When it comes to being a mom, one of today’s biggest challenges is finding time. Time for the children’s homework, baths, sports, school, and of course, eating. So often our meals become a matter of convenience versus nutrition, and on stressful nights, a trip to the drive-through wins out over a home-cooked meal. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! The meals in this book can all be prepared in about the same amount of time as it takes to put on your shoes, head out to the car, and make a trip into town. If you start using some of the strategies found throughout this chapter, meals can be a breeze. Thirty minutes is all it takes from start to finish!
We all face challenges as parents, whether we work outside the home or from within. There just never seems to be enough time to get it all done! Obstacles such as nonstop schedules, picky eaters, and staying within your household budget can all prevent your family from having nutritious family meals. But you’ll find that with a couple of deep breaths and a few tips and tricks, you’ll be on your way to domestic bliss in no time!
It’s so difficult to find time to come together as a family for more than a few minutes, especially for a meal. It is important to plan ahead and be prepared for just such occasions. A few simple preparations and a list of quick, family-friendly recipes can reduce stress and make mealtime as a family much easier. There is nothing more satisfying than a Saturday morning filled with your loved ones around the breakfast table, or a thoughtful family meal after a difficult day at the office. Children find comfort in family meals, and will grow to treasure this family time later on in life. Get the kids involved: ask your daughter to help stir the pasta, or have your young son set the table. Turn off those televisions, share the happenings of the day, and eat together as often as possible!
Sitting down for a meal with your children can help everyone unwind from their hectic schedules. Even little questions such as “Did you have fun at soccer practice?” or “How do you like your science teacher?” can prompt longer, more in-depth conversations that both you and your children will look forward to.
Staying on a budget is critical, but is also a very difficult thing to achieve. Cooking at home is an easy way to save money, especially if you are a smart shopper. Coupons, online discounts, and store specials are great ways to curb spending, and shopping with a list will shave more off of your total bill than you may think. Make a list, and stick to it!
Even if you aren’t able to avoid buying that package of ice cream sandwiches from time to time, the money saved by shopping smart and cooking at home will far outweigh the money spent on fast food. The average fast food meal of burgers and fries for a family of four comes in at over $20, whereas a similar meal prepared at home is only $7. Dinner for four at a popular steakhouse can easily drain your wallet of $80 or more, whereas steaks and baked potatoes at home will only cost around $20. It’s money well saved, not to mention faster than waiting in line for a table!
The majority of children detest getting up in the morning, especially those growing teenagers! That can make feeding them a good breakfast even harder than it has to be. Make it easier on yourself by not fighting the inevitable! While they are getting dressed, try whipping up a quick breakfast fajita and wrapping it for them to eat on the way to school.
No time to cook in the morning? Prepare a double batch of pancakes over the weekend and freeze the leftovers to reheat in the microwave on those rushed mornings. It’s also easy to spend a little time the night before making a batch of muffins for the next day. There’s nothing easier than grabbing a blueberry muffin and heading out the door on the way to the bus stop! If all else fails, having a bowl of fresh fruit sitting out on the counter is always a great alternative for an easy on-the-go breakfast.
Packing lunches is also a challenge for many of us. There is a lot of talk today about the quality of school-prepared lunches and whether those lunches are providing children with enough nutritional value. Many schools are adding healthier foods to their lunch menus, but removing all the unhealthy options is still a work in progress. By packing, we can make sure our children are getting the healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables they need, without the added fats. Know what your children are eating!
Between ballgames, cheerleading, band practice, study sessions, and more, children today are incredibly busy, and this can make dinnertime a true challenge. With a little forethought, however, a grab-and-go meal from home will be just as quick and easy as ordering takeout, not to mention healthier! A premade wrap can be quickly microwaved and ready in a flash for that busy teen, or a pizza burger and homemade microwave potato chips can be packaged up in a lunchbox for a quick meal on the way to practice. Mix it up, and keep it fun.
Everyone knows that fast food is bad for you, and yet many people continue to eat it. Why? It’s easy. It’s convenient. But healthy? It certainly is not. There are many ways to make convenient meals healthier at home, such as replacing fatty meats with lower-fat alternatives like turkey or veggie burgers. Consider packaged applesauce or other single serving fruits as side dishes for packed lunches or snacks. Smoothies and fresh juices make wonderful after-school snacks, can be prepared in minimal time, and will provide hours of energy for your growing child in a healthy way.
According to the nutritional information published on their website, one McDonald’s Big Mac has 550 calories and 29 grams of fat. When you and your family do eat fast food, look for healthier options such as grilled chicken sandwiches or salads.
You likely have one in your home right now: a picky eater. The child that will only eat macaroni, or the teen that only wants pizza. If your child is picky, try to determine why, and instead of punishing them for it or forcing unwanted foods upon them, try catering to their wishes instead. For example, start adding a few proteins into your macaroni lover’s dinner. Sliced chicken breast hidden among the noodles is an excellent strategy. You can also add in steamed broccoli, or slices of pepperoni. Eventually, their picky palate will grow, and they may even start requesting such additions. Don’t be discouraged if they pick out those unwanted additions; just give them time, and they will likely come around. Just keep trying!
Pizza is another easy and fun way to develop new tastes for your picky eaters, or even those who aren’t so picky but are reluctant to try new things. Add pineapples, a variety of cheeses, potatoes, peas, and fresh greens to their favorite pizzas. Again, you may be met with some resistance, but pizza is a comfort food and a great way to introduce new items into their diets.
Sometimes just deciding what to make for your family can derail your meal plan. With multiple family members, all with different taste preferences, how will you ever settle on a dish everyone will enjoy? By being prepared! Doing small things like making a shopping list or planning the week’s menu are quick tricks you can use to not only tackle indecision, but cut down on the amount of time it takes to get a nutritious meal on the table.
Planning out a week’s worth of menus in advance is a helpful tool for creating extra time. Knowing what to expect each day takes away the indecision you may face on a nightly basis when the kids are hungry and you are at a loss for what to prepare. A weekly menu plan also allows you to shop, list in hand, so that you are prepared for each meal. There is nothing worse than setting out to make a dish only to find you are missing one essential ingredient. Be prepared; it saves time!
Many supermarkets today are increasing the amount of convenience foods they offer. Rotisserie chicken, salad bars, prepared vegetables, and desserts can make your life much easier, and sometimes more affordable. Deli chicken is often less expensive than buying an uncooked chicken and preparing it yourself. Take advantage! You should also spend more time in the freezer section of the market; frozen vegetables are already cleaned and are preserved at their most nutritious. If chopping and dicing is the last thing you want to do, look no further than the freezer aisle! Prepared puff pastry and pie crusts found in the freezer section are also wonderful timesavers, and rival homemade quality in many cases.
Upon your return home from the grocery store with the week’s menu items, you can save time by preparing many of the items as you put them away. Fresh vegetables can be cleaned and chopped immediately based on the amounts needed for the recipes you plan to prepare; simply clean, chop, and then store the proper amounts in plastic bags for a quick grab when needed.
In order to avoid food-borne illnesses, always follow the four “Cs” of food hygiene: Make sure your hands and work area are clean before you begin cooking. Cook food through to the required level of doneness. Make sure food is chilled at the correct temperature. Finally, avoid cross-contamination by keeping cooked and raw food separate, and by using different cooking equipment and work surfaces for raw and cooked foods.
Leftovers are a true luxury, and should be viewed as such. It is just as easy to prepare double quantities of many items, such as rice or pasta, for use in a meal later in the week. Simply prepare the night’s meal, putting half of the doubled recipe aside and then refrigerating or freezing it until needed. Meats can be prepared in the same fashion. It takes just as much time to prepare eight chicken breasts or hamburgers as it does four, and having the leftovers ready to go later in the week is wonderful when you aren’t in the mood to cook.
It is very important to label and store each item appropriately. Many foods can easily be stored in the freezer for later use, but a proper label is critical. Mark each container with what it is and the date it was prepared. Plastic freezer bags are a wonderful convenience in this way, and many have a nice area just for such labeling. Be sure to properly store all items and follow basic hygiene rules for storing and reheating these foods.
Thanks to modern technology and big-box stores on every corner, there is no excuse for not having a well-equipped kitchen. Manufacturers offer small appliances that can shave precious moments off of your busy days, and those minutes will add up to less stress and more family fun. Many of these products are child friendly, and with your assistance, the kids can even lend you a hand at mealtime.
Throw out what you think you know about your microwave oven … it does so much more than reheat and defrost! Cooking many of your foods in the microwave versus in a conventional oven, or even on the stove, has several advantages. Namely, cooking time is much shorter. In addition, the microwave oven uses less energy than a conventional electric oven, and just as important, it doesn’t add extra heat to the kitchen. This becomes a lifesaver when you are sweating through the summer months! Even though consumers have been using microwaves for over half a century, most of them are still only using this appliance as a way to reheat versus cook. It can do so much more than reheat a lukewarm cup of coffee, and you’ll find it saves quite a bit of time in preparing many meals.
A microwave oven cooks food when the microwaves hit the food, causing water molecules in the food to vibrate and produce heat. This makes it perfect for cooking food with a high liquid content, such as soups and casseroles, or for boiling rice and vegetables.
No two microwaves are the same, and for that reason, use caution when it comes to cooking times. Differences in wattage, size, and even how often you stir can affect the results of microwaved foods. To be safe, start with the shortest amount of recommended cooking time and work your way up from there.
Countertop ovens, while very popular in the past, lost appeal in the late 1980s and 1990s. However, they are beginning to make a definite resurgence in the kitchen. Better technology and design has made these ovens very useful, especially to busy cooks. For example, a pizza can be cooked just as well (or even better) in a countertop oven, and in less time than it takes to preheat a conventional oven. It also takes less energy and doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
A blender is a wonderful appliance to have in a busy kitchen. Puréeing fruits and vegetables for baby food, smoothies, ice cream toppings, and mixed drinks is made substantially easier with the blender. The same is true for the food processor, though this machine can do so much more, depending on the model. Food processors are a true timesaver for chopping vegetables and nuts, pulling together pie crusts, and even making cookie dough. Some of the larger, more expensive models will even julienne and evenly slice vegetables for quick dinner preparation.
Quality truly makes a difference when it comes to mandoline slicers. The plastic versions featured on many infomercials may work fine for small jobs, but a more expensive metal version will last longer and produce much better results, especially for larger meals. Variable blades and thicknesses will allow for a diverse amount of usage, from thinly sliced potatoes for potato chips to thicker cuts of vegetables for salads and stews.
Without a commercial juicer, it is next to impossible to extract juices from many fruits and vegetables. There are many quality machines on the market. Avoid the cheapest models and opt instead for one with good consumer reviews. Despite the initial investment, you will find the cost is quickly countered by the money saved by juicing at home. Plus, it’s healthier and has no unwanted ingredients!
Being prepared is half the battle when it comes to saving time and energy in the kitchen. Just a few staples will keep you organized and ready to go on those evenings when cooking is the last thing you want to do.
A set of stainless steel pots and pans makes meal preparation a breeze. Heavier-bottomed versions are more expensive, but offer more even cooking and easier cleanup than their cheaper counterparts. If your set does not include a wok, consider buying one for stir-fry.
A spatula, large spoon, and whisk made out of heat-resistant silicone are a blessing in the kitchen. The soft bottoms do no damage to cookware; there is minimal sticking; and the cleanup is quick and easy.
Invest in at least two good cookie sheets with rimmed edges. While certainly great for cookies, the rimmed edges are also useful for containing juices should you opt to bake meats on them. For larger cuts of meat, and roasts, a roasting pan is essential. Buy one with a removable rack for easy cleanup and better roasting results.
Plastic bags are the most convenient way to store leftovers, or to contain prepared chopped vegetables and fruits for later use. However, for reusable storage, plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are a necessity for large amounts of leftovers. Plastic wrap is also a helpful tool for covering dishes when a lid goes missing, or for keeping splatters from escaping as you microwave many foods.
A sharp set of knives, especially a set contained in a knife block, makes for quick and easy food preparation, as you always know where the knives are located. It is also safer than keeping loose knives in drawers, where little hands can unknowingly grasp them when you aren’t looking.
It may sound contradictory, but a sharp knife is safer than a dull one. Trying to cut food with a dull knife forces you to use more pressure, increasing the chances of slippage. To avoid accidents, have your knives regularly sharpened by a professional, or consider buying a sharpening steel. Many knife blocks include a sharpening steel, especially those from higher-end manufacturers.
A set of different-sized mixing bowls, especially those that nest, is a functional and timesaving kitchen necessity.
Every recipe benefits from a standard set of measuring cups and spoons. Many take up little drawer space and remain attached, making them easy to find on busy evenings.
Every pantry should contain the kitchen staples, from flour, to rice, to canned vegetables. Despite every effort on your part to stick to a prepared meal plan, life tends to throw curve balls, so having a well-stocked pantry is an excellent way to combat those challenges. Be prepared!
All-purpose flour is a blended wheat flour that can be used for most types of baking. Many other flours are available, from whole grain to cake and bread flours, as well as rice flour, almond flour, and other gluten-free varieties. For those with an unrestricted diet, all-purpose flour is the most useful.
Staples in any kitchen, these are essential for many baking recipes. If you like to bake, you may as well stock up!
Regular granulated sugar (or white sugar) and brown sugar are sweetening essentials. Be sure to measure each appropriately.
Extra-virgin olive oil is used in cases where it will not be cooked, such as dressings or marinades. Less expensive, regular olive oil can be used for sautéing and basting.
Vegetable oil is great for stir-fry and for baking, as there is minimal flavor, so it does not compete with the dishes you may be preparing.
While fresh spices are delicious, they are also a luxury. Dried spices make meal prep much easier, as they are always ready. You will find yourself using certain spices more than others, such as dried basil, sage, bay leaves, dried parsley, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ginger, paprika, red pepper flakes, and chili powder. Of course, salt and pepper are always must-haves!
Instant rice is a great timesaver for nights when you don’t have time or energy to cook rice on the stovetop or in a rice cooker. It is especially useful for adding to stir-fries, as it will take on the flavors in the dish. There are more flavorful varieties of instant rice available in many supermarkets, Asian markets, and even online if you find the instant white rice to be too bland for your liking.
Be sure to also keep regular long-grain white rice and scented jasmine rice on hand to cook ahead of time and reheat, or for nights when you have at least thirty minutes to cook dinner.
In a house with children, pasta such as spaghetti, elbow macaroni, and shell-shaped pasta should always be on hand. Lasagna noodles, angel hair, and other long varieties are also very useful. To keep it even more fun for the kids, there are colorful and festively shaped noodles that will keep their pasta cravings coming.
A well-stocked pantry can only benefit from a nice assortment of canned vegetables for quick meal preparations. Canned green beans, potatoes, beans, and corn are excellent in soups and stews (or as side dishes), and canned tomatoes are perfect for grab-and-go sauces, stocks, and more.
| Ingredient | Maximum Storage |
| Flour | 1 year |
| Baking powder | 1 year |
| Baking soda | 1 year |
| Granulated sugar | 18 months |
| Brown sugar | 6 months |
| Rice | 2 years |
| Dried spices | 2 years |