Every busy mum needs a trusty food binder to speed up mealtimes but still keeping them fun and tasty. Ingrid from Mothers Uncovered SoulFood project shares her top tips for building a reliable but personal catalogue of meal ideas.
- Keep a checklist for grocery shopping at the front of your binder of store cupboard essentials. Also add weekly meal planners to the binder and work out what other you need to add to your shopping list.
- Don’t be too ambitious when adding recipes to your binder. If you like the look of a more time-hungry or complex recipe, park it at the back of your binder to try at a more suitable time.
- Devise a contents page to keep track of what you’re adding to the binder – you will thank yourself as it expands! Doesn’t need to be fancy, just blank sheet with a note of what’s been added and when.
- Think about organising your binder in a way that works best for your approach to meal preparation i.e. by type of dish (starter, lunch, snacks, supper) or even by season to help you make the most of seasonal ingredients. Consider adding a small section for kids recipes too so that they can help you cook and in time maybe even cook for you!
- Make notes on your recipes as you try them. These little hand written amendments can be the source of great family dishes passed on through the ages. Ask friends and relatives to share their favourite recipes, start to create your own little piece of culinary history.
Looking for family food inspiration? Why not sign up to one of their courses? Mothers Uncovered is a registered charity based in Brighton.
