What Is Your 'Plan B' for Dinner?

[leight]

Hate to say it but with Dh playing on two soccer teams and dd one too, plan B is very often plan A-! I work 4 days of 10hr shifts so dh cooks for the girls those nights. I keep a very well stocked garage pantry and freezer since I have started seriously couponing. Plan B is very easy now.

Breakfast for dinner
chicken parm for dh and pasta for the rest- I usually do a bulk batch of chicken cutlets once a month 3-4lbs and wrap them separately in the freezer- can grap a few for chicken parm easily. Also makes easy additions to a salad, sandwich, pasta or wrap. I have enough of my sauce on hand that I defrost for dh to also make pasta, pillsbury 'homemade' pizza or english muffin pizzas.
Hormel frozen entree- beef roast or turkey breast- cooks in 8 mins in the microwave and I can make noodles or instant mashed potatoes, salad or another veggie and I keep a can of beef gravy on hand always.
Target has the best frozen self rising pizza- I stock up when they go on sale for $3.50 (I get Aldi's if target isn't on sale) Add left over veggies or pepperoni. For dh & I alone- I like to add pineapple and bacon!
Soups with grilled cheese or tuna melts or a salad.

I try to keep burgers, steaks and chicken breasts in the freezer individually wrapped for easy access-can defrost in cool water within the hour in most cases. Doing all of this has really lowered the need for take out and fast food. Since I have really taken the time to plan and stock up with coupons matching sales/bogos I've lowered my food budget from $700 a month to about $400!

 

[Swimnoid]

Plan B is always spaghetti. We have a lot of days that are plan B....

 

[emma'smom]

Chinese takeout!

 

[pearlieq]

Takeout. Of course, takeout is also Plan A with alarming regularity.

 

[AustinTink]

Migas. Quick and easy, I always have eggs and corn tortillas on hand.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

Takeout

 

[superme80]

Cereal or Taco Tree.

 

[NMAmy]

I always keep frozen tilapia and salmon and can throw them in the oven with out defrosting. I serve with a baked potato that I started in the microwave for three minutes and then finished off in the oven and either some sauteed veggies if I have fresh or frozen broccoli or cauliflower.

I also try to keep some turkey summer sausage on hand and either saute it with a bit of bbq sauce or bake it in the oven with onions and potatos.

Another easy dinner is breakfast burritos--scrambled eggs in a whole wheat tortilla with a bit of shredded pepper jack cheese, chopped tomato, onion, and avocado and salsa.

And when DH is gone (since he's allergic to shellfish), I make some whole wheat pasta and add sauteed shrimp and fresh veggies like onion, green beans, corn, cauliflower, broccoli in some combo depending on what I have on hand.

 

[aprilgail2]

Plan B is always takeout/drivethrough! We are busy most nights of the week and the nights we are VERY busy is takeout nights or go sit down and relax in a restaurant nights!

 

[luvsJack]

Ok, I am stealing some of your Plan B's for my Plan A's!

Plan B for us is almost always a baked potato with cheese, ham, ranch or sour cream and broccoli. Maybe a salad on the side, maybe not. This is dd's favorite meal.

I do try to keep hamburger patties in the freezer or either hot dogs or link sausage for sausage dogs.

 

[Northstar]

Plan B usually happens when I don't have time to make whatever Plan A was going to be.

Northstar's Plan B meal list:

Omelettes. Frozen veggies or a can of corn heated up.

Penne topped white kidney beans (canned) heated up with a little garlic and olive oil.

Bagels and soup... low salt veggie bouillon cubes, can of stewed tomatoes, can of corn, can of black beans, and whatever other veggies I have around.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

It disheartens me to see so many people have "Breakfast for Dinner" as their Plan B.

This is a weekly Plan A for us!

The only true Plan B for me is the pizza shop down the block. As a PP said, if something gets burned, or doesn't turn out as planned, then pizza it is!

 

[ChrizJen]

It disheartens me to see so many people have "Breakfast for Dinner" as their Plan B.

This is a weekly Plan A for us!

The only true Plan B for me is the pizza shop down the block. As a PP said, if something gets burned, or doesn't turn out as planned, then pizza it is!

Whew! I thought I was the only one!

 

[NCRedding]

Omelet for DH, cereal for me (I can't eat eggs)

Red beans and rice with turkey kielbasa

Meatballs with frozen pepper strips with catalina dressing/appricot preserves over minute rice.

 

[mjaclyn]

Wow!! Lots of great ideas! I'm definitely going to use a bunch of them. I think I'll start off with having a bag of frozen salmon or other fish that you can bake without thawing. Also, something I forgot to mention... Perdue has those boxes of grilled chicken strips that are precooked which are great to use for fajitas. I think I will also get one of those frozen meals to keep on hand as well.

Does anyone have a good rice & beans recipe? I always have rice, canned beans and seasonings on hand but I can never figure out how to do it right. I have some good friends from Puerto Rico who make the most DELICIOUS rice & beans and somehow mine never turns out the same as theirs!

 

[theycallmered]

Plan B:

• Frozen Chicken Nuggets and Boxed Macaroni and Cheese
• Chicken Breast with Canned Veggie
• Rotisserie Chicken from Costco (across the street)
• Chipotle
• Chips and Dip
• Frozen Pizza
• Beer
• Wine

 

[Mrs. Charming]

We're supposed to have a Plan B? I can barely figure out what Plan A will be.

LMAO. Yeah, that's me too. I have a 'Plan A' on a good day!

Plan B is Dominos!

 

[charming23]

Plan B around here is:

-Spaghetti and meatballs (I keep homemade frozen ones in the freezer at all times)
-French Toast
-Boxed Mac and Cheese
-Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
-Pizza

 

[Familyof4lovesDW]

Takeout. Of course, takeout is also Plan A with alarming regularity.

Isn't takeout suspose to be Plan A I hate to cook and hate dishes even more lol.

Plan B - Kids
PB&J with chips
Tostinos pizza or pizza rolls
lunchmeat with chips
mac & cheese
add applesause, apple slices or grapes as a side to any of the above
all on paperplates
DH & I will get takeout after they go to bed. They go to bed at 8

 

[mjaclyn]

I always use paper plates. It just makes cleanup so much easier with two young children. I feel bad about using them though because I remember growing up and my mom always made big dinners with all the food on the table and used actual dishes...lol. I'd like my kids to have the same memories...maybe when they get a little bit older and it doesn't take so long to go through the bedtime routine afterward.