Lot of good ideas. I think I need Steve's schedule (to remove a lot of decision-making) with enough staples on the shelves and in the freezer to be able to ad lib when the mood hits.

I did one of those dream dinner things (the place near me is called Super Suppers). It worked out fairly well. And it works out MUCH better than doing it in your own house. Somebody else has done all the chopping and prep. You go to a "station" to put together (for example) King Ranch Chicken Casserole. Everything is there. You just toss it all together in an aluminum pan or plastic bag, and when you have it assembled and ready to freeze, you put it on your shelf then move to the next station. No clean up. No nuthin. It's great. Hmm. I only did it once. I guess I should go back.

I keep cans of kidney beans, tuna, artichoke hearts and such in the fridge all the time. I can throw together a good salad in a hurry -- toss it together, douse it with some sort of oil and vinegar dressing, and if I have it, add a lot of feta cheese.

It's especially handy in the summer when it's hot.