Being a housewife is not an easy task, especially because of the expectations of those we share our home with. All of them have their expectations – the house, the dishes, the clothes to be clean, the fridge filled up with groceries, and for food to be on the table whenever they are hungry. And they expect the food to be delicious, too… Preparing tasty and healthy meals every day is not easy, but it can be much easier than it sounds with this trick I’ve learned while working at a restaurant and adapted for home use. Here we are.
Process as soon as you buy
Whenever you buy larger quantities of groceries – vegetables, meat, and so on – process them before putting them away. Clean the carrots, portion the peas in meal-sized bags, and so on. This is especially important when you buy meat – a larger quantity, which you won’t use in the next meal you prepare.
Whenever I buy meat, I buy enough for at least three or four meals. I use it for making stew or goulash, which requires the meat to be diced, or schnitzel and various other meat dishes that require the meat to be sliced. I always cut the meat before putting it in the freezer in various shapes and sizes necessary for my usual meals, divide them in portions enough for one meal, and freeze them in separate bags. So, whenever the need arises, I just get the meat out of the freezer, defrost it and use it – quickly and easily.
I do the same with vegetables – peas, green beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and others. (Not carrots, though – carrots will lose their taste and texture if deep frozen.) I divide them in portions enough for one meal, and when the time comes, I don’t have to waste my time with measurements and similar things – I just throw everything in as the recipe asks, and the meal is ready in no time.
The same goes with fresh herbs. I usually buy larger quantities of fresh herbs at a time – parsley, dill, the usual ones. I wash them, let them drip the water out and place them on a kitchen towel for a few minutes. When they have no more water on them, I cut them small, put them in a bag and into the freezer they go. This way herbs are kept fresh for a long time, and you always have them handy whenever you want to use them in a meal – no matter if it’s for cooking and decorating. Although they are deep frozen, they keep their color and taste – and melt down instantly when you put them in the food.
With this trick I always save time when cooking for my family, leaving me with more play time (by the way, catch Royal Vegas casino on your mobile here).