Helpful Tips - The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

DEAR READER: People spend less time in the kitchen today than they did two years ago, but I still get many letters and emails from my readers asking me how I can organize myself so that I spend less time in the kitchen can spend preparing lunch or dinner. Here are 12 time-saving tips to help you get out of the kitchen organized and fast.

1. Make a weekly menu from Monday to Friday. Enjoy leftovers at the weekend, takeout or maybe a night out for dinner.

2. Make a weekly grocery list and stick to it.

3. Once or twice a week, shop for the ingredients you need for the meals on your menu.

4. Wash your fruits and vegetables before storing them. This saves you time preparing meals.

5. If you make lunches from "brown bags", prepare them the night before. It's one less thing to do in the morning.

6. Prepare enough food at each meal to have some leftovers.

7. Use leftovers. If you ate a roast a few days ago, you can make hot roast beef sandwiches with gravy another night.

8. Do not forget that a fried chicken can be very useful. Leftover chicken can be made into chicken pot pie, chicken noodle soup, chicken salad and more.

9. Prepare all-in-one meals. There are fewer pots to wash and most stews are very tasty and nutritious.

10. Learn how to use a slow cooker.

11. The next tip is very important: Clean as you go. Put things back where you usually put them. This will save you a lot of time cleaning up later while you prepare the food.

12. After dinner, set the table again to prepare breakfast the next morning.

DEAR HELOISE: While cleaning out my pantry, I discovered a lot of dusty muffin cases. I shook them out and gave them to my granddaughter to design and make paper dresses for her dolls.

So that my muffin cases don't gather dust again, I bought new ones and put them in a mason jar with a lid. That way I don't spend money on things I forgot in the back pantry.

– Lisa E., Omaha, Nebraska.

Send a time or money saving tip to Heloise, PO Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; Fax to (210) 435-6473; Or E-Mail

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