Today’s giveaway is from Mystie, author of Simplified Dinners. Mystie is a homeschooled homeschooler, married to her high school sweetheart, educating their five children ages ten and under. She writes at Simply Convivial and Simple Pantry Cooking about homemaking, homeschooling, and managing a home and family well. You can also find Mystie on Pinterest and Twitter. Today she is here to share the practical, sanity saving guide she created to help you simplify meal planning!
Have you noticed that most home management systems claim that having a menu plan is essential? It’s true. Knowing what is for dinner and having the ingredients on hand promotes peace in our minds and homes. But we usually make it harder than it needs to be. With Simplified Dinners, your grocery list never changes and you always have flexible dinner options on hand. This cookbook is intended to provide the home cook with plenty of options for simple but delicious home-cooked meals that require little preparation time and can be made out of a simply, frugally stocked pantry. And for those of you eating a gluten and dairy free diet, there’s a special guide available for you too!
I started creating this system six years ago after I gave birth to our third child. I enjoyed cooking, and shopping frugally was one of my hobbies, but after baby three was born, I no longer had the mental energy to page through
recipe cards, cookbooks, bookmarks, keep track of ingredients needed, and remember it at the right time. While I used to be able to keep information in my head, now I found myself lacking the brain power and the energy.
Paring down my pantry, purging my recipes, and printing out the processes freed up my mental energy for other things in life – even making it easier to let the children help in the kitchen!
Being able to walk past 90% of the grocery store’s contents with a peaceful, “Nope, that’s not part of the plan,” is freeing. It even makes shopping with kids easier, because you’re making few decisions on the spot, so you’re more available and present rather than wrapped up in comparing salad dressings or wondering if this or that is a good deal.
For today’s giveaway Mystie is offering one winner a download of both the regular, gluten- and dairy-free editions of the book. In addition, receive 30% off the e-book using the discount code smallthings through November 22nd.
For your chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post. Comments are closed and the winner is Mary, who commented, “I’d love to win.”
Thanks, Mystie!
Marilyn (Merry) Fenton says
I hope I’m not too late. This sounds like a great tool!
Kate says
This would be great!
Gayle E says
This looks like a good idea, would love to get a bit more organized and happy in the kitchen.
Jen says
3 3 and under myself! This sounds great!
Samantha watt says
Yes, I need help in this department. I would absolutely love to try cooking and shopping more simply. I have four children ages 8,6,4, and 7 months and we are a catholic homeschooling family. Hope we win!
Joy says
I would love to get back in the habit of planning meals.
Mary says
I’d love to win.
Amy Kate says
Oh, my stars! We just moved and our life is topsy turvy. I need a plan! Thanks & blessings!
Marthalynn says
This sounds amazing! You have no idea how much we need this! I have tried my hand at menu planning and just can’t seem to find the right thing. Something has got to work.
Kristin says
This sounds amazing. I haven’t figured out yet how to make healthy, whole foods for my family…frugally. I just keep watching the grocery bill creep up as I try to make healthier choices. Thanks for the chance to win!
Anne Marie says
Oh PLEASE pick me! I need HELP!
Annie says
This might help me focus more on specific staples, rather than a hodge podge of items that don’t go together!
Melissa says
awesome!
rachel says
Sounds very interesting!
Maria says
Sounds like a great idea!
Isabel says
Thanks for introducing us to another great small heart centered business!
Deborah says
This book would be so helpful!
Marianna says
Sounds wonderful!!
Madeline says
Oh gosh. This sounds wonderful!
Lynn says
I always need help in this area. Thank you for the discount too.
Jolaine says
anything to simplify!
Katie says
I’d love to try this for our busy family.
Donna says
Oh I so need this! Full time working mom, needs help with meals!! Thank you for the chance to win!
Annie says
That sounds great….and perhaps it would even work with my crazed schedule….sometimes home, sometimes not.
Arenda says
Sounds very interesting! Would love to peruse this e-book.
Emilie says
This sounds like a life savor.
melissa says
I am struggling with meal planning and handling other household stuff, being a new stay at home mom. I could totally use this!
Barbara says
Let me at it!
Heather m says
I’ve always been interested in trying this system out.
Lynda Kling says
I need simplification! Please add me to the give away list…!
Rebekah says
I’ve always resisted having a meal plan, I liked being spontaneous. And then I had kids and realized evenings flow better and we just eat better when I have a plan. I really like this concept of simplified dinners.
Becky Clarkson says
Meal planning is what I have been struggling with lately! This concept sounds great!
Mary says
This sounds lovely! I struggle with meal planning as so many mamas with large families do.