| It's been at least six years since I balanced working | | | | on my sample menu that I shred chicken for taco/fajita |
| outside the home almost full-time and having two kids. | | | | night. You can simply freeze chicken and then take it |
| Friends were always amazed that I managed | | | | out for taco night in two weeks if you'd like. |
| homemade meals on the table each night. Becoming a | | | | Prepping ahead of Time |
| stay home mom with three kids made meal planning a | | | | This falls in with some of what I've already mentioned. |
| bit easier because I was home, BUT several of the | | | | If you cook double the amount of chicken breasts, you |
| lessons I learned as a work outside the home mom still | | | | can freeze half and take out in two weeks or so for |
| apply. I'll give you a sample menu for one week to | | | | another night of easy cooking. All those little minutes |
| show how I would pull all these easy lessons together. | | | | you spend prepping to cook really add up! Spending 5 |
| Several lessons that make meal preparation easier for | | | | more minutes cutting extra onions and peppers for |
| anyone are: | | | | another evening's meal is almost like saving 20 minutes |
| -Cook once, eat twice (or even 3 times!) | | | | because on another night you don't have to just cut |
| -Your slow cooker is your friend | | | | the peppers and onions, you have to take out the tools |
| -Menu plan each week around similar ingredients | | | | necessary to do the job and then clean up afterwards. |
| -Prepping Ahead | | | | Sample Menu |
| Cook once, Eat Twice | | | | Here is an example of what I would plan during the |
| If you're throwing chicken breasts into a skillet, why not | | | | week. I always figure one night of leftovers and one |
| throw in twice as many? You're spending the same | | | | night of something REALLY easy like hamburgers. |
| amount of time to cook the chicken and then you'll | | | | Chicken Parmesan |
| have cooked chicken for an entirely different meal | | | | Pizza |
| another night with little or no prep time. It also doesn't | | | | Shredded chicken tacos or fajitas |
| have to be the same meal. Cooked chicken can easily | | | | On Sunday, I would bake or skillet cook enough |
| go into casseroles, tacos and burritos or Cobb salads. | | | | chicken breasts for 2 meals. When the chicken is |
| Cooked meats also freeze very well, so you can | | | | cooked, place half of the meat into a baking dish with |
| easily grab the cooked meat from the freezer and | | | | a little sauce (save remaining sauce for pizza night) |
| save yourself the cooking after the defrosting. | | | | and mozzarella cheese (reserving some for pizza |
| The same applies to baked goods. If you're making a | | | | night, as well) on each then cover with foil and put into |
| batch of cookies, bake a double batch and freeze half | | | | fridge (chicken parmesan night). |
| of them. Baked goods freeze beautifully if you make | | | | I would also cut up onions and peppers for my tacos, |
| sure to take the time to wrap them carefully or use | | | | then caramelize them in a pan (place in container in the |
| quality freezer containers. You'll be able to grab | | | | fridge for taco/fajita night). Another tip is that peppers |
| homemade goodies quickly from the freezer when | | | | and onions freeze beautifully. You can cut them up |
| you don't have time for baking or don't want to. It's | | | | and throw them in the freezer for cooking down the |
| especially nice in the summer to NOT have to bake | | | | road. |
| too often. In addition, if you're a small household, you | | | | Shred the remaining chicken meat and then season |
| can save money by baking your own goodies and | | | | with prepared taco seasoning or fajita seasoning. |
| knowing they won't go to waste because you can pull | | | | Place in container and refrigerate until taco night. |
| small amounts out of the freezer as needed. | | | | On Monday night you can make egg noodles while |
| Casseroles also freeze well. | | | | your chicken parmesan is in the oven reheating (you |
| Your Slow Cooking Friend | | | | can microwave as well). Throw bagged salad greens |
| I LOVE my slow cooker. I LOVE being able to throw a | | | | into a bowl for a quick dinner. |
| bunch of stuff into the slow cooker in the morning and | | | | On Tuesday or Wednesday night you can use a |
| come home to dinner. There are ample crock pot | | | | Boboli style pizza crust and your remaining saved |
| cookbooks out there if you're not sure what to make | | | | sauce and cheese to throw together a pizza. If you |
| for recipes. It's still a great chance to cook once and | | | | like onions and peppers on your pizza, you could have |
| eat twice as many crock pot recipes make large | | | | prepped those ahead of time on Sunday. |
| quantities of food and freeze beautifully. The slow | | | | The other prepped ahead meal is the chicken tacos or |
| cooking method is also a great way to let tougher, less | | | | fajitas. Reheat your chicken and caramelized onion |
| expensive cuts of meat cook to wonderful tasty | | | | and peppers, pull together shredded cheddar cheese, |
| tenderness! You can also prep everything you need to | | | | sour cream, or anything else you like in your tacos or |
| put into the crock pot the night before and save | | | | fajitas and you have another meal. |
| valuable time in the morning. | | | | Another way to prep your meals for the week would |
| Slow cookers can also save time and money cooking | | | | be to place an entire chicken into a crock pot on |
| larger items for you like whole chickens, turkey breasts | | | | Saturday before your Sunday "prep" day. This will give |
| and corned beef which can be divided to several | | | | you ample chicken for the entire week (cut away |
| meals. During the summer, slow cookers can be | | | | entire breast, whole, for the chicken parmesan, and |
| placed outside (on a good day as I'm not sure they'll | | | | then you can remove all remaining bits of meat for the |
| survive rain storms) and let you prepare meals without | | | | chicken tacos and probably still have plenty leftover |
| heating up the kitchen (you'll save on cooling costs and | | | | for the freezer and another meal at another time, not |
| who doesn't love NOT cooking during the summer!?) | | | | to mention the chicken broth which you can freeze |
| Menu Plan along Similar ingredients | | | | and use to season rice and couscous side dishes). |
| Trying to plan a week of meals along 5 different and | | | | So whether you're cooking for small or large |
| very diverse ingredient lists is time consuming and | | | | households, work inside or outside the home you can |
| stressful. Try to keep you menu for the week focused | | | | use these tips to make meal preparation easy and |
| along the same key ingredients. You don't have to eat | | | | simple. The key is to make a menu with meals that |
| the same thing every night to do this either. My sample | | | | have similar ingredients, and then prep as much as you |
| menu will show how the same ingredients create | | | | can ahead of time. In addition, by using these lessons |
| several different dinners. | | | | you can build up a freezer full of meals and goodies |
| Even if you like a lot of diversity, you can achieve this | | | | with very little extra effort that will save you time, |
| by still prepping ahead and then freezing. You'll notice | | | | energy, and money down the road. |