momsmenu
09-29-2006, 10:48 AM
Busy marrieds and moms across the country are saving time and stretching their food budgets by cooking in batches -- a technique that has been growing in popularity as families find themselves struggling to make time for dinner. Evidence of the popularity of batch cooking can be seen in the ever growing number of franchised cooking centers (i.e., Dream Dinners), not to mention informal clubs of moms who get together to cook meals and freeze them for later.
Alicia Ross, co-author of Cheap.Fast Good! and busy mom of two cooks in batches for her family, something that started out of a desire to save money but grew into a way to put healthy meals on the table without being a slave to the kitchen. For anyone getting started, Alicia recommends adding a vacuum sealer to your shopping list. She explains that this tool will pay dividends in the money (and time!) you will save by keeping food fresher longer. This is because the meals you cook ahead will taste as fresh as the day they were cooked, and the food will retain it's nutritional value.
Double up. Make a double or triple batch the next time you cook and seal the extra batches for use later. It takes just about the same time to prepare two meals as one, and you only have to clean up once!
Cook with friends. Make batch cooking a social event by inviting a friend or two over to cook together. Share favorite recipes to keep meals interesting or cook in your own kitchens and swap vacuum sealed meals later.
Batch cook ingredients separately. As an alternative to cooking entire meals ahead, just double or triple up on some basic building blocks that will speed you on your way in the future. Browning batches of ground beef and onions, poaching or grilling chicken and baking potatoes ahead of time is an easy way to cut down on meal prep time. Plus, cooking a lot of meat at one time helps you make the most of sales on “family-size” packages or bulk purchases.
Make your own convenience items. Grocery stores are packed with products designed to make your life easier – everything from shredded cheese to sliced meats – all at a price. Taking some time to make your own convenience items and storing them in vacuum sealed packaging for longer storage pays in dividends.
Cook meals that you are going to enjoy. Thrifty cooking doesn’t mean you have to pass on great taste. The average U.S. family of four spends nearly $240 a month eating out! Bring that gourmet taste to your kitchen and save money. You can feast on gourmet meals on a budget.
Use a menu plan. You’ll shop less often and will be less tempted to buy items that you don’t need and won’t use. Read the grocery ads before you plan to take advantage of sales.
Alicia Ross, co-author of Cheap.Fast Good! and busy mom of two cooks in batches for her family, something that started out of a desire to save money but grew into a way to put healthy meals on the table without being a slave to the kitchen. For anyone getting started, Alicia recommends adding a vacuum sealer to your shopping list. She explains that this tool will pay dividends in the money (and time!) you will save by keeping food fresher longer. This is because the meals you cook ahead will taste as fresh as the day they were cooked, and the food will retain it's nutritional value.
Double up. Make a double or triple batch the next time you cook and seal the extra batches for use later. It takes just about the same time to prepare two meals as one, and you only have to clean up once!
Cook with friends. Make batch cooking a social event by inviting a friend or two over to cook together. Share favorite recipes to keep meals interesting or cook in your own kitchens and swap vacuum sealed meals later.
Batch cook ingredients separately. As an alternative to cooking entire meals ahead, just double or triple up on some basic building blocks that will speed you on your way in the future. Browning batches of ground beef and onions, poaching or grilling chicken and baking potatoes ahead of time is an easy way to cut down on meal prep time. Plus, cooking a lot of meat at one time helps you make the most of sales on “family-size” packages or bulk purchases.
Make your own convenience items. Grocery stores are packed with products designed to make your life easier – everything from shredded cheese to sliced meats – all at a price. Taking some time to make your own convenience items and storing them in vacuum sealed packaging for longer storage pays in dividends.
Cook meals that you are going to enjoy. Thrifty cooking doesn’t mean you have to pass on great taste. The average U.S. family of four spends nearly $240 a month eating out! Bring that gourmet taste to your kitchen and save money. You can feast on gourmet meals on a budget.
Use a menu plan. You’ll shop less often and will be less tempted to buy items that you don’t need and won’t use. Read the grocery ads before you plan to take advantage of sales.