I work a LOT so I am always on the lookout for quick and easy dinner ideas! I think it is important for as all to sit down together for dinner, but sometimes I am in such a hurry.

I have found one quick solution that is healthy and quick - and cheap, too! A store near us sells organic chicken in bulk, and I have made a habit of placing an order for breast pieces every month. I pick it up on a Friday, and take it home.

Saturday, I wash it and de-bone it, and spread the big pieces out on a flat surface, and I whack them with the edge of a china saucer a few times to make them an even thickness. Next I melt butter in the microwave just till it melts, and mix in a bunch of garlic and herbs, lemon pepper and a little salt. I drizzle it over the cold chicken pieces, and let them set to stiffen the butter sauce back up. Then I stick each piece in a baggie and throw them all in the freezer.

The breastbones I toss in a big pot to cook off the bits and make chicken and dumplings or pot pie out of for that night’s dinner. Anytime during the month, I can take out the right number of chicken pieces for a healthy meal. I just put the frozen pieces in a foil lined pan, and thirty minutes later have perfectly baked, juicy chicken!

I make noodles with sauce while it cooks, or a pot of saffron rice. Sometimes we have a fresh salad and French bread; other times we pick a mix of veggies and hot crescent rolls. It is so convenient being able to make dinner in thirty minutes!

If you are looking for ways to save, coupons are a great idea! They can cut your costs and make your food budget more manageable. I like online coupons since I can just get coupons for things I really need.

There are a few things you should know, however!  It is best if you have some glossy paper and good ink cartridges in your printer if you are going to take these coupons to the food supermarkets. There has been a lot fraud involving copies of coupons for free or deeply discounted items, and many stores are becoming wary!

When you go to grocery stores, food and household items are best bought when there is an in store sale you can combine your coupons with to save more money. If you use your coupons wisely, you can sometimes get a whole cartful of groceries for next to nothing!

I like buying stuff with coupons because it lets me do food and care packages for the needy and soldiers, and I always have stuff I can give for canned good drives!  Isn’t it great when you can combine saving and giving at the same time?

I also let my kids pick out special coupons each week so they can have a special pre-made treat I usually wouldn’t buy because of expense. Having a brand new box of fancy cookies or treats really makes their lunchbox special!

If you are like many other people, you need to learn how to live on a family budget. Singles or couples without kids have less expenses, so they can make impulse buys and go out partying. Family expenses are a different matter entirely!

Once you have kids everything changes. Kids are expensive! First there are diapers and clothes, then baby food and toys, and before you know it they want bicycles and skateboards and mp3 players.

If you have a two adults plus two kids ‘average size’ family, basic things like meal planning and so on are easy!  There are plenty of meals you can make that serve eight. Just freeze half for a later meal. This can really cut down on food bills, if you plan two weeks ahead.

You can also set a budget for clothing, books, toys, videos, etc on a monthly basis. If it helps, have an envelope or jar labeled for each thing, and only spend that amount of money per month. If you have extra, you can save it for the next month, or put it in a savings account for a special treat or vacation!

Living on a budget takes self discipline, but it’s really worth it. When you know all your bills are paid and you still have some ‘fun money’ left over, you know you are doing it right!