Conagra Brands sponsored this post, but the opinions are my own. Are you feeling fall yet? Our temperatures are still lingering in the mid 70’s. I did feel the leaves crunching beneath my feet when I went for a walk today! It is hard to believe the holidays are hiding around the corner. And Caitlin is halfway through her first semester in college! Where is the time going people?!
If I said the life of a mom is a busy one, I bet I would be preaching to the choir, right?! Where do you find time to juggle everything you do? As the kids get older, I have more to juggle! One area I tend to struggle with is meal time. I want the kids to have a tasty home cooked me. But who has the dang time?! I decided it was time to work smarter not hard. That is why I came up with these clever meal time hacks for busy moms!
- Enlist Help: When you get help in the kitchen, you free yourself up for other things. Kids as young as two can help in the kitchen. They may not be much help but you are setting the foundation. Ask them to bring you a towel or a spoon. As kids get older, give them more responsibility. Older kids can wash vegetables, cut veggies (supervised) or prepare side dishes.
- Keep It Simple: For side dishes, we keep it easy. We serve lots of salads, vegetables, and bakery bread. The kids are teens, so they can make boxed sides like scalloped potatoes or rice.
- Easy Meals: I am all for a home cooked meal. Trouble is, I don’t have time for that during the week. Instead, I stock up on a family favorite that is warm, tasty and more like a full dinner for my family. We stock up on Banquet Pot Pies from Walmart. They are the perfect option for busy moms like me!
- Digital Apps: Take advantage of your mobile device. You can tap into coupons, rewards and keep a running shopping list. I love using the ibotta app for cash back rewards on everyday purchases. On grocery shopping day, you are ready to hit the ground running. It is one of my favorite clever meal time hacks for busy moms.
- Cook Extra: Whenever I cook, be it from scratch or a Banquet Pot Pies, I made plenty. This makes it easy to heat up leftovers the next day. When the kids are hungry, they can reheat them in the microwave.
- Grocery Pick Up Services: I will admit, I was skeptical of using the new grocery pick up services. Our local Walmart instituted theirs a few weeks ago. I am so picky about my produce. How could I trust someone to do my shopping for me? Well, at Walmart, I trust them and they never disappoint. I love shopping online, driving to Walmart and having my groceries ready when I get there. What a time saver!
I have been eating Banquet meals for as long as I can remember. I was raised by a single mom. She wanted foods my sister and I would love that were also affordable and easy to prepare. Banquet fit seamlessly into that plan. As a mom myself, I appreciate the homemade taste, convenience and wholesome ingredients. The pot pies from Banquet are as close to a from scratch meal as I can get!
When we head to Walmart for our weekly grocery shopping, we stock up on our favorite Banquet Pot Pies. There are so many flavors to choose from. They offer Chicken, Chicken Broccoli, Beef, Turkey, and Sausage Gravy. Currently, we cannot get enough of the Chicken Pot Pies. You get that golden flaky crust from scratch with that creamy goodness underneath. Then you get chunks of chicken, peas and carrots. Oh my yum! My kids will dip a piece of bread in to get the last bit of that filling!
On days like yesterday, I don’t have much time to get dinner on the table. With two hungry teens in the house, meal time is something they look forward to. And when they are hungry, they don’t want to wait for me to prepare a complex meal. Thank goodness for those Banquet Pot Pies! I heat up a loaf of $1 bread from the bakery, make a salad and dinner is on the table. I can feed my family in 30 minutes, and this busy mom loves that!
To get that beautiful flaky crust, be sure to make your Banquet Pot Pies in the oven. They only take about 30 minutes to cook. And trust me, you will thank me! The kids love that first time the fork breaks into that crust and the filling oozes out! And what makes buying these delicious pot pies from Walmart, are the savings! The prices at Walmart are already super affordable. And with ibotta, you save even more! Currently, when you buy 2 Banquet Pot Pies 16 oz. or smaller, you will earn $0.50 with ibotta. Aw yeah! So, let’s get dinner going ya’ll!
What are your favorite clever meal time hacks for busy moms (or dads!) I would love to hear in the comments below!
These are some great ideas. I tend to do meal prep on less busy days. I also have some easy meal recipes saved that are go tos when I don’t have much time.
I like their pot pies. Good crust and fillings.
That is a great idea. I will do this when the family comes for a long weekend. It will make it so easy. Thank you for the idea.
The supermarkets are getting much better at offering ready to cook meals. Also one of my favorite services today is called Peapod. You go online, order your groceries, and they’re delivered right to your door. Makes my life much easier. And it cuts down on extra purchases that used to happen as I wandered the aisles. Fewer cookies.
These Banquet pot pies do look so good, I’d like to try them. I never really thought about how much time is saving picking up groceries ready for you, but wow, it is a good idea, and seems to be catching on. I do order some online sometimes, but not fresh.
My husband loves those pot pies. They are so cheap too. Perfect for a night that I don’t have time, or let’s be honest, don’t want to cook!
These jacks are perfect.my kids.love thoes pies
good idea i have never tried Banquet pot pies before and i think i’ll give it a try
Meal planning is my ultimate hack! I hate scrambling last minute to cook.
I like to cook a bunch of stuff on Sunday evenings to have it ready for the week. Makes mealtime much simpler.
I am always looking for quick meals for my family, so this is helpful! My family is pretty picky, so I have a hard time figuring out what to make!
OH we LOVE potpies and they are sooo easy
We are all about saving time on meals at our house! I admit…I haven’t had a Banquet Chicken Pot Pie in years–my Mom used to buy these as a busy and working Mom and I loved them!
I love a chicken or turkey pot pie, perfect as the weather gets colder. I have a tough time cooking during the week too.
I love pot pies. I ate a pot pie everyday while I was pregnant. They are still my fav.
Ooh, I love pot pies. They are easy to bake and fill you up!
You can’t go wrong with some pot pies! I haven’t had them in a long time.
Love this! I always try to cook extra. I have 4 hungry boys so extra always is reheated and eaten. Love the pot pies you posted those are one of my favorite freezer items that the kids can heat up themselves is mama is busy
These are great ideas. I need this for my family. They love homemade pot pies, yet these look quite tasty. Thanks for the hacks.
I like your tip about cooking extra! My Mom does it and it is nice there is always food available in the kitchen. The family ended up always hanging out in the kitchen. 🙂
Meal planning is absolutely the best. My mom does it as well. We usually hang out in the kitchen and we help our parents prepare food.
These are awesome tips! Taking advantage of coupons and deals online is amazing. I can earn or save on it. I also like that it is possible to shop for grocery items now.
My family love their pot pies. They have the best crust and fillings
Oh my word, this looks incredible. I have not had a pot pie in ages. I need to change this!
These are actually some of my favorites! So quick and easy! The kids love them!
I am a huge fan of easy meals! These Banquet style ones always have a home in my freezer for those nights we don’t have time for a big meal.
I love their pot pies. They are such comfort food. They make cold days comfortable.
Banquet Pot Pies remind me of my childhood! Every Friday was grocery day and because my grandmother was in no mood to cook after work & shopping she would buy us these and that was dinner!
I bought these two days ago and had them. It brought back such good memories. We had them way back when. Thank you for bringing back memories.