Being a wife, mom, and business owner keeps me busy during the week, and I”m always looking for time-saving meal prep tips to make life easier. Here are a few time-saving hacks that will feel like they add hours back to your week, particularly when it comes to time spent in the kitchen!

1. Have a plan for your day. One of my favorite keys to saving time is being organized and planning ahead. I like to make a list for each day with priorities at the top so I can focus on what is most important. I also like to use tools such as the Dashing Dish meal plan builder to save time when it comes to planing my meals in advance. Each step you take to plan and prepare will save you time and stress when things get busy.

2. Clean as you go. There may be times when we are so busy that life seem to leave a ‘trail’ of clutter behind us. In times like these, it can be so helpful to clean up little messes as we go so it doesn’t become another to-do on our list.When our lives are free from clutter, we are able to operate more efficiently and with less stress over all.

3. Have a plan for breakfast. Breakfast tends to be one of the busiest times of the day in our house, so it can be helpful to plan ahead! I like to make a weeks worth of breakfast in advance such as my overnight oats or breakfast cookies, so I can pull them out of the fridge and take them with me on the go!

4. Choose frozen produce rather than fresh. Using frozen produce saves time in more ways than one! The most obvious being that you don’t have to wash and cut the produce before using it! Another benefit is that it’s ready to thaw and add to a recipe when you don’t have time to run to the grocery store and grab fresh produce.

5. Batch cook your grains and vegetables. To save time and hassle prepping and cooking on busy weeknights, I recommend batch cooking pasta or grains ahead of time, as well as washing and cutting your veggies so they are ready to toss into a recipe along with some beans or meat!

I hope these tips help make meal prep easier for you and your family! xo Katie