddle, a 35 year old Jesus-loving, homeschooling mama of six (going on seven). I’ve been married to my love and handsome husband, Jarod, for 15 years! I help him run our plumbing company out here in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. In my share time I love living life with my family, watching beautiful Hill Country Sunsets, drinking iced tea, watching my kiddos grow, enjoying my husband playing his guitar, creating new recipes and managing my blog. 

Today, she is sharing with us tips to keep meals simple!

Tips on Keeping Meals Simple for Homeschooling Families

We are a homeschooling family of 6 kids going on 7 in February. Once we start back up with school it pretty much consumes our day. Especially teaching 8th, 5th, 2nd, Kinder and preschool. Not to even mention there is a 15 month old running around.
So we need simple EASY-TO-MAKE meals that can be prepared ahead or made quickly! So I’ve have put together a few ideas on keeping meals doable for the homeschool family!!

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE– if that means having the same thing every week, do it! I love creating recipes and trying new things but once school starts back I need to have go-to recipes that I can throw together quickly or have my older ones be able to prepare it for me. For our weekly dinner meals we usually have Tacos or Taco Salad, Spaghetti, Bean Soup or Lentil Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Fajitas. Most of these can be put on in a crockpot early in the morn to be ready by Dinner! Easy Peasy and oh so yummy! We really like our mexican food! 😉
2. PREPARE AHEAD– If you can choose a day, preferably a weekend, to prep food for the coming week, it’s a BIG help!!! Cut, clean, sort lettuce and veggies for lunches or dinners. Bake cookies, muffins, granola or egg pockets to be ready for breakfast & snacks! Pre-make sandwiches the night before for lunch. Cook bulk meat, season and separate for each meal so you are ready to just place in the crockpot for dinner!
3. SNACK BAGS– Kids love being able to just go grab their snacks when it’s snack time. Have each kiddo a container with a prepared easy snack. Good items to have in a snack bag would be: a box of raisins, pretzels, celery, an apple or apple slices or even a small container or apple sauce, homemade trailmix is great too. Try to keep things as SUGAR FREE to keep kids focused and not running around crazy from too much sugar. You can have your kids help you prepare these the night before or assign a big kid this task!
4. MAKE A MENU & GROCERY LIST– WOW does this help!! Write out everything down to snacks and drinks to you are fully prepared when the weeks starts! You won’t need to make a run for milk and disturb your school day! You can focus on school and not food! Bless your husband too by making his favorite meal or dessert!
5. LET YOUR KIDS HELP– I understand if you have littles this can be a hard thing. But if you have older or middle kids this can be a great learning experience for them! Let the older kids have a buddy and prepare lunch for that buddy! By doing that it helps them practice being unselfish! Or let your middle kids help bake cookies with you. Kids pick up so much from learning how to follow the directions of a recipe and measuring out ingredients! Schooling right there in the kitchen!
6. CLEAN AS YOU GO- if you have already done so much of the prep work for each meal than clean up should not be so hard. Clean up after each meal. This really will help when it’s time to put dinner on the table. You won’t feel overwhelmed by the mess! If you can afford to have paper plates, cups & bowls that helps with the cleaning process. If not, it’s still doable! Have your kids only use ONE cup. Assign someone to each clean up job: wiping down the table, putting dishes in the sink, washing lunch dishes, sweeping up dining floor. Team Work helps get the job quickly!!
You can do this, Mama! Homeschooling IS hard but oh so rewarding! Having a plan and being prepared is a homeschooling mama’s best friend! And don’t forget your husband!! Ask what he would like for dinner or breakfast and try to accommodate him. Make his favorite cookies! He will be super happy and so will you! Be blessed and happy homeschooling!

By Sarah Criddle
You can follow Sarah at: www.mrscriddleskitchen.com, www.facebook.com/mrscriddleskitchen, www.instagram.com/mrscriddleskitchen, www.twitter.com/MrsSarahCriddle

Check out Sarah’s recipes and let me know which one you’ll be trying first! 

Thank you Sarah for these amazing, helpful tips! My husband read this over my shoulder and loves your suggestion to make his favorite cookies! He’s elbowing me right now….off to the kitchen I go! 

Until next time,

The Farm Wyfe