Tammy Doyle of McKinney, Texas explains, "I like to buy food in bulk and when I prepare a dish, I'll usually make extra amounts for freezing. It's best to cook from fresh items because of all of the preservatives food companies put into their items."�

Soups and salads are healthy and easy to prepare

. A large pot of homemade soup will often create instant leftovers for the next day. My mother, who comes from a large family with seven siblings, said, "Over the years, we enjoyed a plethora of pasta dishes, Spanish rice, chili, homemade soups and a variety of chicken dishes."�

Adding fresh and versatile fruits and vegetables like apples, potatoes and corn to your meals will stretch your menu for pennies on the dollar, since these types of produce are generally very inexpensive, especially when bought in season and in bulk. I'm suddenly getting hungry for apple fritters or a loaded baked potato. Something I learned from the American Heart Association is to shop the outer rims of the supermarket the most, this will keep you away from the lure of pre-packaged foods.

Buying items in bulk when they go on sale is a great strategy

Around the holidays, I've noticed items like chicken noodle soup have dropped as low as 50 cents per can. That's when it's time to buy a case. Oats are also a bargain around Christmas time, which are great for making quick and low-cost homemade granola bars.

When children are old enough to help prepare meals, they could learn cooking skills and develop teamwork in the kitchen. They will appreciate the meal even more if they helped prepare it. "Many hands make light work,"� as my Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother used to say.

I recently found a wonderful cookbook in a used bookstore entitled, Casseroles to the Rescue: Easy to Make Home Cooked Casseroles by Barbara C. Jones. Some of my favorite recipes include: Speedy Chicken Pie, Chile Relleno Casserole and Baked Chicken Salad.

Other cookbooks I've enjoyed using are: The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook

by Erin Chase, and I Can't Believe It's Food Storage, by Crystal Godfrey. Glamorize and utilize a standard food storage item like pinto beans by making an appetizing Frito Pie.

Thinking of cooking as an art and enjoying new, practical recipes will make cooking a joy, even on a limited budget. Remember these tips:

Cooking and shopping tips

1. Use fresh items whenever possible.

2. Keep meals simple, varied and nutritious.

3. Use food storage items, bought in bulk, mixed with fresh items.

4. Try one-dish meals with added vegetables, or, add a side salad to make the meal complete.

5. Involve your children in meal preparation to save you time and energy.

Try one of these two easy, inexpensive recipes

Fiesta Chicken

is a favorite recipe that my mother used to prepare. It's quick and easy:

Mix 1, 14 ounce can of cream of chicken soup, with 1 small jar of salsa, and pour it over a cut up chicken in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover it with foil and bake it at 350 degrees, for approximately 75 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 170 degrees. Garnish with sauteed onions and green peppers. I've frequently seen chicken legs and on sale for only 99 cents per pound, so look for the best deals.

Tex-Mex Frito Pie Casserole

2-3 cups of cooked pinto or black beans

1lb ground beef (brown in a skillet & drain, add taco seasoning and mix in a small jar of salsa or enchilada sauce)

1 large bag of Fritos chips

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Layer in a 9x13 inch pan in the order given. Heat thoroughly at 350 degrees, until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cover with 2 cups diced tomatoes, 1 can of (optional) sliced black olives, 1 cup of chopped green onions, and add sour cream.

Related links:

• thefoodnanny.org - This website is for sale! - thefoodnanny Resources and Information.

• [http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cookingonabudget/](http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cookingonabudget/)

• Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars

The post Ideas on cooking for a large family on a budget appeared first on FamilyToday.

What are we to do? Give up and let the excuse of "I'm tired from work,"� derail any chance of a walk around the block together, swimming or playing Frisbee in the park?

Medical Problems with Being a Couch Potato

Here's a familiar warning to all, and most doctors agree: too much sitting around attributes to weight gain. According to the Mayo Clinic, being overweight is a major cause of plantar fasciitis, "which involves pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes."�

Back pain is likely to increase with weight gain, putting unwanted pressure on the spine and disks that may have become compressed over the years (for instance, from loading and unloading moving trucks without using dollies or ramps, physically lifting children and wives, showing off by trying to squat 300+ pounds, and any other types of heavy lifting). For those of you still in your prime, (under age 40) being able to be physically active is often taken for granted, so many assume these ailments will never catch up with them.

My advice is to try and get your husband off the couch whenever appropriate. Dr. Mehmet Oz agrees and explains the benefits of weight loss: "Losing just 10 pounds can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk for a stroke, ward off dementia, lower your risk for uterine and breast cancer, and lower your cholesterol up to 10%."

There are times when our husbands just need to rest, and we should be sensitive to that; the majority of men want to be our heroes. Yet, we should challenge our dear hubbies to become better as needed with kindness, just as they challenge us to improve.

Anti-couch potato strategies

Here are some steps you can take to prevent your husband from becoming a couch potato:

1. Let him know that interaction/being active is important to you.

2. Emphasize the benefits of physical activity.

3. Negotiate how you will spend your free time together.

4. Schedule date nights with physical activities.

5. Set limits together about how much time is spent on the computer or watching television.

6. Save magazine and newspaper clippings of local activities/events to attend.

7. Find those in need of service and help them out.

8. Rediscover what you have in common and plan ahead to make goals happen.

These strategies will not only help get couples active and interacting again, it should also help strengthen the marriage relationship. Let's face it: in marriage, nurturing emotional closeness and staying physically fit can feel like work at times. Yet it doesn't have to feel that way, when we're making the time to do what we enjoy together. Try these tips and see how they can benefit both you and your husband's health.

The post Get off the couch! appeared first on FamilyToday.