After a busy day, the last thing you want to do is to come home and spend hours in the kitchen. I have to get dinner on the table fast for a very hungry family and these kitchen timesavers really help me do that.
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I love that I save time in the kitchen so that I can spend more time relaxing after a long day with my little girl. It really is the best part of my day!
I hope that these tips will help give you some ideas on how to get a delicious meal on the table without spending hours cooking and cleaning in the kitchen so you can do the things you really love doing.
Plan Ahead
The one thing that saves me the most time every single week is simply making a plan. I like keeping a notepad on the fridge so that when I run out of something, I write it down right then so I can put it on my shopping list.
I don’t have to waste time running to the store several times a week, I have everything I need for the meals I plan on making that week.
Some people meal plan for a week, like me, and some plan all the way out for the month. Pick what’s the easiest for you.
If you need help with meal planning, you should look into $5 Meal Plan. You get a full meal plan every week sent to your email for only $5 a month!
You can get a free 14 day trial to see what they offer and if it is something that may work for you. I love that most of their meals are less than $3 per serving!
Prepare Stock
How many times have you had to open a can or carton of chicken stock just for 1 cup that the recipe needed? Don’t throw the rest of it away!
If you have store bought stock or stock that you made yourself, simply pour the stock into 1 cup muffin tins. After the stock is frozen, pop the portions out of the tin; store them in resealable freezer bags and label them with the date.
You can just pop them into the recipe as needed, no measuring required.
Conversion Charts
I love having a conversion chart on hand in my kitchen. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to stop and Google for the correct measurement.
I love the helpful conversion charts that A Sweet Pea Chef has on her site. Just print them out, laminate them, and stick them on the back of one of your kitchen cabinets for easy reference.
Seed Tomatoes Faster
Some people like to seed tomatoes before they make salsas, sauces, or salads. You can do it with a knife, but it takes forever and can be dangerous.
Use a melon baller to make quick work out of seeding your tomatoes. You won’t have to worry about cutting your fingers!
Boil Water Faster
If you are making pasta for dinner wait to add the salt to your water until after it is boiling. Salt water actually takes longer to boil than fresh water.
Chopping
I am not a very good fruit and veggie chopper. I wish I was more skilled at it and could chop super quick like they do on Food Network, but I’m not.
I love using a veggie chopper to make quick work of chopping and dicing vegetables for my recipes. It saves me a ton of prep time! It’s great for peppers, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and more.
Keep a Trash Can Close by
This will save you a lot of time, especially if you have a large kitchen. Keep a trash receptacle close to where you are cooking or preparing food.
You can just throw everything in there and empty it in the trashcan once instead of having to constantly be walking back and forth around the kitchen.
You can use a little container or even an old plastic shopping bag.
Read the Recipe Fully
Some people know this but some don’t. Before you step foot in the kitchen make sure you read the entire recipe. You can make sure that you have all the ingredients and cookware that you need.
I can’t tell you how many times I thought I had an ingredient only to get everything out and having to call my fiance to stop by the store on his way home.
You can also see when you need to start prepping certain foods while other foods are cooking.
Egg Slicer is for more than just eggs
An egg slicer can make prepping eggs for salads or egg salad quicker. You can also use them to quickly slice soft fruits like strawberries and bananas.
They make great garnish for pancakes, oatmeal, french toast, cereal, and more!
Preheat Pan
If you are going to be cooking something on a cookie sheet, make sure you stick it in the oven as it heats up. By preheating your pan, you will make sure that everything gets cooked evenly.
Get the Kids Involved
Depending on how old your kids are, you can delegate certain things for them to help with in the kitchen. Have them help with the prep by chopping and slicing and peeling.
They can even do the dishes as you are finished with them. I love having the dishes done as I am cooking so there is not a huge sinkful of dishes after dinner.
Double the Recipe
Whenever I cook, I always make sure to double the recipe. It is one of my favorite kitchen timesavers! I hate having to cook every single night so this way we still get a home cooked meal without me having to be in the kitchen all week.
Some people like freezer cooking but that just isn’t for me personally. I make enough so that we will have some for lunch or dinner the next day. After eating something for 2 days in a row, I’m ready to move on to something else.
Freezer cooking can be a big timesaver if you have the freezer space and want to tackle everything at once. You can find some great recipes on Pinterest.
You may also want to check out my other posts:
How to Get Healthy when your Crazy Busy
Natural Beauty Products from your Pantry
Kitchen Gadgets that will Brighten your Day
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