5 Ways to Simplify Your Meal Preparation

 

Stock up your pantry at Well Seasoned’s Open House  Event

 

Back to school is around the corner. While getting back into the daily grind can be extremely stressful, especially when it comes to meal time preparation, food expert Angie Quaale of Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store shares five simple yet useful hacks to transition back into the school year.

1. Cook once, eat twice

◦Cook a double portion so half is half is eaten now and the remaining half is saved for a future meal.

◦ Example: Eat half of a roast chicken for dinner and save the remaining half for a chicken tortilla soup or shred it for a pulled chicken lettuce wrap.

2. Make ahead small freezer packs for busy mornings

◦Plan ahead and make freeze small containers of fresh cut fruit,  kale, spinach, avocados or any of your favourite smoothie fruits and veggies.

◦These can be added to a blender with a splash of almond milk and turned into a smoothie in an instant. It makes a nutritious breakfast for those busy mornings or a great after school snack.

3. Freeze your beverage

◦In a reusable water bottle, mix your favourite iced tea, coffee or fruit flavoured water. Freeze and use it as an ice pack to keep your lunch “food safe” until you’re ready to eat. Your “ice pack” will also thaw for you to enjoy.

4. Go big and start out strong

◦Having interesting and delicious dinners and lunches don’t have to be difficult but it does require some planning. If you do a big shop and preparation at the beginning of the week, you’ll save time on meal preparation for the rest of the week.

◦ Example: Make a big batch of hummus, cut a ton of veggie sticks or bake a big bag of spicy pita chips and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. 

5. Supplement with store brought “extras”

◦Don’t be afraid to supplement your meal with some store bought “extras”.  Store bought pizza dough takes minutes to roll out and bake, you can top it with just about anything you have on hand.  A grocery store rotisserie chicken, canned beans and bagged salads can be turned into wraps, big bowls, salads and soups in an instant. A well-stocked fridge and pantry will make it easy to avoid the drive thru on your way home.

◦ Suggested Products: Slice N’ Bake Cookies; Compound Butters; Take N’ Bake Puff Pastry Tarts.

 

Stock Your Pantry! August 30 Open House at Well Seasoned:

For those needing more inspiration for meal ideas, you are invited to Well Seasoned’s free Hot August Night Open House where you will meet more than 20 local producers and sample products to add to your next meal. Mark your calendar: August 30 (6-8pm) at Well Seasoned Gourmet Food Store in Langley, BC.

About Well Seasoned:

Well Seasoned, owned by Angie Quaale, is a Langley-based gourmet food store, founded in 2004, and specializing in international and local hard-to-find specialty ingredients, spices, cookware and condiments. With a passion for fine food, Well Seasoned is a food lover’s one-stop paradise for fresh culinary delights featuring local artisan producers, weekly in-store cooking classes with renowned chefs, educational seminars, and insights into the most cutting-edge food trends and products. Well Seasoned’s website also offers weekly new recipes for every home cook.