There are so many things to do when you are a family caregiver. Even when your loved one has an elderly care provider who comes over a few days a week, you still have many things to juggle. That’s why it’s so essential to do things that save you time. One of those things is doing some food preparations ahead of time that can save you minutes and even hours throughout the week. Here are some of the top methods for food prep to save time:

1. Make sure you have a meal plan. It saves both time and money because you aren’t rushing to the store or the fast-food place at the last minute to get supper on the table for everyone.
2. Keep your kitchen organized in a logical fashion, so that once you’re in the kitchen and ready to start prepping the food, you don’t have to waste time looking for the can opener or the cheese grater.
3. Choose recipes that have a given time limit. If you know it will take 30 minutes to cook something, you can use the time you spend waiting more productively. If the time isn’t specified and it ends up taking you 1 hour, it often ends up being wasted time because you weren’t prepared with something else to do while waiting.
4. If you need grated cheese for more than one meal in a week, grate all the cheese at one time and divide it into containers or plastic baggies in the fridge. There’s no point in getting the cheese grater out several different times during the week and having to wash and put it away each time. That’s a colossal waste of time!
5. If you are putting cucumber slices in everyone’s lunches this week, slice the cucumber ahead of time. Do it all at once. It’s a time saver as well as not having to wash the knife and cutting board each day.
6. How many carrots do you need this week? Peel them all and then chop/grate/slice or dice and divide into separate containers or re-sealable bags.
7. Need cooked ground beef for more than one recipe this week? Cook it all now.
8. You can avoid wasted celery by washing, drying and storing in foil packages in the fridge. Need a few pieces one day and a few pieces another? Divide the stalks into groups and wrap each in foil. They will keep in your crisper or vegetable drawer of the fridge for weeks! It’s the best way ever to store celery.
9. Get other family members involved to save you some time in the kitchen. Younger kids can peel carrots. Older ones can chop vegetables.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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