Meal-times without the mess!
When you’ve just sat down for a delicious home cooked meal, the thought of tackling the piles of mess and dishes in the kitchen can be enough to put you off your food and resort to the freezer next time. But don’t stress, we have come up with our favourite tips to help you be able to cook great homemade meals, without the hours of cleaning afterwards. Let’s keep our families happy and healthy this year!
Be leftover ready!
If you are someone who loves to cook enough to feed an army, but in reality you’ve got a family of 4, then this one is for you. Invest in some great plastic containers in a variety of sizes so that you can store your food and dish it out as lunches the next day or freeze for some last minute dinners next week! By doing this, it means you get the food off the pan and into the container, leaving the pans free to clean (they’re easier to clean when they’re warm). Not only is storing food a great way to clean up quicker, but it also reduces waste and is nicer on your wallet!
One utensil to rule them all!
Have you ever had 12 spoons, 4 knives, and a couple forks all in the washing up bowl at once? When really you could have used about half the amount? Well we have all been there, and we’ve got the solution. When using kitchen utensils, make sure that you’re not using more than you need. If you are scooping flour with a measuring cup, and then need to use sugar and butter too, just wipe off the utensil and reuse it – Just like magic! You only have one thing to clean up! This works for chopping boards and knives too. As long as there isn’t any cross contamination, then use your chopping board for veg, bread, and anything else you fancy!
The holy dishwasher!
If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher in your kitchen for all the dirty plates and cutlery, then it’s time to take full advantage. Before you start cooking, make sure that you have emptied the dishwasher of any clean dishes and cutlery and returned them back to their rightful places. This will leave the dishwasher empty during cooking time and ready for everyone’s dirty post-meal dishes. Make sure that you put anything that needs cleaning in the dishwasher while you cook. Once everyone has finished their meal, get them to add their dishes to the load and all you have to do is press the ‘on’ button!
Try it the new ‘weigh’!
Are you guilty of using measuring cups in the kitchen when you have a perfectly good scale gathering dust in the corner? Your scales can be used over and over again for lots of different measurements, and with only one bowl to clean at the end! Using a scale instead of measuring cups is more accurate, and leaves a lot less washing up. Next time you’re baking or cooking from scratch, convert your measurements into grams and use your scales to minimise mess.
How do you handle the post-mealtime mess? Let us know in the comments!
I wash up by hand . I turn the hot water tap on and save it in empty plastic milk bottles until I’ve reached the temperature required for washing the dishes. When I’ve finished the washing up the dirty water goes in empty bottles too which I use to water the garden. All of which has been transferred into a watering can. I’ve NOT had to run any clean water for my garden this year so saving on my water bill.