So this week we are going to cheat a little bit, and while this is part of the classroom organization series, it will be focusing more on tips and tricks to help organize your home life….so technically it’s not classroom organization. I definitely don’t claim to have it all figured out, and somedays I am standing in front the deli case at the supermarket trying to create a complete meal for my family.
Meal Planning
One of the worst parts of being a working mom for me is that feeling you get when it’s about 2:30, you are in the middle of small group math, and suddenly you get that nagging thought of “What the heck am I going to make for dinner?”
On thing that has helped me immensely is a meal planning board. I use this one (I just got it off Amazon) and it is a magnet. It came with “chalk” markers and each week I take 10-15 mins and write out what we are going to have for dinner each night. I try to do a quick glance through the fridge, freezer and cabinet to see what I already have. Then I make a quick grocery list so I can grab the ingredients I don’t have.
Use Alexa
I was adamantly against getting an Alexa-type device for the longest time. I thought it was silly and unnecessary. I was wrong. Very wrong. My kids love it to play music that they like…but that is not even the half of it. I use the grocery list every. single. day. I also showed my husband how to use it to add grocery items. By having it set up to make an ongoing grocery list, I never have to worry about leaving the paper grocery list on the table or stufk to the fridge. If I have to stop at the store, I can take 2 minutes before I go in and pull up my grocery list. My kids even add some things throughout the week as they use up thing.
While I am on the topic of Alexa, unrelated to meal planning, use your Alexa to set reminders! Our lives are hectic. Our Alexa reminds us to bring our library books back, write a dismissal note on certain days, and upcomming spirit days.
Use Your Cooking Tools
As I meal plan on my magnet board, I always look for days when I can use my cooking “gadgets” effectively. So if I have a meeting on Wednesday, I try to plan something that I can put in the crock pot. I try to make entire meals or parts of meals in my instant pot as well. I often do a pasta dish or a soup in the instant pot because they come out pretty good. I also look to see what I can prep ahead of time. If I know I am making a stirfry on Tuesday and a garden salad on Wednesday, I will cut everything up on Sunday and just put them in different containers in the fridge. I try to prep meat this way as well. If I need ground turkey on Monday and again on Thursday, I will cook a double batch on Sunday and stick it in the fridge.
Buy and Prep in Bulk
When I get a good deal on chicken breasts or ground beef or turkey, I buy a larger amount. Then I break it apart and prep it before I freeze it. I might take 5 pounds of ground beef and make a huge batch of meatballs. Then I flash freeze on a cookie sheet. Once the meatballs are frozen, I bag them in a large zip lock bag and put them in the freezer. I also brown large quantities of ground beef or ground turkey and brown it all at once. Then I portion it out into zip lock bags and freeze the bags, already browned. This works really well with taco seasoned beef or turkey as well.
When it comes to chicken breasts, I almost always buy the big family packs. Then I cut the breasts into smaller portions or strips and season depending on what I will use them for. Often I season strips for fajitas or breasts for other famiyl favorite recipes. Then I label each bag and it saves me so much take and effort during the upcoming weeks.
Another trick I love to use is making a huge batch of breaded chicken breasts for chicken parmesean. I pan fry them and then flash freeze them. They are only partially cooked when frozen, but they are so easy to pull out and toss in some sauce, sprinkle on some cheese and pop them in the oven.
Make Double Whenever You Can
Another tip I have is to make double whenever you can. Whenever I make lasagna, soups, chicken parmesean, maccaroni and chesse, Mexican Casserole, etc, I always try to double the recipe. I make two pans (stock up on dollar store loaf pans, 9″ x 9″ or 9″ x 11″ pans) of each recipe and freeze one. I label the top with what it is and how to cook it. This is a great way to get the most out of your time. The best thing ever is pulling out a fully assembled lasagna and popping it right in the oven.
Sandwiches and Breakfast for Dinner
Keep it simple at least one night a week (or more). I always struggle with this for some reason, but if you can make sandwiches or breakfast for dinner once a week, it will make life much easier. I usually pair a BLT, a grilled chicken sandwich, or a grilled cheese sandwich with soup and call it a night! Breakfast is also another quick option, and kids typically love it! Eggs, sausage, pancakes, and french toast are fast, inexpensive, and a crowd pleaser.
Make Leftovers for Lunches
My final tip of the week is to make intentional leftovers for lunches at the start of the week. Usually on Sundays, I make a recipe with the soul intention of eating it all week for lunches. Once I make it, I portion it out into serving size containers and stack them in the fridge. It is super easy to pull a container out of the fridge in the morning and heat it up at lunchtime. My favorite recipes for this purpose are:
French Onion Soup (Stove Top)
Chicken Noodle Soup (Instant Pot)
Minestrone Soup (Instant Pot…I add some cooked ground beef)
Unstuffed Peppers (Stove Top)
Burrito Bowls (Instant Pot)
Well, I hope that these tip have helped you, even if it is just a little bit. I don’t like to spend my whole weekend prepping, so I try to be really efficient. I cut, cook, and prep for a little amount of time as possible…but a little bit goes a long way for surviving the week!
Next week, check back for more organizational tips to try at home. Hopefully they help you survive being a teacher/parent/spouse/human….
~Heather and Stefanie
