Meal Planning

How can meal planning help with managing mealtime madness?

Let's face it, even the best cooks, who love spending time in the kitchen, have nights when it seems impossible to get dinner on the table. Those are the nights when you will be glad you have a plan.

I'll show you how to organize mealtime, take the guesswork out of dinner preparation, save time, save money, eliminate wasted food and bring peace back to your dinner table!

These tips will help turn mealtime from a real touch cut into a piece of cake!

Create The Perfect Plan:

Meal planning starts long before you step into the kitchen to prepare dinner. The perfect plan starts on grocery shopping day. Armed with a list and some solid grocery shopping tips, you will be able to organize your kitchen for a week's worth of meal without stressing out at the supermarket.

The second half of your perfect plan is menu planning which will help keep you on track and prepared for each meal of the week. With tips like how to organize recipes and planning your meals around your schedule, you will cut down on waste, save time, and organize mealtime.

Time Saving Strategies:

As you are creating your menu plan for the week, consider using some strategies that will save you time and money.

• Cooking from your pantry is a great way to use what you already have on hand to create a healthy and delicious meal for your family.

• Freezer cooking is another great time saving strategy. Make a big meal on a day that you have extra time. Eat some right away and freeze the rest for later.

• Meal kits are invaluable for saving time in the kitchen. Create some meal kits when you have the time and you will be able to get a home cooked meal on the table, without the mess and time consuming preparation, even on your busiest night!

Here are some more meal planning ideas that will save time and keep your kitchen running smoothly all week long.

• Use your crock pot. Spend 10 minutes in the morning and dinner is waiting for you when you get home. Try some of the delicious crock pot recipes from the Tips to Organize Life Recipe Collection.

• Chop ahead. Almost all recipes require some chopping. Do it ahead of time, when you have the time. Store the chopped ingredients in zippered storage bags or plastic containers in the refrigerator until needed. If your recipe calls for half an onion, chop the whole thing and put the second half in the fridge for later in the week.

• Double up. If you can use the chicken breasts you are serving for dinner on Monday in the casserole you are planning for Tuesday, cook a double batch on Monday and refrigerate half for later.

• Use prepared foods. Grocery stores are getting pretty gourmet these days. You can buy an already cooked whole chicken, marinated meats and heat and serve side dishes. Always have some super quick meals like these on hand for those nights when things get crazy.

Get Inspired:

Looking for some new recipes to get your meal planning juices flowing? Check out the Tips to Organize Life Recipe Collection.

For even more inspiration, get yourself a new cookbook to bring a fresh perspective into your kitchen. Choose from one of these Expert's Choice Cookbooks to get you started.

Keep Your Family Healthy and Safe:

Just because a meal is prepared quickly does not mean that it cannot also be packed with good nutrition. Learn how to use nutrition facts to choose the best foods for your family.

Maintaining safety in the kitchen is vital to the well being of your entire family. Learn these simple rules, teach them to your children, and practice them every day. Keep your family safe and healthy.

Now get cooking!