Our family spends a lot of time discussing finances and budgeting. My husband and I want our five children to fully grasp the concepts of working hard, saving money and limiting expenses.

Last month, our eldest child graduated.

I can’t even begin to tell you the emotions that go along with that, but one evening last week, reality set in for him. As we gathered around our kitchen island he said, “Mom, you’re really going to have to help me with my food budget when I’m in college. I don’t want to just live on Ramon noodles all day long. You can send me coupons.”

Since he is preparing to live in an on-campus apartment next year in order to save money on room and board, we started to brainstorm ways that he could easily plan out his meals and save money, without becoming a gourmet chef.

One of the ideas that topped my recommendations was not just frugal, but the “perfect” healthy food: eggs.

Incorporating enough protein into the diets of my growing young men is always a concern of mine, so I’ve taught all of our children how to whip up eggs in varying forms. We have fresh eggs from our very own chickens, so my kids have no choice but to learn how to use them. Our latest endeavor was mastering the omelet. Hopefully, this is one of those recipes that will take him through college and beyond.

I love omelets because you can really incorporate so many of the food groups if you choose. Omelets allow you to work in healthy options like veggies, cheese and lunch meats. Making omelets may seem a tad tricky at first, but once you’ve mastered the basic technique, there are endless variations.

Our son’s delicious, but in process, omelet

One of the best tips I can give for beginning omelet makers is to start small. As you can see by the picture of my son’s turkey, cheese and tomato omelet, it can be challenging for beginners to flip and maneuver a large omelet. But even if your first attempt doesn’t look picture perfect, it’s sure to be delicious.

Then, after the omelet mastery, I’ll move onto my Oh, so easy, Egg Puff Recipe and Elegant, but Easy, Egg Bake, both which take about five minutes of prep time, and are perfect for company.

I can’t begin to tell you how much fun it is to create new variations.

Omelet making is one of those skills that make my high school sons now feel like the “real deal” in the kitchen.

What are your favorite omelet fillings?

And what meal would you teach your son if he asked for help?

I can’t wait to see what you are cooking up in the kitchen.

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