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This Real Mom

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Home / FOOD/DRINK / 5 Ways to Save Time with Dinner Prep (and a Giveaway)!

5 Ways to Save Time with Dinner Prep (and a Giveaway)!

FOOD/DRINK, HOME/DIY

Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE meal prep

This is a sponsored post for She Speaks/Rubbermaid®. All writing, opinions and photography are my own. 

Dinner prep can be stressful on busy weekday nights, especially with kids in tow! I refer to the period of time between 4-6 p.m. as the “witching hour” in our family, because it’s when the wheels start falling off the bus in our house. Someone’s yelling because they’re hungry and they need to eat right NOW or another one’s wailing because a brother smacked him– you get the picture. Trying to maintain composure while getting dinner on the table can be a challenge!

Starting last year I made a concerted effort to meal plan and prep ingredients ahead of time to make cooking dinner less stressful. It has worked wonders, and I thought I would share a few of my tips:

  • Cut up vegetables and other ingredients the night before. If you’re ambitious, prep them for the whole week!
  • Make a weekly meal plan. Part of the chaos for dinner prep used to be that I wouldn’t decide what I was making until meal time. Now, I sketch out the week ahead on Sunday, so I always know what’s on the menu. It’s saved a HUGE amount of time and money on groceries. I use everything I buy, and my list is much smaller when I head to the supermarket.

Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE Food Storage

Since I prep ahead a lot (and usually have leftovers!), quality food storage is key. I need the ingredients that I cut up earlier in the week to be fresh when I need them. I recently got to test out a 10-piece set of Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE containers, an airtight seal was huge for keeping produce fresh and from preventing leftovers from spilling in my husband’s work backpack!

Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE Airtight Seal
Air tight seal that is 100% Leak-proof – GUARANTEED!

The BRILLIANCE containers are also splatter-resistant. There are special vents on the containers that allow you to leave the top on while microwaving (you just keep the lid on and latches open)– preventing those messy microwave splatters! The containers are produced with heat-resistant BPA-free materials.

Other features I love are the modular shape of the containers, which makes them easy to stack in the fridge (and they look nice too!). They are crystal clear, so you can easily see the contents of the container as well. An added bonus– they are stain resistant too!

Win Your Own 10-Piece Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE Set!

One lucky reader will win a 10-piece Rubbermaid BRILLIANCE set of their own! To enter, leave me a comment below with your favorite dinner prep tip. One entry per person, and the giveaway ends June 7 at 11:59 p.m.



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May 24, 2017 · 98 Comments

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  1. Sandy Cain says

    May 24, 2017 at 8:40 am

    My best dinner prep hint is make SURE you have all your ingredients in the fridge or pantry. Nothing worse than getting your dinner your dinner together, then finding out you don’t have enough milk, eggs, or veggies, etc., to fix your meal. I learned this lesson the hard way!

    Reply
  2. Julia says

    May 24, 2017 at 9:02 am

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to get something started during the day, if possible (I work from home) or to at least organize the ingredients, setting out any dry ingredients on the counter (rice, beans, spices) and putting cold ingredients near each other in the fridge (when it makes sense to do so).

    Also, I have a whiteboard above the counter on which I write our weekly meal plan–so handy to look at when I have that forgetful “what’s for dinner??” panic. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Sandy Klocinski says

    May 24, 2017 at 10:53 am

    Save time without boring your taste buds by preparing two or three variations of chicken at once, using aluminum foil dividers in your pan. Sriracha, BBQ, honey mustard — you can have it all. Three birds, one pan!

    Reply
  4. Lauren says

    May 24, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    My tip is to prep vegetables at the beginning of the week.

    Reply
  5. Stephanie Johnson says

    May 24, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    I meal plan for the week, and I’ve learned not to plan a dinner meal for every single day. My boys are still young and don’t eat much, so we often have plenty of leftovers for another meal. I also build my menu by trying to use up ingredients I already have on hand in the pantry, fridge and freezer. It helps me keep those places from getting overstuffed with random groceries, and it also keeps my grocery budget down since I am purposeful about finishing off that half-full box of pasta or those frozen veggies I stocked up on when I found them on sale.

    Reply
  6. Kelly D says

    May 24, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is I like to spiralize vegetables in advance of cooking.

    Reply
  7. Debbie F says

    May 24, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    I don’t really have a great tip other than be organized and neat. There’s nothing worse than working in a cluttered kitchen so I do all the prepping (cutting veggies, getting out cooking oils, etc) then clean and put away everything you used before you start cooking.
    I might be a little ocd about being clean and neat but hey, who wants to eat something that came out of a dirty kitchen? 😀
    thanks!

    Reply
  8. Anne Higgins says

    May 24, 2017 at 10:32 pm

    My best tip for meals is to have your grandchildren around to learn and help with preparation, cooking, family gathering for a great meal and cleanup. LIFE IS GOOD!

    Reply
  9. Susan Christy says

    May 24, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    I do a lot of advance prep on the weekends – chopping, cooking meat for salads or casseroles, frying bacon. I’m not a fan of coming home from a long day of work and spending my evening in the kitchen.

    Reply
  10. Barbara Montag says

    May 25, 2017 at 2:20 am

    My favorite dinner prep tip – I keep onions and bell pepper strips in the freezer.
    Always ready to go, no running to the store.
    thankou

    Reply
  11. Tari Lawson says

    May 25, 2017 at 7:15 am

    I like to prep everything I need for dinner before I start cooking. That way I am not caught off guard, realizing I don’t have what I need ready or even onhand.

    Reply
  12. Ashley C says

    May 25, 2017 at 7:21 am

    My favorite tip is that I try to organize everything in the pantry when I get home from the grocery store by meal. That way, I don’t have to search for various ingredients

    Reply
  13. Cynthia C says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:03 am

    Organization is the best tip. I like to plan my meals and make a list of ingredients I need before I shop so everything is on hand and ready to go.

    Reply
  14. Denise S says

    May 25, 2017 at 9:24 am

    I like to chop things hours ahead of time and have them all ready in the fridge.

    Reply
  15. Christina Sparks says

    May 25, 2017 at 11:38 am

    I like to cut up any veggies that go with the dinner before time and put them back in the refrigerator till I need them.

    Reply
  16. Valerie Mabrey says

    May 25, 2017 at 12:24 pm

    My best tip do the chopping before hand and freeze things like chopped onions and peppers. That way meals are a bit quicker.

    Reply
  17. Em Mahr says

    May 25, 2017 at 1:26 pm

    If something requires a lot of prep work (cutting vegetables for soup, making a marinade, etc.), I do all this work on the weekend and store or freeze it until it’s time to prepare the meal. If I’m relying on my husband to start a meal, I’ll pre-measure all of the ingredients for him.

    Reply
  18. beth shepherd says

    May 25, 2017 at 2:28 pm

    My favorite dinner prep is to do it earlier in the day so meal time isnt so stressful. I also like to have the kids help.

    Reply
  19. tara darity says

    May 25, 2017 at 2:52 pm

    My tip is to plan ahead! I still need to get better at it!

    Reply
  20. Liz N says

    May 25, 2017 at 3:11 pm

    My prep tip is to stay organized and cook extra meat, veggies, etc. for quick lunches or dinners the rest of the week. Nothing revolutionary! 😉

    Reply
  21. Kimberly B Miller says

    May 25, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    Make extra and freeze for another meal.

    Reply
  22. Sarah Hall says

    May 25, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    My best prep tip is to make extra of things you may serve tomorrow using some of the same ingredients you are preparing for today’s dinner. Make extra sauce and freeze it or clean veggies and bag them.

    Reply
  23. Michelle Donovan says

    May 25, 2017 at 5:50 pm

    Take time once a week and prep to freeze your weeks worth of meals. worth it!

    Reply
  24. Tracy Davis says

    May 25, 2017 at 7:11 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to figure out what I am doing for dinner the night before.

    Reply
  25. Tracy Shafer says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:20 pm

    I like to use my own spices, which are so much healthier..so I buy in bulk and make different mixtures and put in mason jars…so I always have a variety on hand.

    Reply
  26. cheryl s says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:59 pm

    my favorite tip is to make several dishes at one time – 1 to eat and a couple to freeze for later

    Reply
  27. Jacquelyn Cannon says

    May 25, 2017 at 10:43 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip – I prep my meals on the week-end and place them in freezer. This saves me time to take care of other things during the week.

    Reply
  28. Brittney House says

    May 25, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    My favorite tip is to utilize your crock pot. When you are running low on time, it’s always there to cook a meal without a lot of effort.

    Reply
  29. kathy Persons says

    May 26, 2017 at 9:20 am

    Make a menu and check all ingred at beginning of week

    Reply
  30. Kim Avery says

    May 26, 2017 at 4:38 pm

    My meal prep tip is to prep/cut the vegetables up during the weekend. The night before get all of your ingredients together just in case you may be missing something!

    Reply
  31. Tabathia B says

    May 26, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    I actually make freezer meals for crockpot dinners and I sometimes purchase dinner aids that I can use to make a meal for frozen chicken.

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  32. Cheryl says

    May 27, 2017 at 1:52 am

    Clean, chop, and prep a variety of veggies, so they’re easy to add to meals throughout the busy workweek.

    Reply
  33. Denise B. says

    May 27, 2017 at 6:23 pm

    When I prepare for party buffets, I use three days to prep. Day 1, I cook out/up all the ingredients for all the dishes and getting everything ready to go. Day 2, I assemble everything and whatever goes together. Day 3, anything that needs to get cooked, gets cooked; and everything is laid out.

    Reply
  34. fran says

    May 27, 2017 at 10:53 pm

    Have the family help – it’s not all mom’s job!

    Reply
  35. Anna Pry says

    May 28, 2017 at 9:24 am

    I also recommend prepping ingredients ahead of time, but I like to do it once a week if I can. Using foil and parchment paper also helps if you can make a foil packet with dinner inside. Then just pop onto a pan and cook when needed. Makes clean up so much faster too

    Reply
  36. Laura S says

    May 28, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    I love using prep bowls and having the ingredients for one step already combined so I don’t need to rush around trying to find that spice or the measuring spoons that I need right then!

    Reply
  37. Theresa Jenkins says

    May 28, 2017 at 4:18 pm

    I try to prep ahead and if I can once a week and freeze

    Reply
  38. paige chandler says

    May 28, 2017 at 6:19 pm

    Prep on Sunday for the week ahead.

    Reply
  39. Susan Smith says

    May 28, 2017 at 9:07 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to cup up the vegetables that I will need for the weeks meals on the weekend when I have more time.

    Reply
  40. Jessica Mcfarlin says

    May 29, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    I always start cooking early so I have enough time. I have all the ingredients on the counter a day before so I’m organize and ready to start.

    Reply
  41. Cindy A. says

    May 29, 2017 at 6:39 pm

    Your freezer is your friend. I love being able to grab a bag of already prepped, frozen ingredients and toss the contents into a slow cooker or Instant Pot.

    Reply
  42. Aaron says

    May 30, 2017 at 9:34 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is clean as you go.

    Reply
  43. rochelle haynes says

    May 31, 2017 at 7:51 am

    My prep tip is to clean all your fruits and veggies before storing them

    Reply
  44. Ellen from Ask Away says

    May 31, 2017 at 10:37 am

    My favorite tip that I always use is using frozen chopped veggies that u get ready days or weeks in advance that way you dont have to do all the work on the day of, when you need to chop the veggies and rinse them.

    Reply
  45. Rosanne says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to find a gift card or coupon and head out to get something to eat. No seriously, it is to download on app the ingredients on a weekly basis in order to have everything on hand.

    Reply
  46. Joni Lively Taylor says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:29 pm

    One dinner prep tip I have is to cut things the night before and have them ready to go the next day.

    Reply
  47. Lauren U says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    My best tip is to do as much prep work as you can before you start cooking. I’ll chop veggies during the kids nap time. Save me a lot of time later!

    Reply
  48. Cynthia Green says

    May 31, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    My favorite dinner meal time prep tip is to make the meal the night before in the crock pot, put it in the fridge, and the next morning all I have to do is plug it in.

    Reply
  49. BusyWorkingMama says

    May 31, 2017 at 9:41 pm

    I pick out recipes and shop late in the week, then prep and cook up a storm on the weekends for quick weeknight meals.

    Reply
  50. Wendy R. says

    May 31, 2017 at 11:40 pm

    I really dislike cooking, so anything that saves me from doing just that is high on my list. My tip is to cook extra and then use the extra in the next night’s meal. Cook extra meat, and/or veggies, etc.

    Reply
  51. Jennai says

    June 1, 2017 at 2:00 am

    I like to chop up vegetables, etc. that I use in quite a few meals — like onions, green and red peppers and jalapenos. That way I always have them — these would be great to store them in.

    Reply
  52. Melanie huttner says

    June 2, 2017 at 5:50 pm

    My favorite tip is to season things ahead of time so that they have time to marinate!

    Reply
  53. Becca says

    June 2, 2017 at 6:05 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to menu plan, so that you aren’t wasting time just trying to figure out what to cook.

    Reply
  54. Penny Snyder says

    June 2, 2017 at 8:51 pm

    My best prep tip is to make a week’s menu, make a list of ingredents, and prep & store in fridge for each night’s meals! Organization!!~

    Reply
  55. Paula Hafner says

    June 2, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    When I’m browning ground beef or boiling chicken for a recipe, I make double or triple then freeze the extra. It only takes a few more minutes yet it comes in handy when I’m rushed for time to make a recipe.

    Reply
  56. susan smoaks says

    June 3, 2017 at 9:12 am

    i like to shop once a week and prep as soon as i get home from the grocery store. i like to have everything clean and cut up for ease of use.

    Reply
  57. Frank kerner says

    June 3, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    My favorite tip is to take and cook lots of one-pot dishes. Chicken with mixed veggies and stuff like that. It makes the cooking a lot easier if your short on time!

    Reply
  58. Lauren Olivia Wood says

    June 3, 2017 at 8:19 pm

    My best dinner prep tip is to multitask. Create a plan where multiple actions can be done at once so dinner can all be done at the same time.

    Reply
  59. Tina Kilburn says

    June 4, 2017 at 2:30 pm

    I like prepping my whole workweek on the weekends to lessen the work on the weekdays. It is also a good excuse to teach my kids cooking skills

    Reply
  60. Samantha says

    June 5, 2017 at 1:45 pm

    My dinner prep is to cut up all the veggies the night before. It’s not crazy prep, but makes cooking after a long day so much easier!

    Reply
  61. Janine H says

    June 5, 2017 at 2:04 pm

    My fave dinner prep is to buy Costco prewashed ore cut veggies

    Reply
  62. Tiffany says

    June 5, 2017 at 3:03 pm

    My dinner tip is to just use as many shortcuts as possible, like buying pre-chopped veggies.

    Reply
  63. Lana simanovicki says

    June 5, 2017 at 6:22 pm

    We go shopping once a month .I likethe prepping for nachos.we all like – different things

    Reply
  64. clynsg says

    June 6, 2017 at 8:49 am

    There are a few prep actions that I really dislike doing (mincing onions, garlic, husking corn, etc.). It may cost a little more, but I feel that buying these things already done is definitely worth it, both in time saved and aggravation!

    Reply
  65. Candie L says

    June 6, 2017 at 9:18 am

    As bad as it sounds my best dinner prep advice is to make sure you have all of the ingredients in advance and have them all out before you start cooking. Thank you

    Reply
  66. Kim Naumann says

    June 6, 2017 at 11:34 am

    My daughter and myself make a lot of freezer meals on the weekends so we exchange meals to have a variety.

    Reply
  67. Ed says

    June 6, 2017 at 11:41 am

    Homemade lasagna is great to freeze for a go-to meal.

    Reply
  68. Claire McKeon says

    June 6, 2017 at 11:46 am

    I look what is on sale at the grocery store that week and plan a weeks worth on menus around that. On Sundays I prep as much as I can for each night’s dinner (cutting veggies, making a batch of salad dressing, etc). I also increase the number of servings so there are leftovers for lunch.

    Reply
  69. Renee Grosskreuz says

    June 6, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    Cut up vegetables and other ingredients the night before.

    Reply
  70. Jennifer H. says

    June 6, 2017 at 7:28 pm

    I would suggest cut and prep your veggies ahead of time.

    Reply
  71. Denise C says

    June 6, 2017 at 7:31 pm

    I try to make extras of everything that we can reheat later. Saves tons of time.

    Reply
  72. John H. says

    June 6, 2017 at 7:44 pm

    My tip chop or spiralize raw vegetables in advance.

    Reply
  73. Carol says

    June 6, 2017 at 8:09 pm

    Pre-assemble jarred lunch salads.

    Reply
  74. Laurie Emerson says

    June 6, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    My favorite tip is to make a schedule of the meals you are going to make after grocery shopping. I then put each day’s ingredients in different containers and add the spice and herbs on top. It really saves on time and I am always sure I have all the ingredients on hand.

    Reply
  75. Stephanie Liske says

    June 7, 2017 at 12:47 am

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to convince my husband to do the cooking lol 🙂

    Reply
  76. Cynthia Schmied says

    June 7, 2017 at 7:53 am

    My favorite dinner prep is to stock up bags of frozen veggies when they are on sale for quick heating and eating. I make my weekly menu on the back of an envelope. Coupons inside, list on the front. Menu on the back.

    Reply
  77. Jessica W. says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:03 am

    I grab the Slap Chop on Sunday and start dicing all the veggies, then place in different containers so I can have my salads for lunch each day of the week.

    Reply
  78. Elizabeth Brooks says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:39 am

    Prep ahead. Have cooked chicken ready

    Reply
  79. Terry says

    June 7, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    I cut up all of the foods the night before preparing my meals to save time right at dinner time to get the food cooked and on the table quickly.

    Reply
  80. Elizabeth Ray says

    June 7, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    Keep family schedule on calendar in the kitchen so you know how many will actually be home for what meals! I hate planning, prepping, then fixing meals only to find half the family won’t be there! (Then they complain about eating leftovers.)

    Reply
  81. Sandra Preti says

    June 7, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Use Sunday as PREP day for as much as you can prep and to minimize prep time on weekdays

    Reply
  82. Tracie Cooper says

    June 7, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    My favorite meal prep is to get my hubby to help!

    Reply
  83. Philip Lawrence says

    June 7, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    My best dinner prep tip is write down a schedule of meals for each week on Sunday night in order to save time in deciding what to have each and every single day.

    Reply
  84. Jennai says

    June 7, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    I chop and prep veggies for soups and salads

    Reply
  85. Jennifer Reed says

    June 7, 2017 at 5:47 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to cook some of your meats ahead of time when possible.

    Reply
  86. Erin M says

    June 7, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    I try to plan what I’m going to make a week before, it saves a lot of time when going to the supermarket.

    Reply
  87. Sarah L says

    June 7, 2017 at 7:53 pm

    I prep meals as much as I can on Sunday for the week ahead.
    Thanks for the contest.

    Reply
  88. DanV says

    June 7, 2017 at 9:15 pm

    We get the kids to help with basics like setting the table and preparing fruit and veggies

    Reply
  89. Robert says

    June 7, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    since I am disabled my wife cooks dinner and leftovers would be what I eat the next day that way she don’t have to clean up the mess she knows I would make if I tried to “chef” something up

    Reply
  90. Kelsey vinson says

    June 7, 2017 at 9:40 pm

    Chop your ingredients ahead of time. Makes things easier, not so hectic, and is less messy,

    Reply
  91. Julie Hawkins says

    June 7, 2017 at 9:54 pm

    My dinner prep tip is to enlist family to help!

    Reply
  92. Trisha McKee says

    June 7, 2017 at 9:58 pm

    My favorite dinner prep tip is to plan ahead. Make lists and shop and organize for the week.

    Reply
  93. Sand says

    June 7, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    On weekends, I do as much prep work as possible to masks cooking during the week easier on me!

    Reply
  94. Trisha Musgrave says

    June 7, 2017 at 10:30 pm

    My best prep idea is to cook and freeze meat like ground hamburger ahead of time. We cook up burger and chicken and cut it up and thrown it in the freezer. This is great for dinner nights where you need to rush but want something hearty. Take it out of the freezer and season it the way you need, and done!

    Reply
  95. Leah Shumack says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    When we are prepping for the week we always try to do a little extra for the freezer as well. We get those weeks where we are super busy and finding time to do it is tough! Then we have some backups!

    Reply
  96. BRIAN E. says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:42 pm

    We buy our produce on the weekends, then wash-prep-store everything for the week ahead; makes cooking during weekdays fast & easy !

    Reply
  97. Leela says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:52 pm

    I put my peeled onions in the fridge. When they’re cold, they hurt the eyes much less when I dice them up.

    Reply
  98. donna porter says

    June 7, 2017 at 11:57 pm

    Grill on weekend for the following week

    Reply

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