3 of My Favorite Kitchen Tips

It’s no shock if you’ve been here for a while to see me talking about food. I didn’t really learn to cook until I got married right out of college (omg, babies!!) and even then it was mostly pasta! I’d like to think we’ve learned a thing or two in the last 8 years and we definitely have a few rhythms that help us keep afloat when life is super busy. Although grocery prices are higher than ever, it’s still SO MUCH MORE cost effective to eat at home vs. eating out.

MEAL PLAN

It doesn’t have to be fancy and our plan is always a loose one. I look to see what we have going on that week and what nights I anticipate us having less time to cook. Then I check the fridge to see what items didn’t get used from last week or what else is on it’s last leg. From there it’s to the freezer and pantry to see what’s available. I create a loose meal plan from there, make a grocery list, and place an online order. Not much good has come from the pandemic but grocery pick up has certainly been a plus. It saves me so much time, I’m less likely to impulse shop, and it’s just so much more simple with a baby now.

USE YOUR FREEZER

One of my favorite strategies is to make double batches of things and freeze half. This works especially well for soups and stews. If I’m already getting everything out, I might as well make it worth my time and effort to prep and clean up. If it’s a soup with meat I like to keep the same quantity of meat the recipe calls for and double everything else. Mason jars are great for freezing (just leave room at the top for it to expand) but my favorites are souper cubes. It makes it so easy to freeze single portions and so much faster to thaw. I could write a whole post about how much I love them!

PREP YOUR PRODUCE

I am so much more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the week if I don’t have to wash/peel/cut when I’m already hungry. We are also much more likely to eat up food if it’s ready to go and less food waste is better for both your pocket and the environment. Obviously there are exceptions (mushrooms! tomatoes! raspberries!) but I try to wash and prep whatever I can after picking up groceries. Strawberries, carrots, grapes, and cucumber are big ones in our house.

Those are a few of our routines at home and big ways that help us in the longer game. I’d love to hear what you do at home to keep things running smoothly!