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Ten easy tips to make once a month cooking stress free
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There is a learning curve when it comes to doing most things, but once you get the hang of something new, it becomes easier. This is definitely the case with Once a Month Cooking! After several months of trial and error (lots and lots of error), streamlining the process became more intuitive. While something may work great for somebody, it might not work for another, but learning from the mistakes of others can help you avoid repeating them.
Wear (clean) grungy clothes. Don't even think of wearing something that needs dry-cleaning, anything white, or that awesome mohair sweater you got for Christmas. In a matter of minutes, it could be smeared with curry sauce, splattered with canola oil, or sporting marinara sauce drips. Heloise may be your best friend, but isn't it better to prevent than to deal with the consequences later? Find something old that you won't shed a tear over tossing out if the going gets tough.
Wear comfortable shoes. Not that there are a lot of cooks who step into a snazzy pair of stiletto heels when they cook, but you get the point. You're going to stand for at least 6-8 hours while you prepare the food, and not protecting your feet will pay you back dearly for the days to come. Not only that, but your back and hips might suffer, as well. Chose your most comfy shoes, and be sure to take a few minutes to sit down or stretch every hour or so. You might even want to invest in a thick, foam floor mat for the kitchen. They're very inexpensive, and are sold at most discount stores.
Sharpen your knives. Few things are worse than trying to slice a tomato with a less-than-sharp blade, other than having to slice ten tomatoes with a less-than-sharp blade. Take the time to use a sharpener, whether it be the one that came with your chopping block, or an electronic one. Just be sure to watch your fingers!
Better yet, use a food processor. If you need to slice, dice, or shred a lot of the ingredients, a food processor will help significantly. Mine broke a week before I started this venture, and the time it spent at the Cuisinart factory being repaired is time spent chopping food that I will never get back. It takes about two seconds to slice two tomatoes with precision, and five seconds to shred a half pound of cheese; you do the math. If you have one, dust it off and make it work for you!
Prepare a sink of hot, soapy water. One side with soap, the other to wrinse. You can toss your used utensils and bowls into the soapy side while you prepare food, which will make the process go quicker. Be sure to wash all used things appropriately, and avoid the spread of germs and food-borne cross-contamination.
Use Ziploc Freezer Bags. They take up very little room in your kitchen to store, they're inexpensive, and they flatten nicely when they're in your freezer. You can buy these in bulk, when you're shopping for your food, and most boxes come with both gallon and sandwich-size bags. A FoodSaver is also nice to have, BUT you will have to spend time cleaning and sanitizing it in between batches.
Arrange for childcare. If your kids are young and require a lot of attention, it is a good idea to send them to Grandma's or a friend's house for the day. However, if they're old enough, put them to work! Most school age kids love to help out in the kitchen, and being able to eat one of their meals later on will give them a sense of pride and ownership.
Evaluate your shopping list and head to the frozen isle. Sometimes you can buy pre-diced and pre-peeled potatoes instead of a whole bag of potatoes that needs to be cooked, chopped, and mashed. The pre-diced/pre-peeled potatoes can be microwaved or steamed in a matter of minutes, then put in your food processor or blender. Check out your frozen isle for viable substitues. Some of my favorites include frozen bags of pre-sliced peppers, onions, and other "starters," and anything with berries or fruits. This should save you money and time over buying fresh produce, and most grocery chains have organic store brands with prices that beat the regular brand names. Also see what you can do about sauces for pastas and marinades. Don't be afraid to scope out the store before your first shopping expedition; you might be surprised at what you find!
Be prepared for hunger. You can pretty much expect that spending an entire day preparing food will send your hunger signals into an uproar, so be prepared. Every bite counts, and they add up throughout the day. Keep fresh fruits nearby so they're easy to grab when the urge to snack strikes (don't forget to wash your hands first!). Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, and drink lots of water throughout the day.
Save your scraps. If you don't have a compost bin already, this is the perfect time to start one! They are very inexpensive to buy or make, and they cut down on household waste significantly. The soil you make with your kitchen scraps will keep your garden 30% more moist, and fertilize it naturally. Compost bins are very easy to maintain and you can add pretty much anything to it, excluding anything with meat, oil, and animal fats. Many Colorado municipalities are offering them for reduced prices (sometimes half off!), so check to see if your city is participating, too! (It's a good idea to go to your city's official website, as the EarthSaver website doesn't list them all)
Being prepared for OAMC will make it a fun, and relatively stress-free event. If you have any tips that have been helpful to you, please share them!
Related articles: Book review: Fix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving, Book Review: Don't Panic--Dinner's in the Freezer, Reduce Stress With Once a Month Cooking
Photo credit: Dawn Allynn
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