Too busy to cook but want to feed your family home made meals? With a little preparation and planning you can cut your meal time in half. Here are five time-tested tips to consider.
#1 Cut Corners in the Produce Isle
In many cases you can save significant food preparation time by purchasing food that is already half way there. For example, if you’re making a roasted chicken pizza instead of roasting the chicken yourself, and making the pizza crust, you can buy premade crust and a fully roasted chicken at your supermarket. Instead of spending hours roasting a chicken and making a homemade pizza crust, you can spend about ten minutes putting it all together.
Chicken tenders are another example. You can purchase tenders instead of buying chicken breasts and slicing them at home. You can purchase premade burger patties, too. There are many priorities to consider when making meals for your family. Time, money, and taste are all important. Weigh your options at the supermarket. If saving time is top priority, then prepared produce can make nightly meal prep much easier.
#2 Use Frozen Veggies
Frozen vegetables are great in the winter when fresh veggies are difficult to find and a bit expensive. They’re also washed, chopped, and ready to go. You can use them in casseroles, stews and as a simple side dish. If you want to add a bit of zest to your frozen vegetable side dish, experiment with spices and seasonings.
#3 Organize Your Kitchen
It may sound simple but organizing your kitchen is a real time saver. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You can place all canned vegetables on one shelf, all your spices in a drawer and all your staples in labeled containers in your pantry. Find a system that works for you and use it. You’ll appreciate it when you’re juggling two pots and a dish in the oven at meal time.
#4 Use Great Tools
A food processor can make meal time preparation as simple as pushing a button. It blends meatloaf ingredients into a perfect mixture. It chops, dices, and slices quickly and easily. Blenders are super for making dressings and sauces. And if you really want to save time, consider buying a mandolin. It can help you make sliced potatoes, matchstick carrots and so much more.
#5 Make Meals on the Weekends
If you’re short on time during the week, consider making the upcoming week’s meals on the weekend. You can make a few casseroles and a roast in the crock-pot all in one day. Pop them in the freezer and thaw and reheat when it’s time for dinner.
Families are busy and making dinner can take too much time. Yet families want to eat healthier. You can have the best of both worlds. You can serve a homemade meal to your family without spending hours in the kitchen each day.
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