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An organised kitchen
Being organised can save time, money, waste and stress. Below are a few, simple ideas that can help keep your schedule sane and cooking area clean and well-organised
Create a clean, organised work space
Organise your storage space
Alphabetise your spice cabinet. If that is too much organisation for you, store your spices in groups that are commonly used together, such as keeping garlic, basil and oregano close to each other. Use the same logic with other food staples, such as canned items or flours and baking goods.
Create specialised work areas
Even if you have a tiny kitchen, carve out specific areas where you know you will take care of certain tasks (such as mixing, cutting and rolling). If you do something more than once a week, set up a special spot for that area and store all of the things that you use for that process close by. For example, if you are a baker, store all of your baking staples and tools near ample counter space so that you have room to mix and roll your favourite biscuits.
Make sure you have the right cooking/baking equipment
Buy two sets of measuring cups and spoons, so you do not have to stop and wash each item between measurements. If you are measuring a dry ingredient and a sticky ingredient in the same cup, measure the dry ingredient first. If you need to add the sticky ingredient to the mixture first, place the measured dry ingredient in the pan that you will be cooking or serving in and just pour it from that dish into the mixing bowl. Any dry ingredient residue will not hurt the final product and it saves you from washing an extra dish.
Hang a blackboard or a small white board in your kitchen
Use the board. Really. Get into the habit of marking down shopping lists, ingredients for recipes, what you are planning to cook/eat on which day, and what leftovers are available in the refrigerator or freezer.
Check all of the food in your refrigerator and freezer before each shopping trip
Check expiration dates and confirm what staples you need to re-stock. Throw out anything that looks or smells questionable. Make a list of items that will spoil within the next few days and make sure to use them in your meals before they spoil. Date everything that you place in your freezer. Even butter, fruit juice, frozen meats, casseroles or frozen vegetables can go bad. Try to use the food that has been in the freezer for the longest time.
Prepare ahead of time
Plan your week
Look at your schedule and try to budget how much time you are going to have for dinner each night. Spend 15 minutes at the weekend planning each dinner, finding the recipes, and making sure that you have everything that you will need. Attach the recipes or a list of meals to the fridge door to let you and your family know what you will be eating for the week.
Chop batches of foods and freeze for use in your upcoming menus
You will save preparation time during the week if you chop fresh parsley, onions, peppers and carrots and freeze them in small freezer bags. (Same for items such as grated cheese, chopped nuts or breadcrumbs.) Don't forget to label how much is in each bag. Because they are all small-sized items, they will defrost quickly when you mix them into dishes. I like mixing together things like onions, peppers, peas and carrots in bags and just throwing them into casseroles or pasta dishes for instant flavour. You can do the same thing with small amounts of leftover vegetables rather than throwing them out.
Cook on the weekends if you can and/or double or triple recipes that freeze well
If you have free time on the weekends, use it to cook items that take a long time to prepare or to cook. Even if your weekends are busy, as long as you?re at home and can occasionally check on items that require a long cooking time, you can get a head start on the week ahead. Cook rice, pasta or grains to use in casseroles or other dishes. Brown rice takes especially long to cook so it is ideal to cook ahead of time. (Remember to reheat rice thoroughly as it can cause food poisoning if not heated through.) Roast a turkey or a large piece of meat. They require little preparation or monitoring but a long cooking time. The leftovers can be used in all sorts of dishes including soups, casseroles, salads and sandwiches.
Getting ready to cook
Make sure your kitchen is clean before beginning to cook
You will save time if you can find the right (and clean) utensils, and if you have room in the dishwasher or drying rack for items you use along the way.
Read your recipe through twice before starting to cook
After reading, take out all ingredients and all equipment. Then plan your attack: If you are going to need boiling water at some point in time during the recipe, put the kettle on now. Preheat the oven if you are baking the dish, or heat up the pan if you are frying. Look at where you have time to squeeze in other tasks. If you are simmering a dish for five minutes, set the table or toss a salad during that time. Plan when you need to microwave your vegetables or bake the rolls and juggle the times so that everything is finished at the same time.
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