HACKS FOR QUICK AND EASY MEALS
Cooking from scratch can get exhausting, especially when you have little ones! Sometimes actually making food is half the battle when it comes to dietary restrictions. Below are some ideas to make life easier and help you spend less time cooking for every single meal!
HACK #1
Consider purchasing an entire roast, chicken, or large cut of pork that you can throw in an Instant Pot or slow cooker. These large cuts of meat typically can make multiple meals that you can either use throughout the week or freeze for later.
TIP: consider a recipe that creates a broth or gravy and freeze the extra to use for future recipes!
HACK #2
Food prep can feel like a chore or virtually impossible with a baby, but it can be so helpful! Consider planning a time once a week to hire a mother’s helper or enlist a family member so that you can do some food prep. Make it fun by pouring a glass of wine and putting on some favorite music!
Some ideas: make energy bites, chia seed pudding or muffins for snacks. Chop and wash veggies for the week. Cook meat that can be repurposed for various meals.
HACK #3
Start making double recipes of every meal you make and freezing the leftovers. It’s usually just as much work to make twice as much food, and it’s such a good feeling to just defrost a meal from the freezer!
TIP: consider investing in a chest freezer so that you can actually start to build up a “stash” of freezer meals this way!
Hack #4
Purchase veggies that will help make cooking from scratch easier. For example: chopped frozen onions, pre-chopped or dried garlic, dried herbs and sauces like Sir Kensington’s or Primal Kitchen.
Focus on “easy” veggies that don’t require chopping like snap peas, frozen broccoli florets, asparagus, pre-washed greens, baby carrots or sweet potatoes.
Hack #5
Think about easy meat options when you need to make dinner fast. Beef steaks, pork chops or salmon are easy to throw under a broiler and cook with just a few spices. Safe sausages like Aidells brand are another great option that don’t require any prep.