The Time to Cook
When we talk to busy parents, the number one desired helper in feeding their families is the TIME to prepare healthy, delicious meals. We can’t take you back in time, but we can suggest some ways to find more of it for this important investment in your family. On your marks, get set, go!
Ten Ways to Find More Time to Feed Your Family
- Double batch: Cooking once for two meals is always a time saver. Do all the prep work and clean up once for two meals!
- Meal prep while doing something else (laundry, another meal, exercising): Many tasks can be started and attended to while doing other things during the day. Start a batch of beans while cooking breakfast, put a chicken in to roast while doing the dishes at night, chop vegetables while listening to your favorite radio or TV show. Cook a batch of rice or quinoa while in the shower.
- Share meals with friends: Kimberly and I routinely shared meals while we were neighbors. We would cook a double batch or larger portion and share with the other family. Not only do you get a pre-made meal, you get to try new recipes as well. Potluck is another great way to share a meal. Each family brings part of the meal for a great full meal.
- Take shortcuts: Pre-cut vegetables, grated cheese, rotisserie meats, pre-made components such as pesto sauce, salsa, or flash-frozen cooked seafood, can make meal preparation much shorter and manageable.
- Make the same recipe over and over for proficiency and speed: Using your list of family favorites, become speedy at and second nature in creating the meals that you family likes the best. You’ll have the ingredients on-hand, and you won’t have to spend any time thinking about how to make it.
- Dedicate one weekend day for cooking for the week (or week night): Meal preparation can be more efficient when preparing multiple meals at a time. You can chop all your vegetables for the week, and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Quinoa, pasta, and some other grains can be cooked ahead to be used in various recipes all week.
- Shop on-line or have groceries delivered, and use your grocery shopping time for meal prep: Some areas have grocery deliver (lucky Seattle with AmazonFresh) from local stores. There are also private services that will shop and deliver groceries. Save money on gas and gain the time for meal prep.
- Get the rest of the family involved in meal preparation: You’d be surprised how much help you can get from your family for sous-chef duties like washing fruits and vegetables, using the salad spinner, prepping ingredients, or even setting the table. Gain time plus meal-preparation family fun.
- Cook once for multiple meals: A large piece of meat can be a great base for multiple meals. Grill three flank steaks at the same time, and make three meals of steak and potatoes, fajitas, and steak salad with arugula. Or roast two chickens at the same time, and make a roasted chicken dinner, chicken soup, and chicken salad.
- Choose a menu that is quick to prepare: It’s fun to prepare a multi-course meal or dishes that take hours of preparation if you have the time; but if you don’t, it can be stressful and frustrating. Buy some time and plan on meals that are quick to prepare and quick to cook. Bake or sauté a quick protein (fish fillet, boneless chicken breast, quinoa) with a tossed salad and you have a meal.
May the wind be at your back!
