One of the biggest challenges people face to eating healthy is consistency. Time is a big factor that can throw your healthy eating habits off track.
There are so many things to pack into your after work hours, especially if you have a family. You might come home from work feeling famished, or maybe you bring the kids to their activities and then are left to cook dinner and prep lunches when you’d rather be relaxing on the couch.
There are so many reasons to want to save time in the kitchen. Whatever you’re saving time for, here are some tips to help you cook healthy meals faster.
- Start with a clean kitchen
While we’re on the subject of cleaning up, it’s important to note that starting with a clean working space will make cooking that much easier. If you have a small workspace in your kitchen this is especially true. Wash any dirty dishes or utensils, put the clean ones away, and lay out your ingredients so everything is easily accessible. Keep a garbage bowl or better yet your HelloFresh meal kit bag to store organic waste to help keep your cutting board clear. This will also cut down on clean-up time after cooking.
- Read the entire recipe before you start
The best way to be prepared is to know what’s coming up. You’ll save a lot of time by reading the recipe beforehand so you know what the next step entails and won’t have to stop and read in between steps.
- Have your tools ready
If you’ve read the recipe, you’ll know what tools you need to have on hand. Get everything out and ready before you start to cook so that you’re not scrambling for an ingredient or utensil in the middle of a cooking step.
- Use the proper size of pots and pans
Did you know that using a pan that is too big for its contents will take longer to heat up? On the other hand, using a pan that’s too small will crowd your ingredients and distribute heat unevenly so they won’t all cook at the same rate. Choose pots and pans according to the ingredient amounts you’re preparing to save you time in the long run.
- Pre-boil your water in a kettle
Have you ever stood by and waited for a pot to boil? It’s part of a saying for a reason, it take a long time. Using an electric kettle will cut your boiling time down by 10 minutes so you can get to cooking faster.
- Chop smaller for faster cooking
This one seems simple but it works so well. It takes longer for whole veggies to cook than when they’re diced. Cutting your ingredients into smaller sizes makes the cook time drop drastically. This is especially the case for dense vegetables like potatoes, carrots and beets.
- Work with a kitchen buddy
Cooking with someone to share the tasks will definitely make the work happen more quickly, it will also make the process more fun. Divide up the tasks, or even have someone clean as you cook (this is especially helpful if you have to wash dishes by hand). You’ll cut down on cooking and cleaning time so you can enjoy your time together.
Use these tips to save yourself time in the kitchen and if you want to save even more time, check out Hello Fresh.
You can save $105 on your first 3 weeks of Hello Fresh for being a MoveCamp member. Click here https://movecamp.ca/ to sign up and get your deals from Hello Fresh and our other amazing healthy partners.