Once A Week Cooking

What is Once A Week Cooking?
Short answer: You spend a few hours of one day cooking meals and freezing them for later use. Take the meal out of the freezer at least 24 hours before cooking and there’s the answer to the age-old question “What’s for dinner?” Once A Week Cooking does the menu planning, provides the recipes, the shopping list and the action plan. You learn how to shop, organize, and get it all done during one day of the week. Cook once, then eat all week!

My Review: I am actually at the end of my 6 month Once A Week Cooking Membership, and am very happy with the menus I’ve received each week. Admittedly, it’s a lot to keep up with (and I haven’t), but I have already started to realize the benefits of once a week cooking – the Membership and the concept.

• It’s all laid out for me. I can print out the grocery list, cross off whatever I already have in stock, add to it as needed and I’m ready to go. I’ve shopped one day, and then used a day the kids were at school to cook alone, uninterrupted. I’ve also cooked on a Sunday, engaging them in the whole process and letting them help. Kitchen gets a little crowded, but it’s great fun.
• No more frozen entrees on our grocery list – balancing out the $ spent on groceries, and our nutritional scales for the better. Exception, frozen pizzas. *Gasp* I know, but at least they are cheaper than take-out, or delivery.
• We’re eating out a LOT less. Not that we ate out all the time before, but now I have more “go to” options on the busy nights. We have our crazy nights when the Mom-taxi is running, or Dad is working late.
• Slowly, but surely, we’re stocking our freezer. I’ve got family meals and individual servings in there, and am adding to it as quickly as I’m taking things out.
• Now I have a stockpile of weekly menus, and 6 months of make-ahead meal recipes. Happy to have added to my collection.

The recipes and action plans are easy to follow. Our family has given thumbs up to everything I’ve made so far. A couple of meals have already become family favorites, including the Chicken Tetrazzini with Spinach and Stuffing Balls that I made from Week One’s menu. I’ve made an extra batch of the spinach & stuffing balls more than once.

For those who are interested in trying out Once A Week Cooking, Val has a special trial offer. You can now sign-up for a membership, and receive your first month at a 50% discount. Visit OnceAWeekCooking.com for all the details, and to sign up, or just to browse.