Monday: Kitchen Management

Kitchen Management is a tool that saves time and stress during the hectic dinner hour.  

Our meal plan form has spaces for the weeks dinners and a grocery list of the perishable things that we use on a regular basis.   Taking a very quick invenemtory is a good tool to facilitate meal plans and kitchen management.  

Recap of meals :

1. Mac and cheese 
2. Pizza 
3. Chicken nuggets, oven fries, veggie platter 
4. Chicken rice casserole 
5. Salmon cakes, rice, green beans 
6. Tacos, refried beans in the insta pot.
7. Breakfast for dinner.  

• Wash carrots and potatoes with vinegar water.  Use a dedicated brush. 
• Mark the meal plan with a reminder to thaw chicken 
• Clean refrigerator and dump anything dead.
• Note things on the edge to incorporate into meals. 
• Clean and disinfect counters and clean sink drains. 
• Wash kitchen floor. 
• Put the stove vent screen through the dishwasher.   
• Wash kitchen window.   
• Fill veggie tray with washed veggies. 
• Run vinegar through the coffee pot. 

Stairsteppng meals saves time and money.    One batch of chicken cubes makes chicken nuggets and chicken and rice cassarole.   One batch of rice makes the carb for salmon dinner and the chicken and rice casserole.  The toppings for the pizza are set aside from the quiche last week. (Freeze) The taco kit purchased at the grocery outlet was the price of a package of taco shells and includes tacos sauce and seasoning.  You can add your already cooked and de- fatted hamburger to a small pan, with a little water and the taco seasoning and heat the meat.   It heats quickly from frozen.   Slicing lettuce and tomatoes and pulling the grated cheese from the refrigerator takes a matter of minutes while the meat heats up.   Insta Pot refried beans have NO fat and take a matter of minutes to gather ingredients and set the pot.   

Efficiently scratch cooking is a key in lowering your food bill without taking a disproportionate amount of time to accomplish the task.   

Buying in bulk simplifies the shopping experience.   By minimizing the amount of things you have to buy, the shopping trip takes less time and effort.   

Simplify, buy at a RBP in bulk if it makes sense, and always have food in the house.