Save Time in the Kitchen This Holiday with These 3 Time-Saving Kitchen Tips. It doesn’t really seem to matter what time of the year it is, be it spring, summer, winter or fall. Let’s face it, if we want to live healthier lives, we need to get into our kitchens and cook. But who has time to spend hours in the kitchen cooking? I know that I don’t! Not to mention the holiday seasons are once again upon us and of course this may look a lot different for many of us, be it: holiday parties, school concerts, family gatherings, shopping, vacations. We are all just trying to get back to some sort of normality, even if things never do quite get back to the way they once were. Yet, in all that has happened we still have managed to be VERY busy. So, how about giving yourself the gift of taking some shortcuts and utilizing a few of these holiday hacks to take some of the pressure off so you can relax and be merry [because nobody wants a scrooge in the kitchen].
Here are our holiday hacks for speeding things up a bit without sacrificing flavor or nutrition this season
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Go Semi-Homemade
Clearly, we are very pro-cooking around here, but sometimes taking shortcuts can turn a potential take-out night into a total kitchen win. For example:
- Grab a rotisserie chicken and incorporate it into soups or chilis so you can reap the benefits of high-quality protein without spending extra time cooking it. Shred the chicken and stuff lettuce leaves with a squeeze of lime for lunch.
- Start with your favorite frozen pizza dough, then add your favorite jarred sauce and vegetable toppings plus a sprinkle of flavorful cheese to make it a meal!
- Buy pre-chopped produce, especially those hard-to-manage vegetables (ahem, squash) that are more time-intensive to prepare. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil and roast for a side dish or added to salads during the week.
Cook Once, Eat Twice
Batch cooking is an efficient way to keep up with your healthy eating goals no matter what time of year. It essentially means cooking more than what you need in the moment so you can take advantage of having all of your cooking tools and gadgets out (read: it’s way more efficient!). Not to be confused with leftovers, batch cooking usually refers to one component so you can repurpose it later. For instance:
- Need rice or quinoa for your Monday night meal? Make a large batch so you can easily incorporate it in salads and grain bowls all week long.
- Making hard-boiled eggs? It takes the same amount of time to make six as it does to make two. Enjoy as a snack, crumble into salads, or mash with some avocado.
- Baking sweet potatoes? Make a few more than you need and you’ll have the base for an easy, customizable lunch ready to go. You can also purée or mash the flesh for baked goods and use in place of pumpkin in a recipe.
Cook Once, Eat Twice. Batch cooking is an efficient way to keep up with your healthy eating goals no matter what time of year.
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Sheet Pan and One Pot Meals
Raise your hand if your least favorite part of cooking is the clean up. We feel you! Make it easier on yourself by searching for one-dish meals to seriously cut down on time spent doing the dishes. Here are a few to get you started:
- Create baking pockets by lining foil with parchment then crimping for perfectly roasted fish that stays juicy, never dry.
- Roasting your favorite protein with seasonal produce is a tasty no-fuss way to incorporate a few servings of vegetables into a meal
- Still haven’t learned how to use your Instant Pot? Now would be a good time! You can get frozen proteins to the table fast with this safe and simple pressure cooker. A simple 12-minute recipe: frozen protein [like chicken thighs] + favorite jarred tomato sauce + a jar of olives = yummy cacciatore that will have everyone running to the table for dinner. If you use plant-based protein, like dried chickpeas, just soak the dried beans overnight and be sure they are covered with fluid [jarred sauce + some broth] before cooking in Instant Pot.