My P&G everyday Resolution today is to eat dinner at home at least 5 nights a week.

My husband and I crunched numbers this past weekend and realized (I’m embarrassed to admit this) that we spend – at least – $300 a week on eating dinner at different restaurants. Once I saw it on paper, I knew we needed to change this and commit to changing this.

We’re a busy family of 6 and we’re constantly running from activity to activity. An average week (in addition to school) looks a little something like this:

Monday:
3-4PM – Ben and Henry have Kids Gym
5:30-6:30PM – William and Alexander have baseball practice

Tuesday:
4:30-6:30PM – William has swim team; Alex and Ben have swimming lessons

Wednesday:
BASEBALL game night

Thursday:
4-5PM – Ben and Henry have T-ball practice
5-6:30PM – William has swim team

Friday:
5-6:30PM – William has swim team

By the time we get home most nights, it’s almost 7PM. It’s too late to start dinner from scratch and to try to toss together something hearty and healthy always seems like an impossible task. I get (I’ll admit it) lazy and just opt for a quick dinner at the Olive Garden, Chili’s or Papa Gino’s, rather than actually go home and cook. I also can’t stand the clean-up after dinner; it gets to be way too much on school nights. I want to spend time with the boys, not be slaving away in the kitchen prepping and then cleaning up. Eating out has always made “more sense.”

Until now.

It just doesn’t make sense tossing $300 (or more) each week out the window simply because I don’t want to prep, cook and clean-up. So I’m making the resolution to eat home 5 nights a week. I’m committing to it and I’m sticking with it. I went to the market yesterday afternoon and bought enough food for the week. I’ve created a meal menu, so I know in advance what I’ll be making. This way I’m not trying to come up with something to eat for the family at 7PM at night. I’m getting myself organized and in eating at home more.

And as far as the clean-up goes? I stocked my cabinet with Cascade®. Pots? Pans? Dishes? Cups? Silverware? Gone are the days of trying to clean anything by hand, that just takes up too much time away from the family. I’m tossing it all into my dishwasher and letting rel=”nofollow” Cascade® Complete do the work. My oldest 2 sons are excited to help with this chore, too – which I love! I use the gel and I am obsessed with it, I don’t even have to rinse! Even if the dishes sit for an hour or so before going into the dishwasher, the formula still powers everything off of them. It makes my life easier.

Eating dinner at home?

Yup. Bring it on.

Healthier meals.

More time with family.

And I’m saving money.

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