Many people enjoy homemade meals, however, busy schedules make it difficult to cook a lot. With some good organization and a few hacks, you can make some positive diet changes. Your family can enjoy healthier meals when you use fresh ingredients. Think about the obstacles that interfere with making homemade meals. You can likely work around these complications with a few of the solutions listed below.
Freeze It
One of the best things you can get for your home is a deep freezer, especially if you have a big family. You can avoid cooking on busy nights when you have room to freeze large meals. You can spend a day each weekend preparing ingredients or entire meals.
Prepare for this hack by purchasing storage containers that can hold up in the freezer. You can also use freezer bags for cooked veggies and other loose ingredients. Many deserts also freeze well. Be sure to label items so you can stay organized.
Prepared Items
Sometimes the hardest part of a homemade meal is the main ingredient. After a long day at work, you may not have time to thaw out meat and cook it. You bypass the lengthy cooking times by purchasing a few prepared items to add to the meal. Most grocery stores have pre-cooked rotisserie chickens, for example. You can use this chicken in soups, casseroles, and chicken pot pies. If you know you have a long week ahead, get a few prepared items and add the rest yourself.
Shopping
When you cook with fresh foods, you may need to shop more often. This can seem overwhelming when you already have too much to do. As stated above, many items can hang out in your freezer until you need them, including cooked veggies and prepared meals. If you lack freezer space or prefer fresh ingredients, sign up with a grocery delivery service. You can schedule your delivery to arrive at convenient times throughout the week. You can also try the popular curbside pickup services offered by many grocery stores.
A Few Basic Recipes
You can upgrade your meal plan by adding a few special items. Homemade biscuits or gravy can take your meal to the next level. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to perfect these staple items. Try out a few recipes until you find the one that works for you. You can make homemade gravy with canned chicken broth instead of cooking a whole chicken, as well.
Appliances
You can add homemade items to your meals with the help of a few appliances, as well. With a bread machine, you can simply toss the ingredients in and leave it alone for several hours. Your entire house will smell like a bakery and you can have homemade bread with minimal effort. Use Walmart promotion codes to purchase new items for your kitchen.
Many families enjoy the convenience of slower cookers, as well. You can find slow-cooker recipes for all three meals of the day. You simply put the ingredients in and tend to your other responsibilities while you wait for dinner. You may also enjoy a pressure cooker, such as an InstantPot for quick homemade meals.
You can increase the number of homemade meals you have by making some small changes to your routine. Think about using a few prepared items from your local store to lessen your dinner prep time. You can also use a slow cooker or bread machine to minimize your time in the kitchen. Plan your meals and purchase the necessary containers for freezing items. You can spoil your family without spending hours in the kitchen.
