Seven Ways to Spend Less Time in the Kitchen — Kristin's Peppermints and Cherries

Moms are usually on the lookout for time savers and time saving tips, and the ball doesn't stop rolling there! It seems everyone is looking for ways to squeeze more value into a twenty-four hour day. Here are seven ways to help you spend less time in the kitchen!

Seven Ways to Spend Less Time in the Kitchen | Homemaking Tips

Wash and prepare produce all at one time.

Healthy eating takes more preparation time than eating junk food. Avoid grabbing the chip bag by prepping your produce when you bring it home from the grocery store. Immediately prepping the produce (or at least some of it) saves time in the kitchen and calories. For example, place your grapes in a clean bowl and fill with fresh produce wash and water to clean. Rinse the grapes, and make individual servings in baggies. These are easy to grab for a quick snack, and when it’s time to eat the grapes, you don’t have to wash them.

You can also do this with baby carrots and cucumbers. When cucumbers are in season, I like to peel, chop, and put in baggies. They make a great side with a sandwich for a quick lunch. Red, yellow, and green peppers are good for prepping ahead of time.

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If you prep produce immediately when you bring it home from the store, you will save time. If you can’t wash and chop everything immediately, find a time that works for you! And it may be a different time every week!

Bake enough chicken or brown enough lean ground beef for two meals.

One day it dawned on me that I don’t have to bake chicken two days in a row if it’s on the menu! I can bake enough chicken for two or more meals, refrigerate or freeze it, and use when needed. Let’s say I plan to eat baked barbecue chicken on Monday and chicken pot pie on Tuesday. I can make enough chicken on Monday for Tuesday’s meal and save time and dish washing on Tuesday! Brown enough lean ground beef for spaghetti and tacos if you plan those menu items in the same week!

Cook enough dinner for leftovers.

Prepare enough food so your family will have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day!

Drink protein shakes or smoothies for a meal.

Shakes are delicious and very healthy! They also give you a break from heavy eating! Try this green juice recipe!

Eat out once or twice a week.

Be reasonable about what and where you eat, but this is obviously a huge time saver in the kitchen. We usually eat out once a week, and sometimes we bring home take-out or a sub from Publix!

Seven Ways to Spend Less Time in the Kitchen, Kitchen Tips for Homemakers

Cook two meals at the same time.

Even if you don’t totally cook or completely bake both meals at the same time, you can do some of the prep for more than one meal. This will save time in the kitchen later!

Clean as you cook to avoid a huge mess after dinner.

Have you ever cooked a huge meal and felt like crawling under the table to avoid cleaning up when the meal was over? Keep the sink full of hot, soapy water while you are cooking. Every so often, stop and wash a few dishes and wipe down the counters. I like washing at least some of the dishes before serving the meal. This saves time after eating the meal.

Cooking is something that we all do no matter the size of our families. Preparing meals takes time and thought. I hope these tips help you save time in the kitchen!