Life with children can be so hectic. Between work, activities, carpools and trying to stay on top of the inevitable messes there seems to be less and less time to cook. With a little planning, you can make fantastic meals that do not take hours to fix. Here are a few cooking tips that will make meal prep and cooking easier and less time consuming.

• Make a plan before going grocery shopping. Creating a meal plan for at least a week at a time will solve two problems. Firstly, you’ll know what you’re going to fix so you won’t be racking your brain after you come home trying to figure out what to fix. Secondly, you’ll be able to better control how much you spend because you’ll already know what ingredients you need.

• After you’ve done your shopping, wash all the vegetables and cut them up into the sizes you’ll need for each meal. This may take a while on the front, but will save you a lot of time when you’re preparing each meal later. Don’t forget to ask for help from those that are old enough to use a sharp knife. This will greatly lessen the time you need to spend.

• Make your crock pot your best friend. This one cooking tool can make your life so much easier, and your family much more satisfied with the meal. Put your ingredients into the crock pot, turn it on, and leave it alone. By the time you return home, you’ll have a great home cooked meal waiting for you.

• When you plan a family favorite, prepare more than one meal’s worth. You can double, triple, or quadruple the amount that you make. Freeze the separate meals for later use. When you’re craving a particular meal and don’t have time to fix it, you’ll have one in the freezer. All you have to do is take it out and reheat it.

• If you don’t want to spend an entire day cooking extra meals, plan on cooking enough for one extra meal that you can use as a planned leftover one night. If you’re using making chili one night, make a little extra that you can add to baked potatoes on another night.

• Stretch your homemade meal with a great tossed or pasta salad. Salads are quick, easy, and nutritious. They’re also good to add when you’re having leftovers.

It is impossible to be Super Mom but by using these tips, you’ll reduce some of the time you need to prepare those meals. You might actually find that you have a chance to enjoy your meal, as well, and that should make you feel super!


Contributed by Jo Dempsey, co owner of SpiffyMoms.com and busy Mom to three young girls.