7 Time-Saving Tips for Family Meals
You can’t make every meal from scratch—and that’s okay. With a hectic family schedule and little time for gourmet dishes, who doesn’t need a break with some time-saving tips that will make mealtime easier. Here are 7 tips for making cooking easier and faster including:
START WITH TIME-SAVING KITCHEN TOOLS
Avoid kitchen clutter and speed up your cooking with must-have food prep tools:
- Salad spinner
- Microplane grater/zester
- Two good knives
- Mini food processor
- Strainer
BULK GRAINS
The next time you plan to serve a whole grain, make two to three times as much as you would for one meal. Let cool fully and portion out meal-size amounts; freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags. On the day you plan to serve, remove from freezer in the morning and let thaw at room temperature.
Use in a recipe: Wild Rice and Quinoa Salad
CLEAN AS YOU GO
Clean-up can be one of the worst parts about cooking family-size meals. To make the end of the meal easier, fill the sink with warm soapy water, and as your finished with pans and dishes slide them into the water so that, later, you won’t have to scrape bits of food off.
GET SAUCE SAVVY
For pasta dishes or enchiladas, prepare the sauce up to three days ahead. Then, come dinnertime, you’ll only have to reheat it and cook the pasta or pour over the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.
Use in a recipe: Homemade Enchilada Sauce or Spaghetti with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
PATTY PREP
Make hamburger patties in the morning; cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Use in a recipe: Sliders with Cranberries or Chicpea Burgers
COOLED CAKES
Freeze cooled, leftover cooked pancakes in a zip-top freezer bag for up to one month. Reheat for quick weekday meals. You can also freeze Grace O’s Buckwheat Crepes and use them for savory lunch ideas later.
Use in a recipe: Sweet Potato-Blueberry Pancakes or Buckwheat Crepes.
GRAB N’ GO
Burritos and tacos make excellent, quick lunches or dinners. Assemble them ahead. Wrap each burrito or taco separately in foil lightly coated with cooking spray; reheat in the oven at 375 degrees for 10–15 minutes.
Use in a recipe: Tofu Tacos with Kimchi Slaw
