If you’re anything like me you experience occasional bouts of forgetfulness. If there is one area I excel at in the forgetfulness category it is when it comes to remembering to take out something to thaw for dinner. Since this can become a problem, (especially if you are a repeat offender), I’m going to share with you how I deal with this problem. First and foremost I always have a few items around for back up! Most of my back up meals can be added to your grocery list for just a few dollars or you might already have the ingredients and just need help putting them together.

Back up Option #1: Breakfast for dinner can be a great back up plan as most people have a few eggs lying about and even the ingredients to make pancakes or waffles (even if you don’t have any pre-bought mix a little flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, milk and butter and now you do have mix.) Bacon or sausage or fruit/veggies on the side and just like magic you have a meal.

Back up Option #2: A quiche or frittata in a pie dish (if you don’t keep around a frozen pie crust or are scared to make one from scratch). The main ingredients are eggs, milk, cheese, maybe flour and whatever veggies (or meat) you have and want to add to the mix.  This option takes a little longer in cook time, but it will still get you a hot and healthy meal that doesn’t require a trip to the grocery store.

Back up Option #3: Bean and Cheese Quesadillas.  I always keep tortilla’s around, add a can of refried beans, some cheese and any veggies you might have on hand (if you have any left over meat from a previous meal you can chop it up and make this a non-vegetarian meal), and you have a meal. This one is great if you’re in a pinch for time or if you have a toddler that goes from fine to starving in 2.2 seconds.

Back up Option #4: Pesto Pasta/Spaghetti Aglio Olio.  Who doesn’t have some dried pasta laying about in the pantry?  Cook your pasta and add some pesto sauce. (This is a great item to keep in the fridge or freezer) OR if you don’t have Pesto you can add Olive Oil, Garlic, Pepper, Salt and Red Pepper Flakes and magically you have Spaghetti Aglio Olio (which is just fun to say). With both of these you can eat just pasta or spice it up with some veggies.

Back up Option #5: Fish Sticks. (We don’t do frozen chicken fingers at my house but you could do them instead of Fish Sticks). Maybe not the healthiest of options but the babe adores fish sticks and getting to have a little tiny bowl of sauce to dip in. It’s also super quick, easy, and low stress.  Pair off with some steamed veggies and a quick meal is made.

Back up Option #6: If you have some sides at home and just forgot to take the meat out to thaw, you can always pick up just the meat on your way home and subtract the money from next week’s budget since you have it on hand for later.  This should take at most 10 extra minutes to your commute, which isn’t much to sacrifice to avoid fast food take out.

Now, that being said while you’re making dinner tonight, take out tomorrow’s meat to thaw.  If you do that you will have to refer to this page one less time.

Cheers and Happy Eating!