A little extra time!!!

We as mothers all have different schedules. Some are in corporate America, some are nurses,

Here is a simple idea.
Side note: Use pintrest they have
the best "free" templates.

entrepreneurs, some are stay at home moms. The list could go on and on with the different job titles we carry., but the most important one is that we are MOM's. I want to give a quick little tip that can help ease up your week up and make coming home and having dinner with the family much easier and fun.

Here are a few quick steps:

1. Make a weekly meal list.
2. Clean out your fridge and freezer.
3. Look in your pantry or cabinet's to see what items you already have.
4. Then create your list to take with you to the store (put it in your purse, I always make it and then end leaving it at home, not very smart).
5. This next step is up to you... Sunday start the Prep. for the weekly meals.

Deciding what to make when you get home from work is not very smart. You come home from along day at the office, your exhausted, your not going to want to try and figure out what you have in the freezer to make. Plus you'll have to defrost the frozen food and hope that your meat does not end up dry from to much heat. Having your meals already planned out will help tremendously. It takes off a big load of frustration. When preparing your list of weekly meals, make sure you keep in mind: ingredients, prep-time, and length in time of cooking. Some foods can really be time consuming. So think about the amount of time you really want or can be in the kitchen. Another key tip: If you have children that are able to help, put them to work. My girls always want to help make food. It is some extra time you get to spend with them and trust me you will earn extra points from the kiddos.

Cleaning out your fridge and freezer is very important because you need to know what you have and don't. A lot of times we think that we have a lot of items, not knowing that half of them have already expired. Yes meats and frozen veggies can expire, especially if you don't store them properly. So dig in and clean it out. Once you've don't this you will have a better idea of what you might need for the weekly dinners.

Wow, makes a difference right?
This is not my pantry, I got this from Google.
I figured you could use an example picture
of why you should do this...

Going in your pantries and cabinets will help eliminate what you have with what you need. It not only saves time, but it saves money and space. I know that I always go to the store and think oh man I need that I don't have it at home. Then I get home to put everything away and long and behold, I had it. Now I have spent extra money and am now taking up space (which might I add, right now I don't have much).

Now that we have done the bulk of the hard work, lets make out the shopping list. I have a great system that works for me. When preparing your shopping trip set your list up in sections. Example: Meats- List the types you need. Produce- The veggies and fruits you will be needing. Boxed items, cans, diary. So on and so forth. You get the idea. It so will save you 30 minutes in the store. Just remember to take that list with you. Seriously I don't know how many times I have left the list at home. Just don't forget it.

This last step is totally up to you. You can wash all your veggies and fruits and put them straight

Just an idea, this is not my picture.
Keeps it simple and makes it easier for you moms.

away after. Or you can cut them up for each meal and seal them in an air tight container and store them in the fridge for each day. I like to separate my meats into portions for the week. I buy in bulk. It saves me money because I keep out what I need, and then freezer bag the extra and put them away for the next time I may need that meat. This will shave off anywhere from 15-20 minutes of your cooking time. It is totally up to you.

I hope that this will help you free up a little bit more time so that you can sit down and enjoy quality time with your family. Cooking is something that I love to do. When I am sad, mad this helps me relieve stress. Remember use those kids they will thank for it later.