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Being a working mom is not easy, so I get help from any corner that I can. I don’t want to compromise on kids’ health or mine so I am looking for shortcuts that don’t involve processed foods and unhealthy habits.
But in the end we all have only so much time, so let’s talk about how to best use the resources available for us to make our Busy Mom Life easier and work smart to save time while feeling awesome! Also, find my favorite product links in the article, these products have been huge time saver for me.
- Meals
- Use a digital version for grocery lists that can be reused week after week. E.g. My partner and I share lists in One Note Apple App, one could use any other app as well. But we found One note to be more reliable. We have a list for Grocery, Costco, Walmart and Chores (Big or small). Now every week, it’s easy to go uncheck an item in the existing list rather than creating from scratch. Yes it took us 15 min to set up the list initially but the rinse and repeat has made sense over years. Since we both share the list, if he is using something and runs out, he unchecks the list and if I run out, I do the same.
- While grocery stores might be inevitable every week, stores like Costco or special runs like Walmart/Target can be scheduled for once a month to save time. If you are making and keeping a list, this becomes easy to manage. If some of these can be doubled up like Walmart is also your primary grocery store, then you are already looking good!
- If budget allows you, services like Instacart, DoorDash can be a big life saver. I am also a big fan of online shopping for the very same reason. But when it comes to groceries, the fresher the better and I can’t resist a good farmers market either.
- Make the weekday menu online as well, that way you have a menu week after week and dishes that can be remade, the ideas that can be repurposed. I am also going to tell you the trick I have been using with my online menu.
- When you make a menu, also make a list of things you can prep or do ahead over the weekend. When you spend some time over weekend, eating healthy and on time becomes so much easier.
- If you have a menu online, you can input it to an AI tool like Chat GPT, and ask it to give you a grocery list and tasks you can do to prepare ahead based on the menu, in less than 2 min all the thinking is done for you. It might not be a perfect list but it’s 90% there. And guess what ChatGPT is free and they have a nifty app that can be used.
- If your family doesn’t mind frozen homemade foods :-), make a double portion of every dish, and freeze one portion from the get go. Most of the gravies, sauces and dressings can be doubled or even triples based on their fridge life.
- Depending on what you pack in lunches, you can pack ahead and label by weekday e.g. fruit boxes can be made ahead.
- Other Prep
- Kids outfits can be laid out over the weekend. Make it a fun activity and involve kids to make a pile by day on one side of the closet. This makes getting ready in the weekday morning much easier.
- Check kids schedules for any special asks or projects that would require buying, prepping or packing and get that ready over weekend.
- If kids have lessons like soccer, dances make sure anything they need for the class is always in the same corner of the closet and depending on the age of the kids either ask them or check they have all they need in the same corner.
- Reset the house over the weekend, this includes putting away any books, toys, shoes, clothes that can be chaotic or cause unnecessary disruption during the week.