If it feels like your life is too busy, you're not alone. Many families experience the feeling of constant rush, but there are ways to save time around the house and lighten some of those burdens. In fact, one of the easiest places you can add extra minutes to your day is in the kitchen. Common meal prep tasks, such as cutting vegetables, collecting herbs, measuring ingredients, and heating the oven, can take time that you could spend with loved ones.
Innovation and technology can make meal preparation easier, and kitchen hacks can boost your productivity. Consider the simple ways below:
Find recipes with as few ingredients as possible
Dishes with many ingredients usually require more work in the kitchen, which usually involves extra prep steps and sometimes longer cooking times. Plus, you probably already have the supplies on hand for recipes that require 5-10 ingredients instead of long lists.
Buy pre-cut vegetables to reduce the time you spend on prep work
One of the processes that can take surprisingly more time than you realize is cutting and chopping vegetables and herbs before you even really dive into a recipe's instructions. If you still prefer to prepare your own fresh produce, try doing some prep work the night before if it doesn't interfere with quality family time.
Make sure you have frozen vegetables in the freezer
Meal packs certainly save time at the store, but be careful to avoid options that still contain a lot of preparation. Focus on frozen packs that contain pre-cut and measured ingredients that can be prepared immediately.
Put the basics in your pantry to make cooking faster and easier
From spices and cans to seasonings and spices, keeping the essentials close at hand means less hassle for a quick trip to the store and more moments at home.
Stock pantry
Instead of running to the store every time deciding what to prepare for dinner, try keeping your pantry stocked with non-perishable items that are often needed for a variety of meals.
