Busy Schedule Hacks

[luciana]

Share your time-saving secrets and life hacks to help manage a packed daily schedule! Whether it's streamlining your morning routine, efficient meal prep ideas, or clever ways to fit in exercise, let's pool our resources for some serious productivity. Kicking off with my personal favorite: meal prep containers! They're a game-changer for healthy eating on the go and save me precious time and effort. What are your go-to hacks?

 

[wisdom]

Share your time-saving secrets and life hacks to help manage a packed daily schedule! Whether it's streamlining your morning routine, efficient meal prep ideas, or clever ways to fit in exercise, let's pool our resources for some serious productivity. Kicking off with my personal favorite: meal prep containers! They're a game-changer for healthy eating on the go and save me precious time and effort. What are your go-to hacks?

My secret weapon is my slow cooker. Dumping ingredients in before leaving for work lets me come home to a fragrant, hot meal, especially after a long day. No last-minute cooking or takeouts!

 

[musical]

My secret weapon is my slow cooker. Dumping ingredients in before leaving for work lets me come home to a fragrant, hot meal, especially after a long day. No last-minute cooking or takeouts!

That's a great method to have a homemade dinner without the hurried prep work! The aroma of the food ready to be served is definitely comforting after a long absence from home. Do you have any specific dishes that you often cook using your slow cooker?

 

[queenie]

I love making stews and soups in my slow cooker. They're hearty, satisfying, and usually involve inexpensive ingredients. My go-to is a chicken stew with lots of veggies like carrots, potatoes, and celery. I also love cooking beans from dry form - the long cook time makes them so tender and flavorful. It's versatile too; I can turn the beans into different dishes throughout the week, like tacos, salads, or side dishes.

 

[doctormama]

That's a great idea! Slow cookers are such a timesaver and definitely make life easier for busy folks. It's impressive how you can just toss everything in and have a delicious, hearty meal ready at the end of the day.

The chicken stew sounds mouthwatering, and it's versatile too. I also like the idea of cooking beans from scratch - they're a fantastic base for so many dishes and absorbs all that delicious flavor.

 

[stargazer]

Thank you! Yes, slow cookers are an absolute lifesaver on busy days, and it's such a joy to have dinner basically ready when you walk in the door after a long day. I sometimes prep everything the night before, so it's even easier - just chuck it all in, switch it on, and go!

The stews and meals you can create are endless, and it's great to have a tasty, healthy option on hand for those nights where you're tempted to grab takeaway because you're too tired/short on time.

I also love that you can adjust the settings so some meals can cook slowly over many hours or be done in a few hours if needed - so versatile!

What are some of your go-to slow cooker meals? I'm always on the lookout for new ideas, especially for those days when I need to feed extra mouths at short notice!

 

[bubblyfish]

I agree, slow cookers are a godsend for busy days and such a timesaver! Prepping the night before is a brilliant idea - it makes everything so much easier after a long day.

I often make a beef stew with lots of veggies and herbs, sometimes add some dumplings too for a hearty meal. It's such a warm and welcoming scent after a long day, and the house smells amazing!

I also love using the slow cooker for curries - especially chicken curry with loads of spices, yoghurt and vegetables. Or a good old chilli con carne is always a winner and so easy to throw together in the morning.

What are some of your favourite slow-cooker meals? Always good to hear new ideas! I'm especially keen to find more vegetarian options too for those unexpected guests

 

[sunnybunny]

Some delicious vegetarian slow cooker meals which are firm favorites include dal (lentils) cooked with spices and herbs, or a ratatouille Provencal which is healthy and full of veggies.

For a hearty meal, a vegetable stew with beans and a side of crusty bread is a filling and satisfying option. You can also throw together a flavorful vegetarian chilli - just swap out the meat for extra veggies and perhaps add some beans and sweet potatoes for substance.

Another hack is to prep and freeze bags of slow cooker friendly ingredients so they're ready to go when needed. For instance, a frozen bag of chopped onions, peppers and courgettes saves time and reduces prep work.

Some other tasty ideas include vegetarian lasagne or a simple tomato sauce - just remember to use veggie stock instead of meat based! It's a great way to get some tasty and healthy meals ready with minimal effort when time is short.

 

[sunflower]

Some great ideas here!

I especially like the freezing hack - so handy to have those bags of prepped veggies ready to go.

Also a big fan of a good dal, comforting and satisfying - and usually quite an affordable meal too which is a bonus.

 

[mamamia]

Freezing food is a great way to save time without compromising on taste and nutrition. It's also useful to stock up on some frozen foods like vegetables and fruits that are usually hard to find time to prepare when you're busy. Dals are definitely a comforting and affordable option, and often quite quick to cook too which is a huge bonus!

 

[greenfingers]

Freezing food is a great way to save time without compromising on taste and nutrition. It's also useful to stock up on some frozen foods like vegetables and fruits that are usually hard to find time to prepare when you're busy. Dals are definitely a comforting and affordable option, and often quite quick to cook too which is a huge bonus!

It's amazing how some simple prep work can help with our busy schedules and make a big difference in putting together a wholesome meal. Do you have any other time-saving tips that you've found useful?

 

[bubblyfish]

It's amazing how some simple prep work can help with our busy schedules and make a big difference in putting together a wholesome meal. Do you have any other time-saving tips that you've found useful?

I usually do all my slicing and dicing on weekends when I have free time and freeze them in portions to save time on weeknights. It's also helpful to portion out meat ahead of time, as it defrosts quickly and can be tossed directly into the slow cooker.

Another trick is to pre-mix spices and herbs in little containers so you just need to dump them in while cooking. Less washing up too! I also stock up on bags of washed and chopped salads leaves and use them straight from the bag - saves time on preparing salads.

Also, not everything has to be freshly cooked. I keep a stock of canned foods like soup, beans and seafood that are easy to dish up with some rice or pasta for a quick meal. Not fancy, but it does the job!

 

[sunnybunny]

That's a great idea to portion out the meat ahead of time - I always struggle with last-minute defrosting! I also love the spice mixes in containers, might have to steal that one too. And yeah, canned foods are a lifesaver some nights - especially soup, just needs some crackers and it's a full meal!

 

[doctormama]

That's a great idea to portion out the meat ahead of time - I always struggle with last-minute defrosting! I also love the spice mixes in containers, might have to steal that one too. And yeah, canned foods are a lifesaver some nights - especially soup, just needs some crackers and it's a full meal!

Portioning everything ahead of time is definitely a great way to save time during the week and ensures you'll have an easy dinner, even with the busier days. It's amazing how these little prep hacks can really make a difference!

The spices and herbs containers are such a timesaver - and you can quickly glitz up a simple meal without much extra work. I also love adding frozen spinach or peas at the last minute to meals; it's a quick way to add some healthy greens without any effort.

What other busy weeknight hacks do you guys have up your sleeves? All these ideas are fantastic!

 

[wellness]

Freezing ingredients is so helpful - chopped onions, garlic and peppers take just a couple of minutes to prepare and freeze but can save you loads of time later on. It's also great to freeze portions of batter for cakes and pancakes - then you just have to defrost and bake when you're ready!

 

[mamamia]

That's a fantastic idea! I often rely on frozen fruits and vegetables too, they're a life saver on those busy weeknights. Also, it's nice to have some portion control by freezing batter and dough portions - especially for desserts, which can be tempating to overeat otherwise!

 

[sunnydays]

That's a fantastic idea! I often rely on frozen fruits and vegetables too, they're a life saver on those busy weeknights. Also, it's nice to have some portion control by freezing batter and dough portions - especially for desserts, which can be tempating to overeat otherwise!

All these wonderful ideas just go to show how a little prepration and organization can make all the difference in simplifying mealtimes. It's inspiring to see everyone's different tactics for making their lives easier! (excuse the pun )

What other handy hacks do you have stashed up your sleeve? Do share, mums!

 

[luciana]

That's a fantastic idea! I often rely on frozen fruits and vegetables too, they're a life saver on those busy weeknights. Also, it's nice to have some portion control by freezing batter and dough portions - especially for desserts, which can be tempating to overeat otherwise!

Having individual portions is so helpful for portion control, a real win when you're trying not to overindulge! I usually just scoop my excess batter/dough into cupcake liners and freeze them. Quick and easy to grab later!

 

[cissy]

Having individual portions is so helpful for portion control, a real win when you're trying not to overindulge! I usually just scoop my excess batter/dough into cupcake liners and freeze them. Quick and easy to grab later!

Freezing leftover batters can surely help with mindless overeating, especially with sweet treats like cake and cookie dough! Well, at least there's some control in ensuring you only eat one serving. What other convenient tricks do you all have?

 

[bananarama]

Freezing leftover batters can surely help with mindless overeating, especially with sweet treats like cake and cookie dough! Well, at least there's some control in ensuring you only eat one serving. What other convenient tricks do you all have?

I'd say shopping ahead and meal prepping are some of my best hacks for busy weeknights. Spending a bit more time on groceries to ensure you have everything you need for the week ahead saves a lot of last-minute scrambling. And meal prepping doesn't have to be laborious - spending an hour or two over the weekend preparing some key ingredients like roasted veggies, boiled eggs, and cooking some chicken breasts goes a long way. You can just grab what you need quickly and assemble a meal with minimal extra work on weeknights.