Top 5 Food Prep Shortcuts For Busy Mums & Dads

The chilly weather has put many of us in the mood for some wholesome, home-cooked meals, but with our busy schedules, it’s often difficult to pull together the extra time and effort it takes to create culinary masterpieces.

Not to worry! There are a few game-changing approaches you can take to shave valuable time off your cooking sessions and make clean-ups a doddle. Read on to discover our top 5 food preparation shortcuts, becoming a domestic God or Goddess without any of the stress or mess.

1. Get Yourself a Slow Cooker

It really is possible to come home from a long day at work to find a hot, ready-made meal waiting for you. Slow cookers have been around for decades, and can completely revolutionise meal preparation. From nutritious stews, delicious chilis and curries to healthy soups and fillings for wraps and pitas, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to the variety of dishes you can make.

Simply pop all the ingredients in the crock pot, turn your cooker on to a low heat and leave it to work its magic. Your meal will cook throughout the day with no need for you to check up on it, and you can enjoy it straight away when you return home. Cooking food gradually has many culinary benefits, including more intense flavours and meats that are exceptionally juicy and tender. We recommend the Tower Slow Cooker, complete with elegant copper finish.

B&M Top Tip: why not check out our huge collection of recipes from our Lifestyle page? We have lots of great slow cooker recipes you can try at home!

2. Splash Out on a Soup Maker

 

 

Whether you need something quick to microwave at work or a lovely flavoursome treat to enjoy with a hunk of crusty bread in front of the TV, a homemade soup always hits the spot. Investing in a Morphy Richards Soup Maker makes this even easier to achieve - the appliance cooks and blends ingredients together in one jug - so there’s no need for endless washing up - and you can even choose between chunky and smooth soups depending on your personal taste.

Your meal will be ready in less than half an hour, and you can serve up to four portions at a time, so it’s perfect for catering to family and friends or for freezing in batches to use for future consumption.

3. Save Time with a Sandwich Maker

Also known as a toastie maker, these beauties are a dream come true for anyone who loves a quick, hot lunch or hearty snack. Place a slice of bread onto one of the ceramic plates, pile on your favourite fillings, lay a second slice of bread on top, close the lid and wait just a few minutes for a satisfying toasted sandwich. Opting for a “deep fill” product, such as the Tower Deep Fill Sandwich Maker, means you can fit in even more of your favourite things in for an even bigger treat.

The appliance’s ceramic plates automatically cut and shape your sandwich for extra convenience. They're also removable and non-stick, making them extremely easy to clean. The sandwich maker is designed to be sturdy, stable and quick-cooling for your own safety and that of your family, and, with a unique & compact design, it’s super straightforward to stow away.

4. Simplify Meat and Veg Prep with a Tiered Steamer

A major key to sustained healthy eating is ensuring each meal you cook is varied and interesting. However, it’s hard to achieve this without finding yourself buried in a pile of pots and pans when it comes to clearing up - especially when preparing several types of vegetable at once! There is a remedy for this, however: getting hold of a multi-level steamer sees your veggies neatly stacked on top of each other in easy-to-remove tiers, meaning you save space and vastly reduce your washing up.

The Weight Watchers 3 Tier Steamer is perfect for meat too - after all, steaming is the healthiest way to prepare it! The steamer is even set to automatically switch off when its timer runs down, so you can be sure you won’t overcook your food!

5. Discover The Simplicity of a Low Fat Fryer

Another useful diet tip is to allow yourself a little of the things you love every so often. For many of us, this includes the lovely, crispy fried food that is so often missing from healthy eating guides. The good news is that, with a low fat fryer like the Tefal Actifry, you don’t need to limit yourself to just a little!

The main problem with fried food is the large amount of oil that is usually used in its preparation, but a low fat fryer requires only a spoonful to work its magic, while any food cooked from frozen requires no oil at all. Chips, meats and vegetables all come out beautifully crisp with none of the guilt.

The appliance’s dishwasher friendly parts are easy to clean, all contents of the fryer are automatically stirred to prevent overcooking and you can keep an eye on the progress of your tasty treats through a large viewing window!

Interested in one of our food prep electricals? Use our handy Store Finder to locate your nearest store and get a head start on some easy, delicious home cookery! Don't forget we have

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