Preparing for Change – The Kitchen

Today as we are preparing for change we are going to look at the kitchen. No matter how the schedule of the home changes, the family dynamics evolve, or the people in our home come and go everyone must eat. But there are times that cooking large meals is just not an option. We, as moms and women, are tired and stressed and the last thing that we want to do is be standing in a hot kitchen for hours each day. I have learned that one of the surest ways to reduce my stress even just a little is to get my “game” on in the kitchen and be organized.

I make a detailed menu down to what veggie I am serving each night and even make reminders of where the items are kept if someone will be helping me. I stock my pantry and fridge with easy items as well. Eating healthy and natural is great and it is a passion of mine. But there are times in life when you just have to break down and buy some cereal or granola bars.

But while preparing for change isn’t always possible sometimes we know when a change is coming. It is during these times that I have found a few ways to help “prepare” my kitchen. The first way is menu planning I have offered several posts on how I menu plan for a month at time and do so pretty much each month. But I go into much more detail when I know that the month will be full of change. I not only include meal ideas on my list but side dishes, lunches, and even breakfasts. This helps to remove any guess work out of what everyone will eat that day. It doesn’t have to take up my mind for hours as I try to “throw something together” but I just pull out what is needed and move on with my day.

Also, freezer cooking has quickly become one of my favorite ways to streamline my time in the kitchen. I have found that even in seasons of calm and peace (if there is such a thing in a homeschooling pastor’s home) if we have unexpected company or are held up late at church it is nice to have meals almost ready to eat in the freezer. I love having homemade chicken nuggets in the freezer for a quick lunch or a batch of taco meat for a quick snack for unexpected guests. Plus, it helps to have much of the cooking done if I am going to need the girls’ help with putting it on the table. For example, right now I have 2 weeks worth of meals in the freezer plus snacks and breakfasts for when I am recovering from the C-section. These meals will allow the girls to get dinner on the table with minimal cooking while I am limited in my helping abilities. During this time of change of adding a new baby, I have found it helpful it all of the children feel as if they are helping and needed and this will fill that need for the older girls leaving smaller jobs such as sweeping and folding laundry for the younger ones.

So whether your change is an expected one or one that catches you totally off guard these simple ways of preparing for change in your kitchen are sure to help ease some of the stress for you. The more prepared you can be the better you are able to handle last minute changes. I have learned this first hand in the ministry as many times we have had unexpected company or been out later than I had planned leaving me less time to cook a meal. These situations have taught me that keeping a shelf stable meal such as a large box of noodles and some pasta sauce along with a bag of ready to serve dinner rolls in the freezer enables me to more easily roll with the changes and enjoy the people and changes that life has brought instead of being a stressed out mess. So, whether you spend a whole Saturday stocking your freezer and menu planning or if you simply fry up a little extra taco meat next time and place it in the freezer for later start today, preparing for change by preparing your kitchen.

Don’t miss Post #1 in this series – Preparing for Change – Your Heart 

Also, don’t forget to check out the recipe tab here on Our Heart and Home for lots of freezer friendly recipes.