Today's list of things to do: Work, take the kids to soccer practice, pick up dry cleaning, pick up kids, homework and wash some laundry. Is that enough for one day? Try to fit in some time to make dinner in that slot and you are just lost for time. Yet, there are many ways that you can reduce your workload in the kitchen so you do have time to do all the running around you have to do and make a healthy dinner that is affordable for your children.
Here are some great time saving tips to incorporate into your busy day to save you some time.
Saving time in the kitchen means you'll save money and you will give your kids a healthy meal every night.
About The Author: Sandy Baker is a freelance writer for a variety of online newsletters. She is a published writer who regularly provides useful tips that people can use to better their lives. Contact her at ContentBySandy@verizon.net
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
By Cyndi Roberts
It's always nice to hear about an easier or faster way to do something--especially if that something is in the kitchen, where we spend so much of our time!
Try these time-savers!
1. Mix up your pancake batter in your blender, then pour right out of your container onto the griddle. You'll have lump-free batter and lots less to clean up.
2. Having a children's birthday party? The day before, scoop ice cream into a muffin pan lined with paper liners. Keep in the freezer till serving time.
3. For quick frosting on a cake or pan of brownies, sprinkle a 12-oz. bag of chocolate chips on top while cake is still warm. Let it sit for a few minutes, the chips will be soft enough to spread. Try using mint chocolate chips, too!
4. We've all made small pizzas using English muffins, but have you tried using flour tortillas? Just top with pizza sauce and your other favorite things, and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes or so.
5. Your kitchen shears are the best tool for cutting fresh green beans into pieces. You can even cut more than one bean at a time.
6. Instead of making a white sauce for your veggies tonight, mix equal parts of mayo and the water the veggies cooked in. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
7. When you have cooking odors you would like to get rid of, boil a few cinnamon sticks in water for a few minutes.
8. Another way to clean up pots and pans quickly-- boil a little vinegar and water in the pan. Then stuck on food is easily cleaned out.
9. Another use for your electric knife: it slices chilled cookie dough very neatly.
10. Don't fry your bacon, cook it in the oven! Just lay the slices on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until crisp and done. Easy cleanup, too.
11. An easy, quick way to shred carrots for carrot cake: place pieces of carrot in blender, add eggs the recipe calls for and blend until of desired consistency.
12. Want to have spaghetti for sauce but no time for making sauce? Just blend a can of Italian diced tomatoes and heat.
13. If you spill cooking oil on the floor or counter, sprinkle flour over it; wait a few minutes for it to absorb and wipe or sweep up.
14. An easy way to peel a tomato: rub all over with the back of a knife. Then it peels easily.
15. Use a small funnel to easily and quickly separate an egg. The white will go through, while the yolk will stay in the funnel.
How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever. ---David Norris
Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the "1 Frugal Friend 2 Another" bi-weekly newsletter and founder of the website of the same name. Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to find creative tips, articles, and a free e-cooking book. Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course "Taming the Monster Grocery Bill".
I use my George Foreman grill to cook lots of bacon and sausage at one time. The bacon and sausage cooks quickly, there's no splatter and the bacon is perfectly flat. I freeze the bacon/sausage and nuke it for one minute or so when my family comes home to a "breakfast" dinner. They love it, it's inexpensive and both quick and easy to make the eggs, toast and precooked bacon/sausage.
Question?
I was told wash your fresh veggies as you use them.
It is suppose to extend their freshness. Is this true?
I used to wash and separate then I heard the tip to wash as you use. Which is better? I'd sure like to know.
Special thanks to Cyndi Roberts for her kitchen tips!!! Loved the bacon tip! Also the flour for spilled oils. Thanks for posting!
Jennifer CA
I find it saves me time and my sanity if I plan meals ahead....I don't always plan a week at a time but do try to atleast plan a few meals....then I can see that I have the ingredients on hand and am not scrambling to put something on the table. It is amazing how many women I know who say they never know ahead what they are fixing....they go in the kitchen at 5:00 and pull something from the freezer to defrost in the microwave.
Another time saver for me is to chop up onions ahead in my little electric food chopper and put in little bags in the freezer. Many recipes call for chopped onion and the frozen works just fine. Not having to stop and chop onion just makes putting a dinner together all that much faster/easier. I have also used the dry onion in recipes and it works fine too. I always have it on hand.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
