CountingToTen
Sharing how we’re loving life and living it to the fullest!
Three boys, one dog, one chinchilla…Sometimes, you just have to STOP…and Count To Ten.
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The countdown begins! Only a few more weeks until FAMILY and FRIENDS descend upon your house bringing glad tidings and good will. Be assured, they will ALSO bring along empty bellies in need of nourishment. BUT, don’t worry…I’m here to tell you how I #PlanAhead and with little stress, make the easiest family size meals.
It all starts with a short shopping list of goodies to keep on hand for those surprise guests. Head on over to Walmart and grab the following:
- Stouffer’s Party Size Lasagna with Meat Sauce
- Stouffer’s Party Size Macaroni and Cheese
- Digiorno Rising Crust Pizza (Pepperoni is usually a safe bet)
- Dreyer’s Limited Edition Light Peppermint Wonderland Ice Cream
- Dreyer’s Limited Edition Light A Very Merry Eggnogg Ice Cream
- lettuce (tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, dressing, croutons)
- garlic bread (frozen will be easier to keep on hand)
- lemon/lime soda
The Plan:
To keep these frozen foods in YOUR freezer, so there’s NO stress when company arrives. It’s all there and ready to go.
Salad…keep a big bowl made in the refrigerator. Not only will you have a healthy snack when you’re craving something, you will always have a fresh salad ready for your family and friends.
When time is really tight, only needing 20 minutes to cook the Digiorno pizza is a LIFE SAVER! Just add a side salad and you’ll look like a rock star!
You guys know that I’m from the south…and just LOVE my macaroni and cheese. By serving it in a cute dish with green peas…you’ll have people wondering how long you were cooking in the kitchen before they arrived!
and…then, the crowd favorite….LASAGNA! Not only will this heat up your house while cooking and fill the air with the wonderful aroma of tomato sauce and garlic…you’ll fill the bellies and mouths of your pickiest glad-tiding visitors!
Served with a side salad (that you’ve kept ready in the fridge) and some garlic bread (that you just pulled from the freezer)…a feast for the eyes.
Now…if you got everything on my shopping list, you’ll also have some ice cream in the freezer. Time to pull it out…add a little lemon/lime soda…and you have a most wonderful frosty drink to serve with your meals.
Your guests will be pleased, their bellies full, and you should give yourself a pat on the back for making it through another holiday season without breaking your back OR the bank!
If you need a little more help for the holidays, check out Meals.com.
You can also follow Nestle on Twitter or Facebook.
Nestle is also featured in the Live SoFab Digital Magazine. Here, you’ll find inspiration for all things HOLIDAYS!
Which food would YOU purchase to #PlanAhead for your holiday guests?
Great ideas! Macn&Cheese is my favorite!! Especially with Jamaican Cheddar, YUM!
Jamaican cheddar?? I’ll have to try that!
i like theses ideas & plus its making me hungry, cause it looks tasty
Can you imagine how much of this I ate?? SOO…much!
I love stouffer’s lasagna! These are great ideas!
All of these ideas sound wonderful, and I have a big, upright freezer in the basement ready to load up with supplies for unexpected guests! My only concern is, if I make up a salad ahead of time with cucumbers and tomatoes it always gets soggy. My fix for this is to have the tomatoes and cucumbers chopped up and ready, but stored in their own containers. Then it’s quick to toss them into the salad! Thanks again for the ideas (I love the mac & cheese with peas, and I know my kids would love that one too!
Great ideas- keeping a few crowd-pleasers in the freezer is a great idea! More time to spend with the guests, less time stressing in the kitchen.
OMG!! This post is evil!!!! I want everything in my mouth right this second!!!!!
Thanks Jess!
i am so glad you posted this! I will be bookmarking it and using it as a reference for when my husband gets back from deployment!
These are great ideas! They also work for those busy days that you don’t have time to cook because you have Christmas concerts, spent too much time Christmas shopping or any other excuse you have !
Amen! Thank heavens for Stouffer’s and these meals! It’s saved my life SO many times.
Thanks for sharing!!! I love this idea of making it ahead of time… can’t wait to try these recipes.. Mac n cheese is one of my favorites..
I dare say you’ve talked me into it! Looks fantastic, every single bit of the meal!
I love slipping in the veggies into the Mac N Cheese!!! #client
Thanks. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Better to try than not. (that sounded kind of Yoda-ish huh?)
Looks yummy! My kids love the lasagna
I think it’s a GREAT go-to meal for kids…most love it!
I’m just in love with the new Light Peppermint Wonderland and A Very Merry Eggnogg limited edition ice cream flavors and the lasagna is always a life saver when it comes to unexpected holiday guests.