Stress Free Cooking - An 8 Step Guide

It can be exhausting to produce a meal, that pleases everyone

, at the exact time that it's needed. And then you have to clear it all away afterwards too! It can be quite a tiresome affair...though that needn't be the case. As with anything, forward planning and preparation can lead to greater success.

These simple, yet effective suggestions, will help you better organize yourself. You might be surprised to see that a meal can be prepared and cleaned away so quickly and effortlessly. You'll also find that you're better able to maintain a clean and organized kitchen area.

1. Plan ahead. Any amount of planning will help the meal making process, whether it's following a full-blown meal plan, or just taking some meat out of the freezer the day before.

2. Organize your kitchen. Having kept certain things in a certain place for a long time doesn't mean that it's the best place for them. Give away items that no longer get used and move the items that you most often use to places where they are more easily accessed.

3. On the counter where you cook, keep an empty grocery bag. Do so, and you can drop all the garbage straight in there, rather than having it build up and get scattered around. Once you're done, then you just need to make a single trip to the garbage can.

4. Put your ingredients back in the cupboard straight after you finish with them. Use some time to clean up while you cook, and you will be amazed at how improved the state of your kitchen is when you're done.

5. Buy in bulk where possible. Have dry goods on hand that you know you will use frequently in order to avoid last minute trips to the grocery store.

6. Clean a dish here or there. There will always be some dishes to wash after everyone is done eating, but if you can clean at least of few of the dishes used in the preparation in between simmers and stirs, there will be less.

7. Set the table as early as possible. If this task is out of the way an hour or so earlier it is one less thing competing for your attention at mealtime.

8. Delegate tasks to others. Ensure that members of your family know beforehand what their job is i.e. clearing the plates, doing the dishes etc.

So, there you go - simply apply the above tips and you can spend more time enjoying the cooking experience, eating your meal, and sharing good times with your family.

by: Mark Walters

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