Dinner Without the Scramble: 4 Moms Share Their Best Secrets

Pioneering Today Podcast - Homesteading in a Modern World

Melissa K Norris

Cookingfromscratch, Oldfashionedliving, Selfsufficiency, Home & Garden, Gardening, Heirloomseeds, Homesteading, Growyourownfood, Education, Survival, Pioneeringtoday, Leisure, How To

4.9 • 931 Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Think from-scratch cooking is hard or takes too much time? The truth is, with a stocked pantry, a few simple substitutions, and some foundational kitchen skills, you can make healthy, homemade meals in less time than it takes to run to the store.

In this podcast, we're busting the top myths about from-scratch cooking and showing you how to:

✅ Swap ingredients with easy substitutions (no last-minute store runs!)

✅ Make boxed food favorites from scratch—faster and healthier

✅ Save time with meal planning that actually fits your family

✅ Reheat leftovers so they taste fresh and delicious

✅ Build a stocked pantry that makes dinner stress-free

You’ll see how learning just a handful of simple techniques can transform your kitchen, your budget, and your confidence as a home cook. From homemade cream-of-soup that takes four minutes to a DIY biscuit mix that beats Bisquick, cooking from scratch has never been easier.

👉 Want to go deeper? Join me for my FREE live training, “From-Scratch Cooking Made Easy,” on September 8th where I’ll share pantry staples, substitution secrets, and time-saving tips: https://melissaknorris.com/kitchen

Transcript

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0:00.0	Have you ever found yourself staring into the fridge at 5 p.m., wondering what on earth you're going to make for dinner?
0:07.8	And secretly wishing that you could do takeout.
0:13.2	That in that moment, the convenience processed food that we all know is not great for us, but goodness, it is a fast and easy option that sounds
0:25.6	really nice when 5 p.m. is staring you in the face. If you have ever felt like that, then I have
0:33.1	got something special for you. I am hosting a free live training where we are going to be talking
0:40.7	about how to cook healthy homemade meals in less time than takeout even on your busiest nights.
0:49.0	In this training, I'll show you the three simple kitchen systems that make from scratch cooking faster,
0:56.6	easier, and more reliable than processed convenience foods.
1:01.3	You'll walk away knowing exactly how to stop the dinner panic, save hours every week,
1:07.3	and finally feel confident in your kitchen.
1:11.4	Go to Melissa canoores.com forward slash dinner.
1:16.6	That's Melissa canoores.com forward slash dinner and sign up.
1:21.1	It is completely free and I cannot wait to see you there and help you beat that 5 p.m. dinner panic.
1:34.8	Hey, pioneers. Welcome to episode number 479. Today's episode is extra special because I am not alone behind the mic on this episode.
1:46.0	I have invited three of my favorite homestead moms to join me for a roundtable conversation.
1:53.0	Now, if you've been hanging around for a while and listening to the podcast, then you are familiar with our roundtable episodes.
2:00.1	But between all four of us, we've got kids in school, homeschooling, volleyball practice,
2:06.6	gardens bursting at the seams, freezers filling up, praise the good Lord, and a whole lot of everyday
2:12.6	homesteading going on.
2:14.6	Plus, some of us have aging parents that were helping to take care of
2:19.3	multi-generations in the home, as well as work. And just like you, we know the struggle of that
2:26.1	dreaded 5 p.m. moment. You know it when you're staring at the fridge and you're like,
	...

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