Order take-out.
OK, I'm just kidding (maybe!), but there are ways to speed up the dinner process. No mother likes to find herself in the predicament of trying to throw together dinner quickly in between children needing something or needing to be somewhere by a certain time, especially me. I don't know about you, but my children get really antsy around dinner-time!
Here are a few tricks to speed up the dinner prep time process (source: www.realsimple.com).
Chop vegetables ahead of time, throw in a Ziploc bag and when it's time to prepare your meal- voila, something that can take a lot of prep time is already done.
Prep meat ahead of time. If a marinade is called for, prepare it the night before or in the morning. Your meat will be juicy and flavorful and ready to go when you are. Make sure to flip your meat (or shake the bag) a few times throughout the day.
Measure up. Measure your spices ahead of time and keep in a plastic bowl or Ziploc bag. That way, when it comes time to prepare your meal, you can just pour the spices in and continue on.
Make vinaigrette. This is one of my kitchen staples and it comes in handy for so many things- salad topper, marinade, over vegetables, or to add flavor to a burger or sandwich.
Enlist help. My oldest child loves to help me in the kitchen- from washing fruits and vegetables, to pulling things out of the fridge for me, to setting the table and getting drinks for everyone. If I have enough "patience" and time, I will let her "help" me with more of the prep work, pouring and measuring and stirring.
The entire list can be seen here.
When Lisa isn't busy caring for her three young children, she can be found at her personal blog Growing Up Mo' or journaling about her weight loss journey at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.
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