There is something defeating about making a great meal, but seeing your kitchen overwhelmed with every pot, pan, utensil, and measuring cup you have. Now you can’t really enjoy your delicious dish without the dread of hiking your butt into the kitchen and scrubbing away for what seems. like. hours. (yes, I’m sure it’s 30min tops, but it feels like it took an eternity).
Sometimes the mess just doesn’t seem worth the meal.
Babe, I hear ya. I’ve ordered carryout because the idea of cleaning the whole kitchen doesn’t outweigh the wildly wonderful food we cook up in there. But don’t worry, like always, I have you covered. I’m going to share my tips, tricks, and link to a few recipes that only take a few items to whip up!
TIP #1: CLEAN AS YOU GO
Saving your full clean up until the end of dinner will make it look like a never-ending mountain of mess. At some point during your cooking process, something is bound to have to set, bake, cool, etc. Use that time to put your unneeded items in the dishwasher or clean the counter. Doing small things as you go will leave a much smaller mess for you at the end of the night. Ex: When I make my cheesy potato recipe, it’s in the oven for a considerable amount of time. This is a perfect time to clean my measuring cup and mandolin. By the time the potatoes come out of the oven, my kitchen is sparkling.
TIP 2: CONSIDER 1 PAN DISHES
Casseroles get a bad image, I’m going to say it. Maybe it was the ~lack of health~ or that they were constantly made for older generations, but let’s be nice to our 1-pan dish. I’m not suggesting you get a can that reads “Cream of ___” (use my roux recipe to make your own creamy soup). I am suggesting you open your mind and redefine it. You can pack in a protein (plant or animal, your choice), veg, and a starch to create a filling dish with under 5 dishes to clean. My green bean casserole allows you to make the cream of mushroom soup on it’s own and/or incorporate into your veg casserole.
TIP 3: CONSIDER A BIGGER MESS ONCE, BUT REDUCE THE REST OF THE WEEK
This one really just considers you take on the mess one day and knock out a handful of dishes. Make your hummus, spinach pie, casserole — the works. Really go big on the cooking. I know, I know…. you came here to learn about reducing you mess, not running into that mess sponge first. Just hear me out, okay? I love to prep on Sundays. I know that on Sunday I am signing up for all of the delicious foods for the week, but also the bulk of my week’s messes. Once that’s prepped, put away, and cleaned I’m just grab-and-go all week. Yes, there are still some minimal messes along the way (the plate/bowl I ate out of, utensil I used), but I’m not doing a lot of big messes. Want that spinach pie? Great, grab it from the fridge/freezer and pop it into the oven on some foil.
Ultimately, it’s up to you how to navigate your mess and your kitchen space. You can ebb and flow through these tips or just find what works for you!
