Get Cooking Week

It's all things cooking at the Countdown, as we swing into Get Cooking! week.

We'll plan holiday meals and menus, save money on holiday meals, prepare easy freezer entrees for busy December nights, and make holiday baking easier.

Ready? Let's get cooking for stress-free Christmas holidays!

To Do This Week:

• Write and address one-fifth of Christmas card list this week.
• Make one-fourth of gifts to make this week.
• Fill out a holiday menu planner form for each remaining holiday meal that you will serve in your home. Check serving pieces, and write the contents on a Post-it note. Make it easy for other to help!
• Inventory the freezer, and record contents on the freezer inventory form. Plan to eat from the freezer this week and next week, making room for holiday meals and holiday goodies. Use food budget savings to stock up on holiday staples.
• Start planning holiday baking with the baking planner form, and be alert for supermarket specials. Try to buy nonperishable holiday foods this week and next week for all upcoming holiday meals.
• Do a mini-freezer cooking session to put 5 to 10 pre-made entrees into the freezer. Use these meals on busy December evenings.
• Prepare for drop-in visitors. Collect hospitality supplies: cheeses, crackers, frozen desserts. Hide from hungry family members using creative labeling.
• Simplify baking chores: organize a Cookie Swap. Invite 6 to 12 guests to bring as many dozen cookies as there are guests. Swap so that each guest leaves with a lavish assortment of holiday goodies. Freeze immediately, marked as "liver and onions."

To Print This Week:

• Get Cooking Week Checklist Form
• Freezer Inventory Form
• Holiday Baking Planner
• Holiday Menu Planner
• Potluck Planner
• "Black Friday" Holiday Sales Planner

To Read This Week:

• Save Money on Holiday Meals
  Catch our best money-saving tips.
• Beat The Holiday Grocery Game
  Chill the cost and stock the pantry!
• Baking Solution: Make it a Specialty!
  Beat the baking blues with a baking specialty!

To Buy This Week:

• Continue Christmas gift shopping. Purchase gifts for one-fifth of the list entries. Wrap gifts as they are purchased. Keep a running total of gift expenditures.
• Trim the regular food budget to stock up on sale-priced holiday non-perishables. Make a Thanksgiving Friday grocery shopping trip for best savings.