It’s so nice to have a freezer full of easy meals. They’re great for a busy week and keeps us away from the drive-thru on a regular basis. I’ve done several strategies for freezer stocking: on my own, freezer meal prep nights at a grocery store, and recently freezer meal exchanges with friends.

The principle is that each person makes multiple batches of the same meal. So instead of prepping five different meals, you do five of the same for more efficiency. Then you get together and trade.

Freezer meal exchanges are a great option for people with allergies or certain dietary choices. I have several friends who are paleo, so they organized a group who was willing to follow those restrictions (basically grain-free, dairy-free, and no potatoes or beans). So this is the Paleo Egg Casserole I made to trade.

It is A LOT of prep work. There were five of us in the group, and I decided to make two smaller casseroles for each family instead of 9×13 pans. So 10 casseroles!

Pretty! Right after this shot, I was rethinking this plan as I was beating four dozen eggs. But it really wasn’t that bad.

I came home from the exchange with chicken and kale stew, chicken piccata, mini chicken pot pies, and chicken and sweet potato burgers. Yum!

PALEO EGG CASSEROLE WITH SAUSAGE AND VEGGIES

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1 lb. sausage, cooked
• 3 cups cooked veggies (I used sweet potatoes, red peppers, and broccoli)
• salt and pepper

Spread sausage and veggies evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 pan or two smaller pans. Beat eggs, almond milk, and salt and pepper and pour over the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35-45 minutes for a large pan or 25-30 minutes for two smaller pans.

**If you are not paleo, just make with regular milk, and add cheese if you want. This is what I’ll do in the future since this was a big hit with our whole family! They love “breakfast for dinner,” and this was an easy and tasty way to get some veggies in.

I’ve become an Aldi fan. It saved our budget – want proof? I compiled comparable items at HyVee and Walmart, and the results were WOW. But first, the backstory.

Our food budget has gone through some upheaval in the last couple years. First, we moved to Kansas City and were shocked at the food prices. Our eating habits hadn’t changed, but our food costs were consistently running about 20% higher than in Texas. Part of this is the fact that there is no food tax on Texas, the rest is just higher prices in general.

I consider myself a savvy food shopper, so I wasn’t happy about this situation. I don’t clip coupons, but I meal plan, utilize leftovers, shop the sales, and meal plan (big deal!).

So what’s a girl to do? Food budget situation not good.

Then my friends started talking about Aldi. I’d thought Aldi was full of cheap junk food, but turns out there is a lot of healthy, affordable food to be found on those tiny narrow aisles. So here is a look at what I buy on a regular basis. These items are in my cart almost every week.

You can see that most of these are healthy, real food items. Not processed box dinners or junk food. But a couple treats. ;) These are my staples.

• Tortillas
• Applesauce pouches
• Cherry pie filling – I don’t buy this frequently, but I included it because it is dye-free and does not contain high fructose corn syrup. This is rare to find, and never at this price point.
• Granola bars
• Ketchup – organic because it doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup
• Applesauce jar

• Milk
• Blue corn chips – Brett’s favorite
• String cheese
• Eggs
• Frozen broccoli – a lot of store brand (and name brand) broccoli seems to have a high stem content. My kids don’t eat stems. Lots of florets here.
• Grapes

• Caesar salad kit – My kids eat salad!
• Cinnamon rolls – I don’t buy these frequently, but I included them because they are seriously better than even Pillsbury. No kidding.
• White cheddar “Cheezits”
• Storage/freezer bags
• Avocados – they’re .39 on sale and only .69 regular price.
• Black beans
• Petite diced tomatoes
• Gum

So just to check if I was actually saving money, not some kind of magic Aldi placebo, I pulled up comparable items at HyVee and Walmart (via the online ordering system), choosing store brand items when available for the lowest possible prices. I used regular prices for the Aldi total but included sale prices for the others (as of 7/10/16). Here are the results for the 20 items shown above:

Aldi: $34.35

HyVee: $52.85

Walmart: $45.50

So it is actually cheaper. By a decent margin!

Want a go-to meal you can throw together in 30 minutes with whatever you have lying around the kitchen? Endless variations and the kids will eat it? I found it.

The Taquito.

If you’re picturing something greasy from the freezer section, think again. This version has way better ingredients and is baked instead of fried.

You’ll find taquitos on our menu plan several times a month for these very reasons. Today, I want to share the basic method, and you’ll be able to take that in any direction based on what you feel like and whatever’s in your fridge. You think you’re not a good cook? You can handle this! And it gets better? Yep, only one bowl and one spoon to wash.

First, the ingredients. This is simple.

These are versatile ingredients that I always have on hand. I make big batches of shredded chicken in the slow cooker and freeze them in 2 cup portions. So I just thaw a bag-ful, and we’re ready for taquitos!

Mix the ingredients. You could move on to the next step right here – chicken, cheese, cream cheese – tasty and done! Or you could scan an eyeball around your fridge and find some random things that might need a destination.

I found a cob of grilled corn, some cilantro, and a green onion. So those guys go in, too. Just say no to food waste!

After mixing, spread in tortillas, wrap up, and put seam-side down on a sprayed baking sheet.

When they’re all assembled and placed, lightly spray the tops with the cooking spray. I guess this is optional, but it helps them get a little crispy.

Put them in an oven at 425 for 12-15 minutes. Depends on how brown and crispy you like them. Then top (or dip) and enjoy! These are a family favorite over here, and I’ll be featuring some yummy variations.

Here’s the simple rundown:

Basic Taquitos

• 8-12 tortillas
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 cups cooked chicken

Mix and spread into tortillas. Roll up and place seam-side down on a sprayed baking sheet. Lightly spray tops. Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes.