As busy moms, you are always trying to find ways to speed up a number of tasks such as cooking in the kitchen. Granted, it may be impossible to decrease the amount of time it takes to bake a pie or shred vegetables but even so, there are still a number of useful cooking tips that will make you highly efficient inside the kitchen. Whether you have a busy schedule or simply just want to spend as little time as possible preparing meals, these 10 super useful cooking tips that save time will always come in handy:
1. Plan ahead:
Planning your meals ahead of time will allow you to save time. Not only does a good meal plan advocate for healthy food choices, it also makes it easy to decide what to cook and shop for ingredients far ahead of time. By planning ahead, you will eliminate any time wasters and take care of things in advance. Everyone knows how stressful it is to make a last minute decision about a meal. If you are trying out new recipes, ensure that all the ingredients are purchased ahead of time. A good plan is created on a weekly or monthly basis.
2. Keep a set of sharp knives:
It is important to have a good number of sharp knives in the kitchen. This will enable you to easily hone your knife skills. Individuals who are good at cutting and chopping often take half the time required to successfully prepare their meals. As sharp knives need less brute force, they will cleanly cut through fresh ingredients like herbs. But more than this, sharp knives will not slow you down. They will ensure that your meal preparation process is quicker and more enjoyable. Learning how to sharpen your own knives will help you control the bevel of the edge and suit how you use a particular knife.
3. Use a sausage stuffer:
Stuffing sausage can be a difficult and time-consuming task, especially if you plan to do it by hand. A good sausage stuffer offers a variety of benefits. This tool helps make sausage easily. Choose a sausage stuffer that is easy to use as it will get the job done quickly and efficiently. It will also give you the satisfaction of a perfectly homemade, authentic sausage. Do not forget the amount of money that you will save by making your own sausage in comparison to buying it from the store.
4. Cook with a slow cooker:
A slow cooker is a fabulous time saver, especially when preparing meals that take a long time to cook. ou can simply put all of the useful ingredients in the cooker as you leave for work in the morning and come back to a delicious meal in the evening. Not only is a slow cooker a time saver but it is also an economically smart choice as you can use cheaper cuts of meat. Even though you are saving time and money, you will not be sacrificing taste.
5. Prepare all fresh vegetables in advance:
Vegetable prepping is a time-saving trick that refers to preparing your chosen vegetables even before the actual cooking process. For instance, you can choose to peel and chop carrots keep them in the fridge for future use. As such, when you prepare a meal, you can confidently toss the chopped carrots into the pan. This can also be done with garlic. Preparing vegetables early ensures that you do not waste any time when cooking.
6. Use frozen vegetables:
Yes, fresh is better. However, fresh vegetables take a longer time to cook and prepare, especially if you want a variety on your plate. Therefore, if you are in a hurry, frozen vegetables are the best choice as they take the least amount of time to prepare. . They are highly versatile and come in wide array of combinations, and as such, can accompany any meal. When fresh vegetables are out of season, frozen deliver more nutrients as they are picked and frozen at their height of ripeness.
7. Stay focused:
Although this sounds logical, many people always multitask when cooking. Watching TV or replying an email may sound tempting but multitasking is highly time-consuming, especially when cooking. Staying focused will save time and ensure that you are more productive.Decide on what to cook and get all your pots, pans, knives and ingredients ready. Ensure that you are not destructed. Otherwise, the food could undercook or overcook and you will have to spend even more time salvaging the mess.
8. Double up cooking portions:
Cooking extra portions of chicken, salmon, beef, pork or rice will enable you to easily re-purpose into another meal for the week. Instead of making a whole meal during lunchtime, these extras are a great accompaniment for salads and sandwiches. Dishes like lasagna, pie, pasta and sauces also freeze well and can come in handy for your weekly dinners. All you have to do is seal and freeze!
9. Make the most of your food processor:
Dust off that old food processor on your shelf and put it to good use. In order to save time, use a food processor to chop or mince ingredients without losing any layer on flavor. It works faster than a knife and makes work easier. Apart from chopping, food processors can also be used for blending your favorite ingredients.
10. Sign up for a cooking class:
Even though taking a cooking class is an obvious choice, many people do not know that a good cooking class decreases the number of hours spent in the kitchen. This is also chance to learn new recipes and emulate real-life chefs. A good teacher will also answer your relevant questions and teach you all the necessary tricks of cooking delicious dishes in the shortest time.
Conclusion:
There you go! 10 super useful tips that save time. Each of these tips will play a significant role in cutting down significant cooking time. They will also make cooking a short and enjoyable activity for you.
