Time-Saving Fall Tips

There’s no doubt about it: Fall is busy! I’ve got some time-saving tips and products to help navigate the season with ease. You can read below, or watch my full segment on CTV news.

• Let’s start with an idea that’s probably been in the back of your mind for a while, that’s finally time to tackle: Organize your laundry space. By getting that area of your house under control and organizing it in a cohesive, functional way, this will save you so much time and energy every week. First, pull everything out so you can take stock of what you have, and purge items you no longer use or things that are expired. Then, get in there and clean — any grime, any hidden build-up, maybe spilled detergent. I use the Scotch-Brite Scrub Dots Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges, which are amazing in the kitchen because even egg and cheese won’t stick to the Scrub Dots. But they go beyond the kitchen’s tough messes. They won’t scratch surfaces, they scrub fast, and they rinse clean. Once you’ve cleaned, sort all of the items you’re keeping using bins and hooks. Laundry day will be smoother and less stressful.

• We all know that kitchens can be so chaotic, so let’s get it under control for this busy fall season ahead. I love a pantry clean-up. Bins, labels, basically give everything a proper home. Toss expired items, toss those foods you’ll never eat, and get it organized. And here’s another great time-saver: Designate a spot for easy meals. With all the work from home, maybe your kids are still learning online, we’ve got lunch cooking fatigue. Clover Leaf’s Bistro Bowls are a healthy, complete protein meal that you can eat on a quick break or on-the-go. They don’t need to be refrigerated, they’ve got no preservatives, and they come in three flavours including Spanish Medley. So definitely stock these in your pantry. You can eat them as-is or warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

• Figuring out what’s for lunch and dinner each day can be overwhelming this time of year. A great way to save time is to prepare individual ingredients that can translate into multiple meals for the whole family. For example, let’s start with a seasoned chicken and a rainbow of vegetables. You can smoke those on a Traeger Pellet Grill. It’s basically set it and forget it. It’s super convenient, the flavour is extraordinary, and from your phone, you can monitor and even control the grill using the Traeger app. Besides enjoying day-of chicken and veg, you can turn those ingredients into a stew or heavy soup, paninis, pasta, a cold salad, pretty much anything! And that eliminates the constant struggle for figuring out what to eat.

• Another great way to save time this fall is to have one recipe that can be used in multiple ways. I make a two-ingredient dough with just Greek yogurt and self-rising flour mixed on a one-to-one ratio. Make that once a week, and you can use it for pizza, cinnamon buns, even crackers and breadsticks. I also make it using my KitchenAid Stand Mixer, which is a massive time-saver, and it’s just one of those kitchen tools that has endless possibilities, lets me get creative, and lets me make to stand out. Also, it has a new bread bowl attachment and can mix up to 9 dozen cookies at once!