Fiona Faulkner’s top ten tips for mums to save time and money in the kitchen
Parenting on Female First
1. Stop plating up your family's food
Don’t cook three different meals every night. Stop being a Plate-Up Parent and adopt my buffet-style approach to dinners - offer a selection of dishes and ingredients and let your family put together their own main course. Represent all food groups and the rule is that everyone needs to take from at least two dishes. Tenderstem Tempura is a favourite ‘star attraction’ in the Faulkner household.
2. Get your kids in the Kitchen
It may sound counter-intuitive but the sooner you get them in the kitchen, learning how to cook, the sooner you’ll have a team of willing helpers. An eight year old isn’t too young to beat eggs or butter bread. Remember: kids always eat better when they’re invested in their own creation.
3. Get equipped
I’d literally be lost without my food processor. I use it to chop up veg in seconds-flat. You can buy them really cheaply and if you chop small enough, they’re perfect for sneaking in more of your 5-a-day to soups, sandwiches and sauces (don’t even bother cooking it). My carrot and cream cheese sandwiches are always a winner.
4. Be creative
Consider how you can get everyone eating more of their greens, reds and yellows. Try throwing some Tenderstem into bubble and squeak, for example. By creating delicious twists on everyday favourites, you’ll be less likely to be making half a dozen meals.
5. Turn it Off
Turn the oven off for the last ten minutes or so of cooking time (the heat will remain strong). A simple but cost-effective trick.
6. Think out of the box
So you’re in the kitchen multi-tasking as you’re stir-frying? Quicker cooking techniques can be a false economy. I prefer to bung chicken breasts in the oven for twenty minutes or so while I get on with other jobs – that way I can easily chop cooked chicken into my stir fry - rather than laboriously chopping it raw and waiting for the wok.
7. Cook double, freeze half
It’s one of the simplest and best habits to get into!
8. Know your freezer
…And eliminate costly waste. Did you know you can freeze bananas, butter, muffins and herbs? Best of all you can literally make and freeze cheese sandwiches (now there’s a school-run tip). I also always freeze and chop chillies from frozen – otherwise they’d sit and go off – and that’s more money down the drain.
9. Glam it up
Don’t feel guilty about the odd ready-meal – just glam it up a bit. Try Tenderstem scattered onto a shop-bought pizza base, and let your family choose the rest of the topping. Fussy eaters can create their own pizza half to make a quick and easy meal that everyone will love.
10. Go for a climate change
Don’t be afraid of serving a cold dinner (that’ll ‘keep’ for kids coming in late). Try pasta, potato salads, sliced cold meats, and deli style dips, or make a frittata that can be served warm or cold. And remember, veggies are often far more nutritious when served raw rather than cooked – Tenderstem is so tender that you can get away with serving it raw with carrots, peppers and hummus.
For more information, go to www.fionafaulkner.co.uk/
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