I have tried several methods for preparing food in bulk for my family. One of which was freezing food for a month of meals. That just didn't work for me. I don't have the time to stand in my kitchen all day cooking. Homemade Convenience Foods is a cookbook that has an easier solution that is sure to work with any family.

After reading through the first part of the book, "The Method," you will learn what you need to stock your freezer, cupboard, and refrigerator with essential ingredients that can be the starting point for any number of recipes. You will learn Marcia Washburn's method of bulk cooking that really won't take you any more time than it would to prepare a normal meal. It's kind of like killing two birds with one stone.

Part two, "The Recipes," will give you recipes that include ground beef, sausage, pork, beef, poultry, bread mixes, and kid-friendly meals. You can make these as is or be creative with them. The recipes simply give you an idea of how to use all the ingredients you have been stocking up. The ingredients are normal things you can easily purchase and are not expensive or hard to find. There are also some tips sprinkled throughout the book that are informative and helpful.

This method is very simple, and that's what I love about it. It definitely will save you some time when dinner rolls around. I am not good at planning out my meals over a month or even a week. Many days, as dinnertime approaches, I find myself wondering what I am going to make and realizing it's too late to defrost something and still have time to cook. Having some staple ingredients already available that don't need a lot of prep helps me quickly pull together a healthy meal and save my family from a fast food run. This is definitely a great cookbook to jump-start you into the world of bulk cooking and stocking your kitchen with ingredients for your favorite recipes that can be prepared in a moments notice.

Product review by Heidi Miller-Ford, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June 2011