Self-Improvement Month

As kids head back to school this September, create a fresh start for yourself as well by participating in National Self-Improvement Month. Whether you set a health-related goal or attempt to learn something new, September is a great time to make changes before the end of the year.

assembled-meal-bagTo get you started, we want to help you improve your dinnertime hour with some simple tips to keep your meals organized, stress-free and fun.

– When assembling your dinners in our store, make sure to squeeze all the air out of your bags and keep the cooking instructions visible from the outside. This will save you time and headache later!

– At home, store your meals flat and stacked on top of each other in the freezer. If you have any meals left over from the month before, make sure to rotate those to the front of the freezer so they get used first! Keep any extra sides or desserts separate, so they don’t get lost in the shuffle.

–  Pull out dinners from the freezer every Sunday so they can thaw in your defrost bin in the fridge. Have your kids help you so they can get excited about what you’re eating that week.

– When you take out your dinners for the week, check the label for suggested sides to serve with each dinner, so you can plan ahead.

– To cut down on the time and effort of making dinner on busy nights, order meals that can be on the table in only 15 minutes, like our Pesto Cheese Ravioli with Chicken & Walnuts or our Market Salmon with Corn Medley.

– Ask store staff to recommend side dishes from our Finishing Touch freezer to go with the dinners you ordered, so that all the planning for dinner is taken care of.

– Make sure to pick up a freezer list at your session so you can easily keep track of what’s in the freezer and have information like “Time to Table” and “Serving Suggestions” at hand.

– Download and print conversation starter coasters and interactive placemats from the Hour that Matters Most Toolkit to keep kids entertained and involved at the dinner table.

Do you have any tips for a stress-free dinner? What are your goals for September?