The Ultimate Guide to a Month of Meals

Hi.  I'm Ashley. I am a recovering user of boxed, powdery, microwavable, instant meals.  

Ok, I'm only partly kidding there.  In all seriousness though, I have come a good long way from my days of Hamburger Helper and instant potatoes (that somehow become mashed potatoes from a mystery white powder).  

I know Mom.  It WAS bad.  I admit it.

Was it because I didn't know how to cook?  At the time, I wasn't sure if I knew how to or not.  But, I finally came to realize later on….WAY later on...that it wasn't that I didn't know how to cook, it was that I had no time to cook.  A teacher, married to a coach, welcoming their first child.  Friends, life was packed!  And you know what?  It still is.  But THERE IS A WAY and I think I've found it.

The answer?

Freezer meals and crock pot meals, my friends.

Easy stuff, y'all.  Let me help.

First you need this:  A crock pot.  And not just any crock pot, but one with a timer.  The timer is what revolutionized this whole 'preparing ahead of time' thing for me.  Guys, we are gone for a total of 9 to 10 hours during the day.  I would not be able to do this if it weren't for the crock pot that I can set from high to low to warm.  This one is at a great price and works wonderfully for all that it needs to do.

Second, make sure you stock up on your 'supplies'.  Ziplock gallon bags, a sharpie, all your cutting utensils, measuring cups, aluminum throw away casserole pans, etc.  

Third and lastly…the recipes!  These recipes are NOT from Ashley's Kitchen.  I'm not that creative.  I did not come up with these recipes, but I sure can scout them out and give credit where credit is due.  These are from the geniuses around the blog world, and I've searched high and low for the ones that fit the best with our lifestyle (and that are good to eat too!).  

So, let's get started, shall we?
Here is a master list of recipes with their source that my family enjoys. 

1.  Sweet and Tangy Meatballs from Six Sisters' Stuff.  

Have you heard of these ladies?  I absolutely love their recipes! 

2. Cool Ranch Chicken Tacos from New Leaf Wellness.  

The directions start out with it being a crock pot meal, but then goes on to give directions on it becoming a freezer meal.

3.  Balsamic Roast Beef from Primally Inspired.  

I have done this both freezer as well as thrown into the crockpot in the a.m.  

4. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken from Emily Bites 

Again, if you want it to be a freezer meal, throw all ingredients in a ziplock! Or crock pot in the a.m.

5. Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Pulled Pork from Spend With Pennies

I do this one straight crock pot without freezing, but again.  Anything is freezable! 

6. Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings by Passionate Penny Pinchers

Easiest dumplings ever.  After about 6 hours on low, add biscuits for another 30 minutes. POOF. Done. 

7. Ravioli Lasagna by Neat Nest Organizing

This is a straight up freezer meal that you put in the oven when ready.  This is so easy and so kid friendly! 

8. Tuscan Pasta from Six Sisters' Stuff (shocker!)

This one you will need to make beforehand, then throw in the freezer, but it's worth it! 

9.  Beef Enchiladas by One Hundred Dollars a Month 

Minimal ingredients and SUPER easy freezer meal. 

10. Chicken Parmesan Casserole by Thriving Home Blog

Freeze before baking.  Yes please.  

11. The Best Healthy Turkey Chili by Ambitious Kitchen 

Cook turkey, then throw everything into the crock pot!  OR in a ziplock for a freezer meal. 

12. 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Fajitas by Fit Slow Cooker Queen

Crock Pot OR Freezer! 

13. Chicken Enchilada Soup by The Magical Slow Cooker 

Put ingredients together, put in freezer, and when ready: crock pot, of course!

14. Freezer Meal Chicken Enchiladas by Live Craft Eat
I love that this one requires minimal ingredients, but still wonderful!

15. Slow Cooker Potato Soup  by Once A Month Meals
Easy! And has bacon. Need I say more?

16. Honey Soy Pork Tenderloin by Add a Pinch
Straight up slow cooker recipe!  Easy - especially easy to throw in at last minute!

17. Chicken Tater Tot Casserole by Plain Chicken
Make ahead and FREEZE!  Easy.  Minimal ingredients!

18. Bourbon Chicken by Bargain Briana
No cooking ahead of time, basically just throwing the ingredients in a freezer bag and label.  You're good to go!

19. Sloppy Joes by One Hundred Dollars a Month
Freezer Meal…Saute onion and meat, then throw the rest of the ingredients in a freezer bag.  When ready, heat in a skillet! That's easy enough for me!

20. Lemon Pesto Chicken by Frugal Living Mom
Freezer meal! Just put all together and then put in oven when ready.  This calls for 'homemade pesto'. I do NOT use homemade pesto, I repeat.  I do NOT do the homemade pesto thing.  I buy it. :)

21. Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups by Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats
This one has a tad of prep, but if you are making all these in one day, you're prepping anyway…so…
Great to throw in the freezer and take out when ready and bake!  Love it.

22. Slow Cooker Chicken Philly Cheesesteak by Six Sisters' Stuff (surprised?  Gosh I love them!)
This is SO easy and SO good!

23. Crock Pot Garlic Parmesan Chicken by The Frugal Girls
Easy, easy, easy!  Something I love to throw in the crock pot before leaving for work!  You can throw this in a freezer bag, thaw, then dump in a crock pot.

24. Crockpot Orange Chicken by The Frugal Girls
Another easy one with minimal ingredients.  I was surprised at how good this was!  I actually put this in a freezer bag and took out when I was ready, then put in the crockpot.

25.  Crock Pot Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs by I Wash You Dry
Oh my word.  The easiest.  I usually do this on a Sunday or Saturday because this doesn't have to be in the crock pot for THAT long (compared to the ones I can leave in for 6-8 hours then switched to warm).   Easy and KID friendly!

26.  Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells by Kristine's Kitchen Blog
Make Ahead Freezer Meal! Love this one; easy to put together and easy to put in the freezer!

27.  Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken by Six Sisters' Stuff (again)
Yum!  Put all ingredients in a freezer bag, then toss in crock pot after thawing for 24 hours.

28.  Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana with Sweet Potatoes by New Leaf Wellness
Crock pot OR freezer meal! Provides directions on how to make it a freezer.

29.  BBQ Ribs Recipe by Taste of Home
Taste of Home is near and dear to my heart.  My grandmother gave me a subscription for me before she passed, and it has always reminded me of her!  This is the easiest crock pot OR freezer meal ever.   And SO yummy.

30.  Crockpot Italian Pork Roast another one by New Leaf Wellness
Easy…crockpot or freezer meal!

And there you have it!  Thirty crock pot or freezer meals.  And really, all of these can be freezer meals.  I usually decide what I want to make a freezer meal based on the amount of meals + the time I have + the ingredients that might go bad.

Now for the shopping.  Because I love you, I have provided you a MASTER GROCERY SHOPPING LIST of these 30 meals.  I'm thinking a visit to Costco would be a wise thing to do as you load up!  See how long these meals last you.  It's such a gift when the month is gone and I STILL have freezer meals/crockpot meals left.

MASTER GROCERY LIST FOR 30 CROCK POT AND FREEZER MEALS

If the master list scares you (it might…), I would suggest taking about 6-8 of these recipes and then trying that out first.  See how you like it and how long they last in your household.

It was a pleasure providing this list for you! I hope it helps you during the dinner hours, and more importantly, awards you more time with what is most important: YOUR FAMILY.

6 Things Coaches' Wives Have in Common

When I married into the coach's wife life, I had not one single clue what I had gotten myself into.  Not a clue, I tell ya'!  Possibly and similarly to the fire fighter's wife, the administrator's wife, the cop's wife, and so forth…

Let me give you a quick (emphasis on quick) summary:

Later into my teenage life, I knew that one of my 'prerequisites' in a husband was that he would be a coach.  I didn't know any other details.  I really didn't have any other items that were on my list.  Of course,  I wanted him to be handsome, but the coach thing was the only one item I really had my eye on.  There's always at least one thing that people have in mind for a spouse.  What about, "I want my husband to have green eyes", or, "I want him to be shorter", or, "I want him to have good hands".  Same thought process.  I had in my mind that my spouse was going to, one way or the other, be a coach.  I tell young girls often, don't ever give up on that one thing that you want.  God has put it there for a reason; stick with it, don't lower your expectations, and be on the lookout.

Enter: MY COACH.  Oh man…I was smitten from the moment I met him!  Now wait a minute, this is not a blog post on our wedded bliss+married life, BUT, I was taken by this young man that I met in college.  I will never forget the day we talked about what we wanted to do after college, and he preceded to tell me that he wanted to coach.  Oh LAWD. He had no idea what he had just done!  Bells went a-ringin' in my head!  This. Was. It.

And IT, it was.

Fast forward.  Let me just say, imagine that I was trying to sell something I had to offer in a wanted ad.  It would simply say:

Am Independent.  Will Travel.  Will Make New Friends. 

I learned very quickly that my independence was a strength and my ten hour 'getaway' to college was a good learning lesson on how to move across a state as well as plenty of cities and simply adjust and make new friends.  

They may not know it, but I thank my mom and dad daily in my thoughts for raising me in a fashion and mindset of  ~you are able and can do and go anywhere~.  My parents celebrated the fact that I wanted to go far away for college and begin anew.  They celebrated my independent nature.  I love them for that.  Otherwise, I would not have met My Coach or have been able to endure this coach's wife life.   

With all that being said, I learned very quickly that a coach's wife life was not for the faint of heart.  Good gosh, think about it.  Ups. Downs. Talking. Communicating. Answering.  Wins. Losses. Time.  Lots and lots of time.  Time spent on perfecting other players' skills while I wait at home.  While WE (enter: our own kids) wait at home.    

It took some of my own time learning to process it all.  I was often bitter, often confused, and just wanted to know why it took hours upon hours of game planning for one single game.  If it weren't for the community of coaches' wives that were strategically placed around me by our gracious and loving Father, I would've been an absolute mess.  A mess, I tell you. 

Which brings me to this.  The 6 Things Coaches' Wives Have In Common.  Six reasons on why coaches' wives, no matter the distance or the familiarity with each other, will always be family to me. 

1.  We Are Independent.    
There is no way on God's green Earth could we be co-dependent and make it. Nope! Our Coaches need us to be independent and we ARE. They married independent, self-sufficient women! 

2. The Bond. 
When we see each other, we immediately have a bond.  There is a mutual understanding of what each other goes through, and you feel it upon meeting. We have a common goal, a unity, and an understanding of how our life can be during season, and we love each other for it. 

3. We Hear and Don't Talk. 
We listen and we don't repeat. Period. We listen to our coach, empathize with them, hear all the ins and outs, and we keep it right there. As I like to say before conversations: "This is Vegas...". We understand we are there for support, we will stand up and fight for our Coach, and we help navigate tricky waters through the thick of it. There's more to this coach's wife life than meets the eye.  

4. The "My Children are Your Children" Mentality
When we see each other chasing after our small children, we immediately help and run after them too. You know why? Because our husbands are on the field. We have to help because we are family, and we know what it feels like. 

5. We Love the Team.
We love them JUST as much as our Coach does. After all, they are like our sons and daughters. We watch them every weekend, every Friday night, every tournament. We know their numbers. We want every single one of them to succeed. Little do fans know how it isn't only the coach, but it's the wife too that prays for success for every single player. Not for the win, but for the individual to see his/her hard work pay off. And when it does, it's just as exciting for us as it is to anyone else.

6. We Rise and Fall with Our Coach
With a win we celebrate. With a loss we analyze. We talk it out. All with our coach. Never could I ever see my coach lose and keep going on my merry way. No, we are right there with them. With every loss and every win. We feel it too.

Coaches' Wives everywhere.  I love and adore you.  You are the backbone behind your Coach.  He needs you even when the days get long and the nights get late.  Rise up and know that there is a wife out there that supports you and knows your sacrifice.   It's easy to get upset and bitter.  Way easy.  That's the enemy trying to wedge his way in.  Don't let him.  And know that you are an integral part to the team, the school, and most of all, The Coach and his mission field.  

Carry on, Coach's Wife!