Largish families How to keep the food flowing....needs tip and hints

[Oakblossoms]

So, what do you do to keep the tummies full and the food a flowin...

[Julie in CA]

Lots of dried pinto beans, cooked up in the crockpot and then pureed, along with lots of flour tortillas and a little cheese. I can feed a dozen hungry teenagers with less than $5. Sometimes I make rice to go with it, sometimes not.

[scrappyhappymama]

:bigear:

[ElizaG]

We get a lot of mileage out of my secret casserole recipe: make a cream sauce; put it in a baking dish along with whatever looks tasty (chopped up); sprinkle something on top; bake @ about 350 until bubbly. What it lacks in detail, it makes up for in flexibility. ;)

 

Hot cereal, soup, and shepherd's pie are also popular. And sandwiches made with cheese, liverwurst, nut butters, or canned fish. Those would usually be served with a bit of salad, apples or bananas, and milk for those who want it.

 

Whatever I do, though, DS6 is never full for more than 10 minutes. :001_huh:

[mamakim]

Older ds puts a loaf of bread into the bread machine before bed almost every night. Not all of us can eat that, but it helps fill those who do.

 

Popcorn about 2 or 3 in the afternoon with more or less creative toppings holds them off for dinner.

 

You're in my general neck of the woods - do you do Azure Standard? Often they'll have a good price on a good snack produce. We got three big boxes of apples a few months back from them, are keeping them in a cool area, and that makes great snacks, organic, but inexpensive.

 

I second tortillas and having a large batch of crockpot refried beans in the fridge. They can be the vehicle for fridge forage for hungry teen boys at odd times.

[Melissa in Australia]

My DH has a garden the size of a tennis court, we also have a house cow. It really helps keep them full.

[MomatHWTK]

I like the bread and the beans ideas. I used to do these things but have gotten out of the practice. I don't have a huge group, but they eat constantly! I need more of these easy self-serve items.

[tex-mex]

When I was a kid, we had no food in the house -- except a 25 lb. bag of dried pinto beans. It is amazing what you can survive on! ;)

 

I think anyone would enjoy a bowl of crock pot pinto beans and homemade cornbread.

 

Here is an easy corn (spoon) bread using JIFFY mixes:

 

1 box JIFFY cornbread mix

1 stick butter (melted)

1 egg (or 2 eggs - optional)

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

(OPTIONAL: green chilies, pre-cooked taco meat, etc.)

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Pour into a 9" pyrex baking dish -- that has been pregreased with PAM.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until browned on top.

Serves 8. (Double this for your crew)

[Ibbygirl]

When I was a kid, we had no food in the house -- except a 25 lb. bag of dried pinto beans. It is amazing what you can survive on! ;)

 

 

Do you have a recipe for the refried beans too perchance?? :bigear:

[DawnM]

Only one of my kids will eat beans. Dh won't eat them either.

 

Middle son is super picky. He also has some taste/texture issues it seems and will gag on some things or throw up after eating them.

 

We do: snacks of tortilla chips and salsa, pita chips and hummus (although again, only one will add the hummus.) Crackers and cheese, crackers and PB, they can also feel free to heat up left over rice or potatoes, which they do like.

[Cricket]

Do you have a recipe for the refried beans too perchance?? :bigear:

 

Not Tex-mex but we like this recipe:

 

Refried Beans Without the Refry

 

 

 

• 1 onion , peeled and halved

• 3 cups dry pinto beans , rinsed

• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper , seeded and chopped

• 2 tablespoons garlic , minced

• 3 -4 teaspoons salt , adjust to personal taste

• 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

• 9 cups water

 

 

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain the desired consistency.

 

 

 

 

[kalanamak]

I come from a large family, and my mother did it by cooking known successes on a very tight schedule.

 

Lunch was at noon, dinner at 6, and I mean AS THE CLOCK was chiming*. We were allowed free range fruit (bushel of apples or oranges or grapefruits were always on hand), and a glass of milk, but all snacking and foods had to stop an hour before meals. If you were hungry in that hour, you could request something, and I recall getting a handful of raisins or a graham cracker only when I was rather little.

 

Also, if there was dessert, it almost always protein: custard, e.g.

 

*This was so ingrained that the dog knew to go get her at 4 pm, to get a walk so she could be back and start dinner at 5 pm. One day he woke up early and got her at 3. She walked him, started dinner, and got everything prepped without glancing at a clock. She had the china and linen and all the serving dishes full on the table and only realized with a jerk that she was all alone in the house at 5. :lol:

[Quiver0f10]

I come from a large family, and my mother did it by cooking known successes on a very tight schedule.

 

Lunch was at noon, dinner at 6, and I mean AS THE CLOCK was chiming*. We were allowed free range fruit (bushel of apples or oranges or grapefruits were always on hand), and a glass of milk, but all snacking and foods had to stop an hour before meals. If you were hungry in that hour, you could request something, and I recall getting a handful of raisins or a graham cracker only when I was rather little.

 

Also, if there was dessert, it almost always protein: custard, e.g.

 

*This was so ingrained that the dog knew to go get her at 4 pm, to get a walk so she could be back and start dinner at 5 pm. One day he woke up early and got her at 3. She walked him, started dinner, and got everything prepped without glancing at a clock. She had the china and linen and all the serving dishes full on the table and only realized with a jerk that she was all alone in the house at 5. :lol:

 

This. We eat at set times and limit snacks. I have learned that for my family sandwiches don't really hold them so we eat 3 large meals a day. We used to do cookies or a sweet snack in the afternoons but now we have fruit or veggies or a small handful of almonds.

[indigomama]

For Dinners:

 

We frequently have beans and rice in various forms.

Soup or stews.

Roast chicken every Sunday.

Winter squash is cheap right now and filling.

 

Snacks:

clementines

popcorn,popcorn,popcorn

apples with peanut butter

carrots and hummus

nuts

occasionally chips and salsa

 

Breakfast:

eggs and oatmeal/cream of wheat

pancakes on Saturdays

[Pretty in Pink]

I make large batches of granola during the weekend that my kids eat for breakfasts and snacks during the week.

 

Popcorn or seasonal produce for snacks. Apples, citrus, carrots, celery, bananas are always inexpensive.

 

I cook huge batches of beans in the slow cooker, drain, and freeze. It's easy to scoop some out for lunches throughout the week.

 

Eggs are an inexpensive source of protein.

 

I buy rice and other grains in bulk. They are so versatile.

[Ibbygirl]

Not Tex-mex but we like this recipe:

 

Refried Beans Without the Refry

 

 

 

• 1 onion , peeled and halved

• 3 cups dry pinto beans , rinsed

• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper , seeded and chopped

• 2 tablespoons garlic , minced

• 3 -4 teaspoons salt , adjust to personal taste

• 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

• 9 cups water

 

 

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain the desired consistency.

 

 

 

 

 

OOOOH that sounds great! I like that it doesn't have the fry too! :) Is that a typo though that it is supposed to cook on "High"? I always slow cook black beans on low. Thank you so much Garga. :) :grouphug:

 

I come from a large family, and my mother did it by cooking known successes on a very tight schedule.

 

Lunch was at noon, dinner at 6, and I mean AS THE CLOCK was chiming*. We were allowed free range fruit (bushel of apples or oranges or grapefruits were always on hand), and a glass of milk, but all snacking and foods had to stop an hour before meals. If you were hungry in that hour, you could request something, and I recall getting a handful of raisins or a graham cracker only when I was rather little.

 

Also, if there was dessert, it almost always protein: custard, e.g.

 

*This was so ingrained that the dog knew to go get her at 4 pm, to get a walk so she could be back and start dinner at 5 pm. One day he woke up early and got her at 3. She walked him, started dinner, and got everything prepped without glancing at a clock. She had the china and linen and all the serving dishes full on the table and only realized with a jerk that she was all alone in the house at 5. :lol:

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Too funny! hehehe

Edited January 29, 2012 by Ibbygirl

[Cricket]

OOOOH that sounds great! I like that it doesn't have the fry too! :) Is that a typo though that it is supposed to cook on "High"? I always slow cook black beans on low. Thank you so much Garga. :) :grouphug:

 

 

 

:lol::lol::lol::lol: Too funny! hehehe

 

I've always cooked the beans on High. But I have an older slow cooker. I think the newer ones cook at a higher temp so you could probably use low.

[Ibbygirl]

Not Tex-mex but we like this recipe:

 

Refried Beans Without the Refry

 

 

• 1 onion , peeled and halved
  
• 3 cups dry pinto beans , rinsed
  
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper , seeded and chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons garlic , minced
  
• 3 -4 teaspoons salt , adjust to personal taste
  
• 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper
  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
  
• 9 cups water
  

Place the onion, rinsed beans, jalapeno, garlic, salt pepper, and cumin into a slow cooker. Pour in the water and stir to combine. Cook on High for 8 hours, adding more water as needed. Note: if more than 1 cup of water has evaporated during cooking, then the temperature is too high.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them, and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain the desired consistency.

 

I've always cooked the beans on High. But I have an older slow cooker. I think the newer ones cook at a higher temp so you could probably use low.

 

Ugh! I just realized I got your screen name wrong! I'm sorry. I hardly slept and am totally fried today. I don't have a slow cooker. I just use a big pot on the stove top. When I normally make beans I cook them covered in my big pot on the stove at #2 inbetween low and medium Will that work for your recipe do you think? I apologize again about the screen name mixup. I don't know why I confused your avatar with Garga's. :confused:

[Mommee & Baba]

Only one of my kids will eat beans. Dh won't eat them either.

 

Middle son is super picky. He also has some taste/texture issues it seems and will gag on some things or throw up after eating them.

 

We do: snacks of tortilla chips and salsa, pita chips and hummus (although again, only one will add the hummus.) Crackers and cheese, crackers and PB, they can also feel free to heat up left over rice or potatoes, which they do like.

 

Our house too. I can live off of beans and my middler can. The rest of the house even groans when they are served once every 2 weeks.

 

However we have snacks like Dawn listed above.

 

I also bag up my own oatmeal microwave portions for those that want more than snacky foods. My family will also eat a bowl of grits. Both oatmeal and grits are cheap and filling.

[HLDoll]

I use the same bean recipe as a previous poster, only I double it in my large crockpot. I cook up a big pot of rice and we eat in burritos, in bowls and on nachos for a week. I do this about every 2 weeks and my kids love it and ask for it even more often than that. I need a break after a week of beans though!