I picked up this list from Quick and Healthy Recipes and Ideas- For
people who say they don't have time to cook healthy meals by Brenda
Ponichtera. I put my comments in parenthesis.
task. I prefer to do all the vegetables at once and then refridgerate
in sealed plastic bags. However, you can purchase cleaned and cut vegetables
which may be worth it if you cannot, or will not, take the time to prepare
the fresh vegetables. You can even buy cleaned and chopped lettuce for
salads. Check grocery stores and delis for these. If this is the only way
you will include fresh vegetables in your diet, do it!
Try preparing vegetables in the microwave (I prefer to steam them using
a stainless steamer basket in a frying pan with a lid. This is just as
fast as microwaving and better, in my opinion.)
A salad spinnner is a must to make cleaning lettuce a quick task. I
usually will do a whole head of lettuce and store it in sealed plastic
bags. (I don't have a salad spinner and find rinsing lettuce in the sink
in a big collander just as easy, pat dry with paper towels)
Buy packages of cleaned stir fry vegetables, and meat or poultry already
cut for stir-frying. (In my opinion-yuck. Beware of stir fry bags that
may contain peas or other forbidden veggies. However some frozen veggies
are great! Although fresh is always yummier. Meat and poultry bagged for
stir fry will undoubtedly have added ingredients. Read the labels! I just
get it at the meat counter. They will usually package individual chicken
breasts separately if I ask, so I can just throw them in the freezer. The
meat counter workers have also cut up my meat into small pieces for fajitas.
Very nice!)
You can buy grated cheese in most grocery stores, but the cost is about
twice and much. Grating cheese is easy in a food processor, but only worth
doing if you are doing a large amount. I grate one to two pounds at a time
and freeze for future use. Home grated cheese can be lighter than the store
bought grated cheese and goes further as a topping in a recipe.
Keep staple foods on hand so that you always have the ingredients for
several meals.
Find a convienient place in your kitchen for a grocery list that family
members can add to. Encourage them to add items when they are low, but
not yet empty.
Plan meals for the next week and add items needed to the gorcery list
before shopping.
Grocery shop from your list once a week to avoid stops at the grocery
store after work.
Double a recipe and freeze for future meals.
Buy skinned and boned chicken breasts in the family pack and freeze.
Ask your butcher to package lean meats in a family pack since this usually
means less cost to you. Of course, you'll have to divide the package into
meal size portions and freeze.
Look for packages of frozen lean meats and poultry that are already
portioned.
Buy a turkey breast and have the butcher slice it into steaks for use
in place of chicken breasts. Freeze with two pieces of wax paper between
slices for easy removal.
To skin chicken parts, place a paper towel on the skin and pull.
Purchase chopped garlic and substitute it for the fresh. (I think fresh
is better and with a garlic press- only a few dollars- mincing garlic is
instant.)
Use dried onion instead of chopping fresh. See the label for reconstituting
for certain recipes. (Again, I think fresh is better. I have a mini processor/chopper
that I got for $10 that chops up onions in seconds. I love it.)
(Make enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch the next day.)
Time Saving Tips