4 Time-Saving Tips to Help Busy Moms Get Dinner on the Table

Being a working mom and getting dinner on the table in time can be quite a daunting task.

Lots of food companies have responded to this call with easy meals. There are plenty of stores that offer all-in-one box meals and frozen portions that you only need to toss in the oven, you know them? We all know however that these can be lacking in flavor, variety and health categories.

The guy at the drive-through window should not know your favorite order by heart.

The first step is to understand that you are not the only mom dealing with this challenge of being a good mom and a good worker. That is not to undermine the struggle, but just to let you know that this means there are healthy recipe books and tips that can help you really handle this and do it well.

Here are four tips on how a working mom can still get a delicious dinner on the table for her family, seamlessly.

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1. Prep the Kitchen

Those clutter-free kitchen working tops and counters that you see on TV, the ones that showcase nothing more than a bowl of apples and a vase of pretty lilies. They are simply silly to the eyes of busy, working mom.

That said, taking a little time to think about how you can organize your kitchen and make it as efficient as possible comes with a big time-saving reward.

• Keep the ingredients you use more often, like salt, garlic powder and olive oil in plain sight where you can grab them quickly.
• Store go-to gadgets and the tools you use all the time such your best utility knife and crater close to the cooker or stove so you don’t keep running around the kitchen.
• Alphabetize the spices. You will not have to paw through five bottles of dried and powdered oregano searching for coriander in vain.
• Occasionally comb through your kitchen with a ruthless eye, ditching stuff that you don’t use anymore.
• Rotate bottles and cans on shelves so that labels face outward for easy identification. When you buy new items, move the new bottles and cans behind and the old ones in front on your shelf line.

Read: Help for Working Moms to Get Your House & Schedule Clean and Organized

2. Take Shopping Shortcuts

Those panicky “I’ve got nothing in the fridge for dinner” stops at the grocery store can waste time, induce stress, and cost more than you might think. The best shopping short cut is to be organized and split shopping into tiers.

Once a month, do a major shopping run to restock the pantry, buy cleaning supplies and paper goods, etc.

Once a week, shop for meat, produce and dairy supplies.

Here are some extra tips on how you can use technology to save more time.

Smartphone: Offers you a great way to keep your shopping list close by. There are plenty of grocery list apps for Android and iOS.

Laptop or handheld: Take advantage of delivery services (Amazon, Fresh Direct, Peapod, etc.). They store your grocery lists. All you need is log-in, place an order, and wait for the food to come to you. They also have apps.

Home computer: Create your shopping list organized by categories such as salads, snack, fruits, etc. Print this out and hang on the fridge and highlight items required or add new ones.

Read: Make Shopping Fast & Painless with a Free Printable Grocery Shopping List

3. Meal Plan

Take a few hours every Sunday to plan for a whole week’s meals. This will save you plenty of money, stress, and time all week long. Be sure to include specifics and make sure that all your healthy recipes’ ingredients are in place or withing reach during meal prep.

Read: Improve Meal Planning…In 10 Minutes

4. Keep it Simple

Soups, alfredo sauce, and grilled cheese are some of the easy meals you can’t miss on most households’ favorite main course list. It is fine to rely on these for a few dinners a week. Kids love simple foods, plus they are easy to make with ingredients you can keep on hand easily.

Read: Quick & Easy Cookbooks

With a little prep work, streamlined shopping, meal planning, and simplicity, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time.

Author Bio: Paula is the founder of ChewTheWorld, where she and her associates blog about the best food recipes, tips & tricks, and finest tech that will help you make exquisite food in your home. It is concentrated on the taste, the joy of cooking, and making the most out of it. Also, giving you insights to the finest meals, and guide you through preparing them, all without the hustle. Problems – Solved!