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I saved the best for the last: Kitchen Day!
You can call it meal prep, food prep, or make ahead, but whatever title you give it, it sure helps the rest of the week run {more} smoothly. A meal can come together a whole lot faster, thinking ahead and having a ‘plan’ for the week, and it gives last minute options if it’s been a long day or little time to be in the kitchen.
Meal planning, wiping out the fridge, writing out a grocery list — are not part of my Kitchen Day, but feel free to add them to your Kitchen Day if you need to. I wipe out the fridge as needed and I try to remember to clean it and wipe it out before grocery shopping day. As far as my grocery list, I add things as we run out of things and after I meal plan.
Fridge:
- cheese- I buy blocks of cheese from Costco (2 lbs. for less than $5). I shred some, cube some, and cut for sandwiches.
- greens- kale/spinach/lettuce. I separate into different containers or gallon bags and add a paper towel to absorb the extra water.
- cut up fresh veggies- sweet potatoes, carrot sticks (keep in water and change every other day), broccoli.
- wash fruit in vinegar/water bath and then dry and put in containers.
Cooking/Baking:
- bake bread
- muffins- some will going into freezer
- chocolate energy balls
- boil eggs for snacks/salads/lunch
- a batch of rice- for lunch or I will use it for dinner one night.
(I reheat on the stove over low heat with a little water) - beans- either for bean burritos or taco night
- baked oatmeal– one for the next morning and one for the freezer
- make a batch of biscuits for the freezer or pizza dough
- freezer meal (lasagna, taco meat, chicken marinate)
Now, I don’t do all of this every week. I pick and choose depending on the meal plan and on what our week ahead looks like. In my season of life Kitchen Day sometimes takes all day because I have an infant that needs me. I have to make the most of naptime! I will also make a double batch of a freezer meal to make dinner easy, eat leftovers, or have a smoothie/popcorn night to make it easy on myself. I have been monthly meal planning and it has really been helpful. I wrote a post on 5 Tips to Monthly Meal Planning that you can read or click here to sign up to receive my FREE monthly meal planning printable.
Homemaking Schedule Introduction
Homemaking Schedule: Laundry Day
Homemaking Schedule: Office Day
Homemaking Schedule: Cleaning Day
Homemaking Schedule: Kitchen Day