One thing every good cook knows is that it is more economical, and most often healthier, to eat at home rather than to eat out. Even “cheap” fast food restaurants are not so cheap anymore, and their foods are typically fried and loaded with fat.

Cooking takes time, though, and proper shopping must be done to keep a well stocked pantry. However, you can simplify your life using once a month cooking methods that will provide you with quickly prepared meals whenever you need them.

How to Get Started with a Once A Month Cooking Plan

Here are a few ideas on how cooking ahead can save you time and money:

* Save money by buying in bulk. Most all grocers sell meat cheaper by the pound when you buy larger quantities. The same is true for many other grocery products.

* Planning meals in advance helps you better plan your shopping, and if a plan for a meal is in place, you won’t be as tempted to dine out.

* Let family members help by assigning duties. Not only does it help you, but kids also learn something very useful in the process.

Here’s a typical once a month cooking plan:

1. Plan the menu. You can choose if you want to use your plan for evening meals only or three meals per day, depending on your work situation and your daily regime.

2. After the menu is determined, make a list of ingredients needed. Many items may already be on hand. Create a shopping list for the rest, taking into account any items with a short shelf life. Plan the shopping accordingly, based on meal serving date and the shelf life of the ingredients.

3. If you have a computer, it is a great idea to store your information there so you can use it to create future month’s plans.

Determine what can be cooked ahead of time. In this example, we are going to cook chicken. You can roast three or four chickens in the oven, one or two at a time depending on your oven size. Then, the steps are as follows:

a) Remove the chicken from the bones and place the meat aside.

b) For 3-4 chickens, make two different batches* (see note) of broth by adding the bones into a pot with three quarts of water, two stalks of celery cut into 4″ pieces, and half an onion for each batch. Simmer for about an hour then strain through cheese cloth, reserving broth. Discard bones, celery and onion. Place broth in freezer containers, label, and store in freezer in quantities needed.

* (note) You could use all the bones to make one batch, but you gain more by using the flavor from the bones to create two batches rather than one.

c) Separate meat into required amount per meal, place in dollar store zip lock bags, label and store in freezer.

Now you have delicious homemade chicken stock and plenty of delicious chicken. Here’s meal ideas for the chicken and the broth:

* Chicken enchiladas
* Chicken spaghetti
* Chicken and dumplings (uses the broth)
* Chicken noodle soup (uses the broth)
* Chicken and dressing (uses the broth)
* Chicken and rice (uses the broth)
* Chicken tacos
* Chicken nachos
* Barbecue chicken sandwiches
* Chicken salad sandwiches

These are just a few of the meals you can create using the broth and the chicken. There is very little waste because you’ve used not only the meat, but also the bones to create the broth, so you don’t have to buy broth from the grocery.

Equipment and Cookware Needed

Your standard cooking equipment you use any other time will work just fine for once a month cooking. A large stockpot is essential, and you also need a reliable freezer. It is recommended if you plan to cook ahead that you have a freezer separate from the one that is part of your refrigerator. You want plenty of storage room and the ability to find items easily.

You also need to have plenty of freezer storage bags and containers that are freezer safe. You can shop for these at discount stores for best prices. If you use casserole dishes for freezer meals, these also need to be freezer safe and not all of them are recommended to go straight from freezer to oven, so be sure to check.

Meals that Freeze Well

You can also make stews and soups ahead of time as well as many delicious casseroles, desserts, and side dishes. Many recipes even list whether or not they freeze well. Some typical choices for freezable meals include:

* Spaghetti (freeze with noodles and meat in single plastic container; take straight from freezer, run cool water over bottom of frozen container and drop contents into crock pot; set to warm; when ready, add a salad and bread, and dinner’s on)

* Chicken noodle casserole (freeze entire casserole; thaw the night before in the refrigerator; place in oven about one hour before dinner; add bread and a fruit or green salad, and supper is done)

There are many other great dishes that work well for once a month cooking, and you probably have some great ideas of your own already “simmering.” Many recipes are adaptable to freezer storage. Be sure to date and label what you freeze, and you can create a month’s worth of meals for your convenience, saving you both time and money.