If you are like many people these days, it can be difficult to find time to do everything, much less prepare and clean up after a meal. Indeed, it can take hours to prepare a meal, eat a meal and clean up after a meal. Who really has time for that?
Even if you do not have much time to dedicate to your meals, it is possible to have a hearty meal without a lot of fuss and time involved. By staying totally organized and committing to cleaning up after yourself, you can easily find time to prepare and enjoy a nice meal, even on the run. Here are some tips to help you get there.
The first thing involved with having time to have a nice meal is arranging your workspace so that you can access all of the tools and accessories that are necessary to meal preparations. This includes being able to grab your utensils when you need them, knowing where your blender and pots and pans are, and knowing how to get to the plates. Organization is key,.
First, make sure that each of your cupboards has a purpose. Most people know that it makes the best sense to separate the serving tools from the food. For example, put all of your plates, glasses and bowls in one cabinet – the same cabinet and put all of your food in another.
Once you have the basics down when it comes to arranging your space, make sure that you have the advances kitchen arranging down. This means that, depending on the space you have in your kitchen, make sure that all of the same food groups are together. Put your oils and items that you use when cooking on the stove in one cabinet, preferably one that is near the stove. If they are all together, you know that if you are going to cook a steak, for example, that you can just reach into that cabinet to find the oil, seasonings and spices.
Put your canned goods and long-term foods, such as pasta, in another cupboard. This cupboard will become the one you use when you need something that is really quick and easy, but does not require a whole lot of preparation time.
Finally, you may want a cabinet for perishable foods, such as crackers, breads and cereals. This cabinet will need to be cleaned out regularly so that your food does not go bad. By knowing where everything is when you need it, you will be able to quickly prepare a meal on the run, and never waste time trying to find the items you need.
Next, make sure that you have good access to items in the cupboard. Many times, it is difficult to see the items that you placed in the back of the cupboard because you are simple too short and the items in the front dwarf it. Invest in a stacking system that will help to add a tier-layer to the cupboard. These stacking systems are available at any kitchen decorating store.