Having an organized kitchen

Being organized in the kitchen can save time, money, waste, and stress. The tips below will help you create a clean, organized work space.

Organize your storage space
Alphabetizing your spices might be going a little too far and cause you stress trying to keep them in order especially if you don't live alone! However, grouping like items is really necessary. Keep your canned goods together. Keep your snack foods together, etc.

Create specialized work areas
Even if you have a tiny kitchen, carve out specific areas where you know you will take care of certain tasks such as mixing, cutting, and rolling. If you do something more than once a week, set up a special spot for that area and store all of the things that you use for that process close by. For example, if you are a baker, store all of your baking staples and tools near ample counter space so that you have room to mix and roll your favorite biscuits.

Have the right equipment
Garage sales are a great place to find items like bakeware or food processors to help stock your kitchen with equipment.

Hang a chalkboard or a small white board in your kitchen
Use the board. Get into the habit of marking down grocery lists, ingredients for recipes, or a weekly menu.

Check all of the food in your refrigerator and freezer before each shopping trip
Check expiration dates and confirm what staples you need to re-stock. Use things that will spoil within the next few days and make sure to use them in your meals before they spoil. Date everything you place in the freezer. Even butter, fruit juice, frozen meats, casseroles or frozen vegetables can go bad. Use the food that has been in the freezer for the longest time.

Plan your week
Look at your schedule and figure out how much time you are going to have for dinner each night. Spend 15 minutes on the weekend planning and making sure you have everything you need. Put the list of meals on the frig to let your family know what you will be eating for the week.

Prepare batches of cut/diced foods and freeze for use in your upcoming menus
Chop fresh parsley, onions, peppers and carrots and freeze them for later use. This will also cut down on waste and spoilage if the items don't get used in time. Fresh herbs can be chopped and frozen in ice cube trays. Place desired amount in each cube and fill with water. It is easy to add the fresh herbs to a recipe by dropping in one ice cube.

Cook on the weekends if you can and/or double or triple recipes that freeze well
Most soups freeze well. Make a large batch and save half in the freezer for a quick dinner later on. Lasagna and spaghetti sauce also freeze well. Watch upcoming posts for those recipes.

Make sure your kitchen is clean before beginning to cook
This will save time and insure keeping food born illnesses at bay, too.

Read your recipe through twice before starting to cook
Especially when you are using a new recipe. Better yet, learn to cook without using a recipe using simple techniques for great taste. Keep reading this blog for more of those techniques as they will be in future posts.

Have tips of your own? Please feel free to comment on this post and add them!