This post has been sponsored by Barber Foods. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that keep An Unblurred Lady’s doors open.
If I had a dollar for every person that told me they were too busy, I could fund my daily coffee shop habit indefinitely! I get it, we’re all busy. Too busy to cook, too busy to exercise…the list goes on and on. What if I told you that I was busy, too, but still managed to make time to quickly and efficiently cook delicious meals EVERY DAY of the work week. I swear, I’m not a magician, but I do have some shortcuts when it comes to preparing dinner! Keep reading for 5 simple tricks to preparing dinner faster and more efficiently.
1. Have Chef Quality Frozen Meals in Your Arsenal
I was browsing the freezer aisle and came across Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breasts in Broccoli & Cheddar and HAD to try it. I’m a huge fan of broccoli cheddar anything, so I knew I would love this too! When I was looking at the baking instructions, I realized just how passive and simple creating a special and impressive meal could be. Pop it in the oven, prepare a quick side while you wait, and dinner is ready in a jiffy.
Barber Foods created the Original Stuffed Chicken Breast, so the final product was yummy, tasted homemade and most importantly, was easy to make! Although the Stuffed Chicken in Broccoli & Cheddar is my favorite flavor, I’ve stocked up my freezer with a variety of their other flavors to add variety to our meal times. I just can’t get over how easy the prep work is.
2. Stock Your Fridge with Pre-Chopped Veggies
Pre-cut veggies? Originally, I thought purchasing pre-cut anything just sounded lazy and wasteful but that is SO NOT TRUE! I’ve realized just how important each saved minute is, and not worrying about chopping is a huge time saver. If you don’t want to purchase your veggies already cut, you can also pre-cut everything on Sunday. Another option is to throw your harder vegetables like onions and carrots into a food processor instead of hand chopping them; thanks mom for this tip!
3. Simplify Your Recipes
If you’re running out of cook time, maybe your recipes are too complicated. When I’m making sides to pair with my Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken, I try to make a simple salad or roasted vegetable. Minimal ingredients will save lots of time. My salads are 6 ingredients or less, and they’re all prepped and ready to go ahead of time. I take pride in being able to whip up a salad in less than 2 minutes!!
If I’m craving roasted veggies, I drizzle the veggie of choice in olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar and let it bake with the stuffed chicken that’s already in the oven. Easy peasy.
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4. Clean While You Cook
One of the most draining things about cooking is the subsequent clean up. I find that cleaning your workstation while you cook is rewarding and leads to a more enjoyable dinner. Not having to worry about clean up is a great attitude booster and adds to more efficient mealtimes.
RELATED: 21 Stuffed Avocado Recipes That Are Great For Lunch
5. Have Your Menu Ready at the Beginning of the Week
This is pretty much an integral part of meal prepping and saves a ton of time throughout the week. I like writing our weekly meals on a whiteboard in the kitchen, and we grocery shop based on this list. Having a game plan and the materials on hand saves so much time overall.