Top Kitchen Hacks to Make Mealtime a Breeze | Miami Moms Blog

As moms we have way too much on our plate on a day to day basis, not to mention… mealtime. The ability to navigate the kitchen and prepare healthy meals is an art, in and of itself. It’s a new year, and so with that needs to come great changes to make our lives easier. We need to find time for ourselves and self care, and the only way we can do this is if we organize areas that challenge us regularly.

As a single mom, I have used trial and error to make kitchen time a breeze and here is what I have discovered:

1. Airtight Glass Containers… A MUST.

Most of your hard vegetables can be chopped in advance and stored in an airtight container for about 5 days. Do you know what I can do with pre-cut veggies? Quick stir-fry, salad, smoothie, stew, soup, you name it. So far the only veggies that I have noticed that do not fair well are avocados (but actually that’s a fruit) and soft tomatoes, other than that you should be good to go. My favorites for these come from IKEA, priced right and you can mix and match as needed.

2. Food Saver, I love you!

This is that kitchen gadget that sucks the air out of the BPA free plastic bag and seals it up. I marinate, bread, and add all sorts of rubs and concoctions to chicken, beef, and fish. Then I seal them up in individual serving pouches and freeze. From here, thawing is a breeze, simply set the pouch in a bowl of water and it will thaw out in minutes. My freezer is my backup, so I can always cook up a storm even if the fridge is down to nothing.

3. Food Processor, the chopping MASTER.

Let’s face it, the minute you enter the kitchen from your craziest of days… you are rushing. A good food processor comes with an array of blades to chop, dice, and even puree. Sometimes I use it simply to chop up my garlic, it’s just fast! I am old-school, so my Cuisinart is my fav.

4. Knife Sharpener.

DISCLAIMER: You can’t be rushing too hard when using an extra sharp knife, but here is the thing, sharp beats dull every time. It’s like running your nails on a chalkboard trying to chop a tomato with a dull knife. Who has time for that! There are tons of great brands for this one, just make sure it’s electric.

5. Ice Cube Containers.

I realize this sounds a bit odd but I make all sorts of veggie blends that I use for flavoring and then I freeze them in cubes so that I can always whip one out and flavor up just about anything. In Latin countries, we call it “sofrito” and you can mix up all sorts of veggies to saute with and entice the taste buds. These should be BPA free and, realistically, any shape you like.

5. My Tea Pot 

OK, I know this is not necessarily for cooking but this is what keeps me at peace. I splurged for this one, but honestly, I use it every day and sometimes even more than once. Breville is the one I worship, you can even set the timer so that you have your tea made right when you want and need it most.

For 2020 I want you to promise me that you will take a small step back and reevaluate some of your daily chores and responsibilities. This is the only way you can reorganize yourself to be more efficient with your time and your day. 2020 is all about taking care of YOU, so make it happen, my friends.

With Love and Light,
Adita