Do you ever feel like you’re stuck on a never-ending treadmill, constantly cycling through the same routine, grocery shopping, unpacking groceries, and cooking week after week?
It often leaves you feeling exhausted and uninspired in the kitchen. But what if there was a way to break free from this exhausting cycle where you can get back some time, cost and less mental exhaustion?
There are five simple things you can do weekly will save you time and money. These simple tips will make weekly cooking easier and will reduce waste.
1. Pick a day to Prep for the week
Planning and organizing meals for the week is essential. With busy schedules, cooking every day can feel exhausting and boring. Grocery shopping can also be tiring, leading to decision fatigue. It is essential to choose a day of the week to do all your meal planning and prep for the week ahead. I would suggest the weekend.
TIPS:
- The day you go grocery shopping have a list of items you need to plan for the week.
- Pick the weekend either Sat or Sunday. The same day you buy your groceries.
- Clean out your fridge and rotate all the veggies and check all your sauces and expiry dates.
- Organize your fridge to effectively utilize groceries for the week.
2. Prewash, Precut and Prep – Veggies and herbs
Precleaning and precutting veggies and herbs can be a game-changer regarding time-saving. When you’re in the midst of a busy week, the last thing you want is to spend precious minutes washing, peeling, and chopping vegetables. It is time-consuming and tedious and often you will not want to cook because of this extra work. While it might take only 10 – 15 mins each day during the week that is a lot of time to spend when making dinner. By preparing herbs and veggies in advance, you can simply toss them into a pan and cook without any delay.
This not only streamlines your meal preparation process but also encourages you to utilize all the fresh produce in your fridge since it’s readily prepared. Additionally, you will find yourself more inclined to use veggies that you would typically avoid due to the hassle of prepping them.
- Prewash all the veggies
- Peel veggies such as carrots or potatoes
- Prep veggies, cut of stems and chop them
- Herbs- prewash and use salad spinner to remove water- store them in a zip-loc bag
Washing your veggies and herbs immediately after grocery shopping saves so much time.
Prechopped Veggies: Prechopped vegetables are available at grocery stores and can be expensive. They charge you for the labour and packaging. You can save money by pre-chopping your veggies. For example, mushrooms carry alot of dirt and require more prep. Prepping mushrooms will save you alot of time during the week.
Prepping Herbs: Herbs are best left whole until you are ready to use them, if you prechop them, they will lose flavour and aroma. Instead, wash herbs and store them in the original packaging or container with a damp paper towel to maintain freshness.
Peel and Store Garlic: Peeling garlic in advance can save time during the meal prep. Peel garlic cloves and store them in sealed container, like a zip lock bag for easy access.These tips not only help you save time but also ensure that your ingredients are readily available for cooking, making weeknight meals more convenient and enjoyable.
3. Keeping a Schedule of Recipes
Having a schedule of your recipes and what you plan to cook will save time in thinking about what to make and the ingredients you need.
- Stay flexible : While its essential to have a general plan in mind, stay open to changing your meal plans based on the ingredients available in the store or your inspiration. Being flexible allow you to adapt to new culinary ideas.
- Inventory Check: Before you go shopping take a quick inventory of whats already in your fridge and pantry. Knowing what you have on hand helios you avoid buying duplicate ingredients and minimize food waste.
- Avoid Impulse Purchases: Going to the grocery story with a plan helps you avoid buying expensive and unnvecessary items. Impulses can lead to food waste and overspending.
- Strategic Meal Preparation: Plan your meals based on your schedule. For busy days, consider making dishes that can be reheated or used for multiple meals.
- Create Meal Plans: Developing a meal plan for the week, such as your example of preparing stew, chilli or soup for days when your are busy, and more elaborate dishes for days when you have time, is an excellent way to ensure you have balanced and well-prepared meals.
If you have certain dietary restrictions or you are on a particular meal plan I recommend taking 15 minutes on your weekend before you go grocery shopping or the night before to note down a few meal plan ideas for the week. Scan your fridge before you go grocery shopping, to note down what ingredients you are short on and what type of dishes you plan to eat.
4. Money Saving Tips
- Bulk staples on sale Stocking up on useful staples when they’re on sale is a smart approach to both save money and ensure you have a well-stocked pantry for easy and versatile meal preparation. Your tips on choosing and using these staples effectively are valuable.
- Check Sales and Discounts: Regularly check for sales and discounts on staples at your local grocery store. Buying items on sale can save you money in the long run.
- Versatile Staples: Choose staples that are versatile and can be used in various dishes. Examples include coconut milk, salad dressing, canned beans, mushroom soup, taco shells, chopped tomatoes, and artichokes.
- Healthy Staples: Opt for staples that align with your dietary preferences and health goals. Look for items in the center aisles that have lower carbs and lower sugar content, if that’s a priority for you.
- Creativity and Convenience: These staples can be a source of inspiration for creating dishes. Mushroom soup can be a base for stews and sauces. Tuna is versatile for salads, tuna cakes, or tuna salad. Coconut milk can be used in coffee, desserts, soups, and sauces. Artichokes can enhance pasta, and salads, and even be used to make dips.
- Stocking Up: When you find staples on sale, consider buying extra quantities to keep your pantry well-stocked. This practice reduces the need for a big shopping trip each week and ensures you always have the basics on hand.
- Plan Ahead: Keeping an eye on sales and planning for the future allows you to make more efficient and cost-effective use of staples in your cooking.
5. Bulk Cooking :
Ditch the nightly scramble! Cook a larger batch of protein (chicken, tofu, etc.) at the beginning of the week. Choose options that can be easily transformed into different dishes. Leftover roast chicken can become a salad topper or transform into a stir-fry later in the week.
Think beyond leftovers! Look for versatile recipes that allow you to repurpose ingredients into entirely new dishes. For example, a roast chicken can be used in sandwiches, tacos, stew or salad.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a versatile and well-stocked pantry, making meal planning and preparation more convenient and budget-friendly. While cooking can sometimes be tiring these simple tips will help you navigate your week with more structure and time.
