I’m not really sure how yesterday got so out of control busy, but I managed to get everything done. I didn’t get to sit down to dinner until 8:38 though. PM! By that time I was starving. It made me really glad that all I had to do was reheat dinner and eat it.
There was volleyball, crossfit, dog walking, blogging, and more to get done. Planning ahead is really important so that you aren’t caught unprepared and either end up munching on too many snacks while dinner is cooking or making a choice to grab fast food on the way home.
Every Sunday morning I plan out what I’m going to eat for the week and then usually cook a bunch of it all at once Sunday afternoon or evening. I don’t go to too much trouble planning exactly what I’m going to eat. I only plan to the level of 4 oz chicken, 8 oz greens, and 1 tbsp oil/fat/butter. That way I know how much of everything to get at the store.
I buy frozen veggies by the pound bag and stock my freezer full, and I cook a bunch of chicken breasts and meat all at once. When dinner time rolls around during the week, I microwave the veggies and add seasonings, marinades, and so on to the meat and reheat it. That way I get a different flavor every night and don’t get bored.
On the weekends or if I have time during the week, I’ll do something fancier than reheating but I know I always have something cooked and ready to fall back on. I also learned a trick with chicken breasts if I’m running short on time. Last night I got home between errands later than expected and didn’t have time to cook the chicken all the way before I had to leave again.
I threw a few breasts in the oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Then I turned off the oven, but left the door shut. The chicken had enough heat to finish cooking and they were still warm by the time I got home an hour later. How’s that for perfect timing! If you do this, just check to make sure they are completely cooked before digging in.
It’s important to eat real food as much as possible and not rely on those microwave dinners for a multitude of reasons – chemicals, sodium content, pitiful portions, unbalanced and process nutrients. Real food will keep you going so that it isn’t the end of the world when you don’t get to eat dinner until 8:38.
What are some tricks you’ve learned? I’d love to add to my shortcut arsenal.
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