Holiday Mini-Meals

This time of year, our family has extra events and a crazier-than-normal schedule (I think this is true for most people!) We are pretty good at eating at home, on a regular time schedule, most of the year but I can struggle during busy seasons like this.

We are a family of seven and our main breadwinner works in ministry.  We simply do not have the budget to swing through a fast food place every time things get busy.  One thing I have been doing for several years now is to serve mini meals ahead of our usual dinner time.

So if we typically eat dinner at 5:00 but will be out of the house until 6:30 or so, I serve a mini meal around 4:00.  I try to do a relish tray with cut veggies and some fruit.  I will also try to add a little protein when possible to keep them full.  One of our recent favorite "appetizers" has been Meatball Poppers.  I originally found the recipe on Pillsbury's website so they are made with convenience foods and not horribly healthy (hence the fruits and veggies to try to ease my mommy guilt!).

The recipe can be found here.  I don't put our poppers on sticks because it's an unnecessary expense, and let's face it, my boys will turn them into weapons for an epic dinner battle!  After our event, I'll usually serve a light dinner such as soup and sandwiches.

Do you have other tips and tricks for meal times during busy seasons?  I'd love to hear them!