How to Make Ahead Meals With Kids

Make-ahead meals are great for those busy nights or when you've had a bad day. The hustle and bustle of modern life, especially with children, means less time to spend cooking and doing other household duties. Avoid unhealthy fast-food meals and eating on the run. Many meals can be made ahead. Include your children in making meals for a great bonding experience.

• 1

  Create a family spaghetti sauce recipe to freeze for a later meal. Have your children help you mix the herbs, spices and other ingredients. Store in a freezer bag. Remove the frozen sauce while getting the kids ready for school in the morning, then boil noodles at night to enjoy homemade pasta.

• 2

  Make stews and soups in a slow cooker. Chop up the vegetables. Have your kids place them in the slow cooker for homemade soup or stew. The luxury of the slow cooker is that you can set it and forget about it. Start a chilly winter morning by creating the meal and placing in the slow cooker with your children.

• 3

  Prepare meatballs to freeze and add to a variety of dishes for a quick, tasty meal. Meatballs are easy to make with just breadcrumbs, ground beef, egg and your choice of spices. Children can help form the meatballs. Remove from the freezer and add to spaghetti sauce, use in a sandwich or add to noodles and make Stroganoff.