Trying to feed everyone dinner while we're out of the house so much is quite a task. We could run through a drive-thru every night. With the cost of feeding a family of seven in a drive-thru, coupled with the lack of any nutritional value, we really hate doing that.
I decided I had to get organized and plan ahead if I wanted to survive the spring. So I developed a Game Day Cooler checklist. I did this because, although picnic packing is the obvious choice, not having a guide for what to pack when we've got to be somewhere in 30 minutes and I'm in a hurry is a formula for the "forget it" attitude. But if I have a checklist, which takes away the "thinking on the fly" aspect of packing, I set myself up for success.
So now, about an hour before we have to be somewhere, I start packing my Rachael Ray Cooler Tote with the items in my Game Day Cooler checklist. Many of the non-perishables just stay in the cooler all the time. The other night, I even added steamed asparagus (which we ate with our hands) and watermelon slices with our hot dogs for the baseball game. How "All-American" is that?
I've used my cooler checklist for other outings as well - it's not just for game nights. Whenever we're going to be gone for several hours and I know my children will ask for something to eat, I take this cooler in our van with us.
Now, I feel confident my family is eating healthy and cheap during this busy sports season. That makes this mom very happy!
That is a great idea! It's inevitable if we get stuck out side of home for longer than I anticipated I am never prepared when my children start getting hungry. Thanks for the inspiration I'm going to do this!
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