Beat kitchen stress and slash grocery bills with these cooking and shopping tips!
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As we age, the daily grind of meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking can become increasingly taxing.
For those looking to simplify their lives without sacrificing the joy of a good meal, a former hospitality worker and food writer shared their advice that promises to cut down on kitchen stress, save precious dollars, and make the most of your time.
These tips are practical, easy to implement, and can make a difference for those looking to streamline their kitchen routines.
The art of meal planning is a game-changer for the budget-conscious and time-strapped.
Food blogger and former hospitality worker Liz Miu, a self-proclaimed 'list girl', swears by the power of a well-thought-out meal plan.
Liz meticulously outlines her weekly menu before hitting the shops. This strategy isn't just about organisation; it's about intention.
By knowing exactly what you need, you can avoid the pitfalls of impulse buys and the dreaded food waste that follows.
To streamline your shopping experience, Liz suggested writing down ingredient quantities and organising your list to mirror the layout of your local store.
Now, let's talk cuisine. Home cook and food writer Gemma Plunkett recommended sticking to a single cuisine for the week.
‘There's a lot of ingredient overlap,’ she explained.
Focusing on dishes with common ingredients allows you to buy in bulk and minimise waste.
Plus, as Gemma points out, the ‘more you cook at home, the cheaper it gets’.
Building a pantry and using it regularly means you'll always have the essentials on hand, saving you from the one-hit-wonder purchases that gather dust.
Once you've got your groceries, consider following Liz's lead by going ‘straight from the shop into an ingredient prep’.
She said this method ‘makes so much sense because this is how you operate in a [commercial] kitchen [where] everything is prepped to make it easier’.
Washing, chopping, and portioning your produce right away can turn a week's cooking into a series of quick assembly jobs.
‘I pretty much don't have to do any chopping for the rest of the week,’ she said.
This preparation process might require a significant chunk of time (approximately three hours if completed in one go), but Liz claimed it significantly reduced the cooking time during the week to as little as five minutes to half an hour for a ‘family meal’ serving three people.
This prep session covers lunches and dinners from Monday to Friday for the household and sometimes extends into the weekend.
For an added touch, Liz keeps a stash of quick toppings like crispy chickpeas or pickled onions on hand to elevate even the simplest dishes.
For those with a penchant for planning, Gemma's freezer inventory trick is a revelation.
To stay organised and easily assess what's available, she has a ‘note on my phone of what’s in the freezer’ and labels and writes dates of food in the freezer.
Gemma finds this inventory helpful, especially when faced with a fully stocked freezer, as it can be overwhelming to decide what to cook for dinner.
Both Liz and Gemma also advocate for a streamlined approach to food storage.
Investing in a single brand of containers can save you from the dreaded lid hunt and keep your fridge and pantry looking neat.
Opt for transparent options to spot what you need and keep track of leftovers easily.
Speaking of food storage, you need a container to make your meal-prepping more efficient.
In a previous story, a $12 Kmart item is taking the internet by storm as it promised to revolutionise meal prep.
What’s this product, and why do Kmart shoppers swear by this? Learn more about this Kmart item here.
What are your go-to strategies for keeping kitchen stress at bay? Share them with us in the comments below!
For those looking to simplify their lives without sacrificing the joy of a good meal, a former hospitality worker and food writer shared their advice that promises to cut down on kitchen stress, save precious dollars, and make the most of your time.
These tips are practical, easy to implement, and can make a difference for those looking to streamline their kitchen routines.
The art of meal planning is a game-changer for the budget-conscious and time-strapped.
Food blogger and former hospitality worker Liz Miu, a self-proclaimed 'list girl', swears by the power of a well-thought-out meal plan.
These kitchen tips can help reduce kitchen stress and save more. Credit: Shutterstock
Liz meticulously outlines her weekly menu before hitting the shops. This strategy isn't just about organisation; it's about intention.
By knowing exactly what you need, you can avoid the pitfalls of impulse buys and the dreaded food waste that follows.
To streamline your shopping experience, Liz suggested writing down ingredient quantities and organising your list to mirror the layout of your local store.
Now, let's talk cuisine. Home cook and food writer Gemma Plunkett recommended sticking to a single cuisine for the week.
‘There's a lot of ingredient overlap,’ she explained.
Focusing on dishes with common ingredients allows you to buy in bulk and minimise waste.
Plus, as Gemma points out, the ‘more you cook at home, the cheaper it gets’.
Building a pantry and using it regularly means you'll always have the essentials on hand, saving you from the one-hit-wonder purchases that gather dust.
Once you've got your groceries, consider following Liz's lead by going ‘straight from the shop into an ingredient prep’.
She said this method ‘makes so much sense because this is how you operate in a [commercial] kitchen [where] everything is prepped to make it easier’.
Washing, chopping, and portioning your produce right away can turn a week's cooking into a series of quick assembly jobs.
‘I pretty much don't have to do any chopping for the rest of the week,’ she said.
This preparation process might require a significant chunk of time (approximately three hours if completed in one go), but Liz claimed it significantly reduced the cooking time during the week to as little as five minutes to half an hour for a ‘family meal’ serving three people.
This prep session covers lunches and dinners from Monday to Friday for the household and sometimes extends into the weekend.
For an added touch, Liz keeps a stash of quick toppings like crispy chickpeas or pickled onions on hand to elevate even the simplest dishes.
For those with a penchant for planning, Gemma's freezer inventory trick is a revelation.
To stay organised and easily assess what's available, she has a ‘note on my phone of what’s in the freezer’ and labels and writes dates of food in the freezer.
Gemma finds this inventory helpful, especially when faced with a fully stocked freezer, as it can be overwhelming to decide what to cook for dinner.
Both Liz and Gemma also advocate for a streamlined approach to food storage.
Investing in a single brand of containers can save you from the dreaded lid hunt and keep your fridge and pantry looking neat.
Opt for transparent options to spot what you need and keep track of leftovers easily.
Speaking of food storage, you need a container to make your meal-prepping more efficient.
In a previous story, a $12 Kmart item is taking the internet by storm as it promised to revolutionise meal prep.
What’s this product, and why do Kmart shoppers swear by this? Learn more about this Kmart item here.
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