Are you always “too busy” to cook? Here’s how you can be more efficient in the kitchen and find more time to cook.
You may love to cook. (Sometimes?)
You may love to eat. (Who doesn’t?)
And you may love to spend time with family, pursue hobbies and interests, and work, of course, so you can keep the lights on.
Sometimes these all converge into a happy cacophony of meals made and bills paid.
And sometimes, not.
Sometimes life gets so busy that something has to give.
Certainly, you’ve gotta eat. And let’s face it: getting the bills paid is a mandatory part of life. So the cooking? Well…
Sometimes the cooking part of life gets the short end of the stick.
Sometimes you’re too busy to cook.
That wouldn’t be so bad. There are plenty of restaurants in the world, but man cannot live on Big Macs alone.
Not if he doesn’t want to have a heart attack or go broke, he doesn’t.
That’s why having an efficient kitchen is so important — and why we are doing the Efficient Kitchen Challenge this month.
Time is Money.
If you can be more efficient in the kitchen you can save time, avoid waste, and enjoy fantastic meals — all while keeping the lights on and maybe even saving some money for other important financial goals.
Don’t get me wrong. I like takeout as well as the next guy, but I find that the most satisfying meals are the ones we eat at home.
An efficient kitchen is my answer.
What’s an efficient kitchen?
Efficient kitchen? Sounds like something out of The Jetsons, doesn’t it?
Check it out:
ef·fi·cient
adj \i-‘fi-sh?nt\
productive of desired effects; especially : productive without waste
An efficient kitchen produces desired effects without waste.
Booyah! That’s what I want, don’t you?
And really, that’s the driving force behind Good Cheap Eats: great food without wasting time, money, or food.
And without leaving you feeling wasted.
The efficient kitchen is one in which these resources are not wasted, but instead work together to create tasty, nourishing food for you and those you love.
Without wearing you out.
So, how can you find more time to cook?
1. Meal Planning will give you more time to cook.
How much time do we waste staring into the depths of the fridge wondering what to cook for supper, or worse, driving to the store without an idea in our heads of what to buy?
Meal planning can save you time! Not only will it eliminate that evening scramble, but when you ramp up your meal planning, you can get more efficient in the kitchen.
Here’s what I mean:
Plan meals you like.
Whether you plan for just a few days, a week, or even a month, determining your menu plan in advance can save you a lot of time, frustration, and money. You’ll know what to buy, what to cook, and what to serve.
Dinnertime prep will be like a walk in the park, especially if you plan meals you like.
When you plan meals that everyone enjoys, you look forward to eating it and therefore prepping it, and leftovers aren’t a hassle to use up.
Plan meals that build on one another.
There’s no law that says you need spend hours in the kitchen every day to serve a great meal. Plan meals that build on one another. Cook once, but enjoy multiple meals from that work.
Plan meals using time-saving systems.
Make-ahead meals, Instant Pot recipes, and 30-minute meals can all help you save time in the kitchen. Plan these kinds of meals so that you know you’ll be in and out of the kitchen lickety-split.
Remember there are kitchen gadgets that can help you make quick work in the kitchen, too!
An immersion blender can smooth a soup or sauce quicker than you can get the upright blender out of the cabinet. A bread machine can prep pizza dough while you tackle another job. A slow cooker can simmer a delicious stew while you go about your business away from home for the day.
2. Meal Prep.
Whether you prepare entire meals or meal components, meal prep can help you save loads of time in the kitchen because you’ll be able to prep food when you have time so that it’s ready to go when you’re in a rush.
Meal prep can be as simple as a stash of Chicken Fajita Burritos that You Can Freeze. Having just a few things tucked away for quick meals will save you time prepping — standing in line at the taco place.
As you make your meal plan for the next few days, consider which items can be prepped in advance. Something as small as chopping onions and carrots can easily shave time off your dinner time cooking session.
3. Use what you have.
As last month’s Pantry Challenge proved to so many of us, we have a wealth of great meals right under our own roofs! In fact, some of you are carrying the challenge into February because your blessings are overflowing your cupboards.
It’s in our best interests — and that of our budgets — to make sure that we are using what we have.
Not only do we save money by not buying more than we need, but we also make sure that what we already have doesn’t go to waste.
You save time by not going shopping for more!
Using what you have includes leftovers. If you’ve got leftovers to eat up, don’t spend time making more food.
Some leftovers, like these Poblano Chile Enchiladas, are definitely worth fighting over. Simply reheat and enjoy. Others can be reworked in a number of ways to give them new life.
4. Grocery shop with intention.
There’ve been times when I just went aisle-by-aisle through the store, loading my cart with pantry staples that I knew we needed or even items that struck my fancy. Those grocery shopping trips are rare now as I realize that they take more time and cost more money.
Grocery shopping with a list in hand is a way to curb excess spending and to make sure you have the ingredients you need when you get around to cooking. Plus, you get in and out of the store more quickly!
Shop with intention so that you can use your time for cooking, and more importantly, eating!
What helps YOU find time to cook?
kim
do you have links to those nice looking lunch salads pictured in your post?
Jessica Fisher
Those are Chicken & Raspberry Salads.
kim
how about the bean/rice/cubed chicken/pepper&onion photo? Thank you:)
Jessica Fisher
Those are Mexican Rice and Fajita Veggies (both recipes here on the site) made into Burrito Bowls (there’s also a post on that, too.)
Kathy C
One thing I like to say is “Make your appliances work for you”. I have so many small appliances, they should really be going more than they are. Something should always be going in the crockpot for a future meal since it is so easy, whether it is beans, rice, oatmeal, etc. I am now spoiled by my instant pot. I look at recipes and say that’s too much work and look for an IP recipe! I also have a food dehydrator. Why am I not constantly drying fruit and vegetables? I have a bread machine, keep it going!!! I have a vitamix….make soups and peanut butter…easy! Dust off your workhorses! 🙂
Jessica Fisher
Great point, Kathy! Thanks for chiming in!
Roberta
One thing I’ve learned by doing the Pantry Challenges is to write down what proteins I already have on hand and then make a list of possible meals that use those proteins. I generally have more possibilities than days in the month, especially since we frequently get two days out of each meal. Then, each Sunday afternoon I try to plan the dinners for the upcoming week, taking into account our schedules and the weather (’cause nobody’s going to want soup on a hot day). I only plan for dinners because we tend to eat the same things for breakfasts, and the guys’ lunches are always packed during the week (and pretty much the same basic “menu”). My lunches are generally leftovers or something super quick like PB toast and fruit.
I also try to fix something that I know will cover two meals if our schedules are extra busy/require us to be out in the evening. Soups, casseroles, and big batches of pasta are good for this. I’ll save stir frys and fish dishes for “one meal only” days.
Finally, I prep lunches the night before and stash the things that need to stay cold in the fridge. In the morning Hubs tosses everything into his and Son’s lunchboxes along with a blue ice packet. I’d like to add more variety to my guys’ lunches, but neither one has access (or even time to use!) a fridge or microwave, so PBJs or cheese sandwiches are their regular fare (with the occasional LO slice of pizza), along with a variety of “sides” such as yogurt w/ granola, salad, fruit and veggie slices/sticks, pretzels, muffins, string cheese, etc. Hubs is a high school assistant principal, and Son is a sophomore in HS; both are continuously on the go until they get home. Any ideas for additional healthy, homemade, packable lunch items are welcome. (Does anyone know if tuna salad or home-roasted turkey sandwiches would be safe to pack? I tend to save those kinds of things for weekends when I know they’ll be eaten right after they’re prepared; I’ve been uber hesitant to pack them. Also, does anyone know if soups stay hot if packed in thermos-type containers?)
Sarah
Roberta – I survived 12 years of eating a room temp turkey sandwich every day with no ill effects. Sometimes we had a frozen juice box that kept things cold then it was drinkable by lunch, but sometimes not. Having a lined lunchbox helps vs the paper bag.
For a thermos, boil water in a small saucepan and fill up the thermos and put the lid on. Leave the water in the thermos until your soup is heated through and almost boiling. Dump out the water and your thermos should be hot which will help the soup stay hot when you pack it. It’s also one of those items where spending a little more on quality goes a longer way.
Some of the favorite lunches around here are: cold pancakes or French toast sticks with breakfast sausage, fruit, and a small container of syrup. I buy the little to-go condiment cups from amazon so no one has to wash a sticky syrup container. Premade breakfast sandwiches with the bread packed separately are good cold, too. Bacon/ham/sausage, egg and cheese with tomato slices and some avocado on a bagel.
It’s too much food for me personally, but my hubby is a big dude so I know the struggle.
Another is pasta salad with cut up string cheese, tomatoes, basil, bell pepper, chicken and balsamic dressing. I don’t usually send mayo based things. The Greek version with olives and feta and cucumber is a hit too. You can send some pita, too.
Roberta
Thanks for the info and suggestions!
Jessica Fisher
Technically, perishables are only safe at room temperature for two hours. If you’re going to pack them, I recommend that you use some type of ice pack.
Roberta
Yep. We always use ice packs. 😉 Of course now with the COVID-19 shelter in place orders everyone is home so packing lunches is a non-issue. A blessing, although a bit of an odd one. Silver linings, anyone?
Jessica Fisher
Except that we’re all eating 24/7! LOL
Roberta
Ha! I might actually (finally) get through my freezers! Although this month’s grocery budget has been totally busted. I’ve been averse to going to multiple stores like I usually do, so I’m not being nearly as careful about checking prices. Plus, sometimes we’ve had to pick up something and only one store has had it in stock. Over $4 for a gallon of whole milk? Yikes! (It’s not price-gouging; just a brand we don’t normally use.)
Jessica Fisher
I know. We’ve been trying for minimal shopping. We’ve been doing this for almost two weeks (SD started on the 11th), so that first weekend, I paid an exorbitant amount for milk because there was nothing left but the chi-chi brand.
Roberta
At least we’re not driving much so not spending as much on gasoline. Maybe it will sort of balance out.
Our schools have been out for a full week now (although since Hubs is an administrator he still had to go in). This week is technically spring break, but we just got word that all L. A. County school districts will be closed until the first week of May (at least). At least we spent several years homeschooling, so it’s not a totally foreign concept for us. The shelter in place orders are only a few days old, but we’re adjusting. Son had a virtual piano lesson on Friday, and the scouts are starting virtual meetings. Son has been playing Pictionary/hangman/etc. with friends via Zoom/Skype/something. His biggest disappointment is that swim season is pretty much shot. Church services the last two weeks have been online (“going to church in our jammies” has been interesting). We also binge-watched Cadfael on Amazon Prime. LOL
I hope your “first-responder” brother is staying healthy (and the rest of your family!).
Tasty
I think what I do is similar to Lynn.
Thursday is when the new store sale ads come out here so on a Thursday morning I take the time to go thru the fridge (and over the fridge freezer) and see what is there to work with. I keep a paper list on the side of the fridge, showing what I have and “possibles” for breakfasts(not really needed because we invariably have the same thing),lunches and suppers. I like to use what’s upstairs already. Then I can think about what else I want to use,whether that’s from my freezers or the store. I’ll usually have more than 7 options for supper (I don’t want to be tied down to meatless Mondays,taco Tuesdays etc. I like to be able to make what we feel like eating. Quite often, I’ll give hubby the choice of 2 or 3 different things (from my options) and let him choose. He rarely requests something special – I’m lucky in that he is not picky!!
One thing I did realise last month was that I need to pick a few items from the pantry to use each week too, as well as the freezer! Making sure too that leftovers get incorporated into meals before it’s time to throw them out.
Jessica Fisher
These are definitely winning approaches to meal planning. Good job!
lisa s
My goal is to work on meal prep esp for sides and just the middle steps of recipes such as chopping all the produce in advance. I think that’s what slows me down the most and keeps me unmotivated to cook for my family. My meal prep usually looks like just doubling a recipe such as beans/ham, chili, lasagna and freezing the second meal for later. Or this week I made a Stromboli w/ham and spinach but didn’t use them all, so I threw the rest in an egg bake w/cheese that we will have for dinner tonight. But I would like to eat more fruits and veggies as a family, so having those prepped in my glass containers would help me achieve that.
Jessica Fisher
Great strategies, Lisa. Those will definitely help prevent food waste.
Karen J
I try to always keep some dinner starters in the freezer. Chopped onions and peppers, cooked bacon, cooked rice, and quart sized ziplocks of mixed chopped carrots, onions, and celery for soup starters.
Sunday is refrigerator clean/reorganizing day which encourages me to use what I have and to see what I need.
On my phone I keep a list of our favorite Costco and Trader Joe food items as I only get to those stores once a month or so.
I play a game by setting the timer and seeing if I can unload the dishwasher and wipe the counters in five minutes. Then if I’m successful I say “Good job” to myself. Weird, I know.
Carol
I love your game!
Jessica Fisher
Excellent strategies!