Gather together 3 or more jars (more for when you find more recipes like this). I found these at my local grocery store, but if you have some around then this would be a great project for them as long as you have air tight caps for them.

Taco Seasoning:

Ingredients:

• 1 tbs. chili powder
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• ¼ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 1½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (I multiplied the recipe above by 10)
• Add 3 tbs. of mixture above, 1/2 tbs. of flour, and 2/3 cup of water to 1 lb. of ground beef.

Hamburger Helper:

Ingredients:

• 1¼ tsp. black pepper
• 1 tbs. garlic powder
• 2 tbs. dried parsley
• ⅓ cup instant onion
• 3 tbs. onion powder
• 1 tbs. salt
• 1⅔ cup dry milk
• 3½ tbs. beef bouillon

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (The above ingredients will make a good amount)
• Add ½ cup of mixture above, 2 cups of water, and 2 cups of noodles to 1 lb. of ground beef.
• Bring to a boil , then turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Cheeseburger: Add 1 cup dehydrated cheese with the dry mix. Or cook as above, then stir in 2 cups grated Cheddar or Colby cheese before serving.
• Stroganoff: Add ½ tsp. of onion powder and ½ tsp. celery salt with the dry mix. Stir in a ½ cup fresh or canned mushrooms. After cooking noodles, stir in ¼ cup sour cream just before serving.
• Chili: Add one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 tbs. chili powder.
• Potato: Instead of macaroni, add 2-3 cups very thinly sliced potatoes. Simmer 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Uncover and simmer until liquid has evaporated.

Shake ‘N Bake:

Ingredients:

• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon sage
• ¼teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in an airtight jar. (I multiple the above recipe by about 5)
• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Add about ½ cup of mixture to a bag. Add chicken parts (one by one usually works best) to the bag and shake well until completely coated.
• Melt ½ cup of butter in a 9×13 in. pan in the preheated oven.
• Add coated chicken to the pan and cook for 20 minutes.
• Flip chicken over and cook for another 20 minutes.

Once you’ve put all your mixtures in jars, label them and store them for the day you just need something easy for dinner.