I’m excited to share a recent article written by Katie Friedson on behalf of Hefty®. For reusable tableware and other products that can help you save time in the kitchen over the holidays, visit www.hefty.com.
Thanks so much Katie for sharing this post! Read on to become inspired!
When you’re balancing a business and running a family, it’s easy to forget about little details like what you should make for dinner. Ordering takeout every so often is perfectly fine, but eating out regularly will end up taking a toll on your wallet (and often your waistline!) before you know it! Instead, save money and feed your family filling, nutritious meals that don’t require you to overspend or even cook everything from scratch!
Here are some tips from Hefty® on how best to save time on dinner prep and clean-up:
- Craving pizza for dinner but don’t have time to make one from scratch? Make a semi-homemade meal instead by dressing up a premade frozen or refrigerated pizza with fresh veggies, sausage or sliced meats. You may even want to add last night’s left-overs! Pizza is a great base, and adding cheeses you may have in your fridge, (such as goat cheese or feta) will add a more homemade and often gourmet taste.
- Precook pasta al-dente over the weekend and save it to use throughout the week. When you’re on a tight schedule, reheating already cooked pasta or tossing it into a casserole rather than taking the time to boil water and wait for it to cook can be a huge timesaver. Store cooled, precooked pasta in plastic food storage containers until you need to use it.
- Oftentimes, doing the dishes takes just as long as making the actual meal. To save time washing dishes, consider using recyclable plates, forks and cups on busy nights. Disposable tableware makes cleanup a breeze; plus, it lets you spend more time with your family and less time doing dishes. (I love using recyclable materials!)
- Keeping frozen, organic vegetables on hand for healthy dinner sides will save you time. When you use frozen vegetables, you don’t need to cut, slice or clean them; the work is already done for you! Just mix them with your favorite seasonings and a little olive oil, and then roast them on a baking sheet for flavorful, semi-homemade sides that are packed with nutrients.
- One of the best ways to save time on your favorite dinner recipes is to keep a rotisserie chicken in the fridge. When you already have precooked chicken on hand, it’s easy to shorten the prep time on all kinds of recipes, from tacos and casseroles to soups and salads.
Taking shortcuts in the kitchen doesn’t mean you can’t feed your family delicious, homemade meals. It does mean, however, that you’ll save yourself time, stress and even money. You can always choose to wash your plastic wear and reuse it over the holidays, or simply recycle it!
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What are your time-saving kitchen tips for busy moms? Please share them below!
Thank you so much Katie! These ideas are great ways for us mom-biz owners to save some time, serve nutritious home-made meals, and stay on top of it all!
Image courtesy of Giovanni Sades/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
