One of the things we hear often is that people do not have enough time to cook. Preparing meals at home does take planning, but if you plan for the full week ahead, there will be no surprises and you won’t be giving up and running to the closest fast food outlet you can find.
The first rule is to be realistic. What do you have time for? If you are a commuter and find yourself getting home at 6pm or later each evening, starting to prepare complicated recipes or things that take a long time to cook will not work, especially if you have children who have been home from school for a couple of hours by the time to get there and demanding “what’s for dinner!” before you even get your coat off.
Shopping at the weekend is a must. Have a clear list of the meals you plan to make, we use a calendar on the fridge to help plan, and shop accordingly. Don’t be tempted with processed foods or snacks for children that do not contain the vitamins and minerals they need, you will only be filling them with empty calories which is likely to discourage them to eat dinner when it is ready.
Cooking ahead on weekends is a great way to start the new week with dishes that will only need warming up. Meat sauces or roasted vegetable are always good tossed with pasta and can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Cooked meats such a chicken, turkey or roast beef go really well with a nice salad and some fresh bread. Make a healthy garlic bread by slicing a whole wheat baguette in half lengthways then drizzling with olive oil, bake in the oven on 400°F for about 10 minutes, then take out and rub with a raw garlic clove, put back into the oven until just turning golden, perfect and a fraction of the calories of stodgy white processed bread and tons of butter.
During the colder months soup is a family staple in our house. When preparing always make a double batch as it freezes well and you will have some for the following week too. We find leek and potato, sweet potato with a little curry powder, chicken and vegetable, mixed root vegetable all freeze well. Add pasta or rice and you have the perfect dinner, especially served with bread and cheese. There are many good cook books and magazines available to help you with ideas.
Get the kids involved when they are old enough. They could easily make the salad and turn the oven on to warm before you get home. When kids have a say in what’s for dinner they are more likely to help and to eat the finished product. Believe it or not, cooking together can be fun, try it and let us know how you get on! And if you need help, do not hesitate to contact us www.cuisineinmotion.com
Bon Appetite!
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