Get organised plan your week

It really does make a difference if you spend some time at the weekend (even half an hour) writing down some dinner ideas for the week ahead and preferably to do this before you go shopping and buy loads of things you won’t use! This also helps to avoid adding to the guilt us mums carry at the end of the week when you can find yourself throwing way rotten food.

Check your fridge and cupboards regularly

It’s amazing what you can make from simple store cupboard and fridge ingredients. Don’t let things go to waste by checking your fridge and cupboards for things close to their expiry date and don’t feel shy to experiment!

Have a list handy

Keep a pen and paper in the kitchen to avoid those moments when you are in the midst of making a nice cup of tea, when you suddenly realise you are low on tea bags! Write them on your list so you don’t completely forget to buy them the next time you go shopping.

Shop for the week as it’s easier, cheaper and time saving

Always try to shop for the week ahead to avoid unnecessary trips to the supermarket. 1, you probably just don’t have the time and 2. you end up buying far more things that you don’t really need. One weekly shop can save you money, time and less waste.

Use the freezer

I recently bought a second freezer. It means I can batch cook more and save more leftovers, which also means some weeks I don’t even need to cook much as we can live on what’s in the freezer. 

Buy a slow cooker

Something I often do when I feel particularly organised, (and at least once a week), is to put the ingredients for dinner in a slow cooker and put it on low all day. Walking into the house smelling of chicken and veg casserole but not having to do anything can be such a relief – especially on busy days! 

Make snacks and salads in advance

In order to resist temptation of grabbing something you shouldn’t on-the-go, get prepared and make what you can, like a salad for lunch, in advance. When hunger calls, it’s all ready and you won’t find yourself straying off track!

Buy a pressure cooker

This is a new discovery for me recently – and wow, have we had fun playing with recipes for this! Think of all the delicious dinners that need a long time to cook – like pulled pork and coleslaw baps, good beef short rib tacos and even a risotto, which was literally cooked in 5 minutes! 

Leftovers for lunches

When you’re cooking, always plan to cook a little bit more to take for lunches the next day and even for freezing for another meal as well.

Written by British Mum Georgina Morton.

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