Do you cook for family and friends during the holidays? If so, it’s easy for things to get out of control in the kitchen. Dirty dishes can begin to pile up in the sink, used plates can start to accumulate on the countertops, and food containers may be left out to spoil.
Fortunately, there are some simple ways to keep your kitchen clean and tidy while having fun entertaining your loved ones over the holidays.
Clean as you go
As you’re preparing a meal, clean up pans, pots, and other cooking utensils as you go. For instance, if you melt butter in a pan for a sauce, rinse the pan, and put it into the dishwasher before moving onto the next step in the recipe. In addition, put ingredients back in the cabinets or refrigerator immediately after using them. Practicing this tip means you won’t have a trail of dirty pans, dishes, and utensils to clean up after finishing your preparation.
Utilize food storage containers
Plastic containers help keep items such as flour, sugar, bread crumbs, and sliced vegetables neat and organized. Plus, keeping these ingredients in plastic containers gives you easy access to them when they’re needed.
Not surprisingly, trying to measure half a cup of sugar straight from its bag can result in sugar spilled on your countertops and floor. However, keeping your sugar in a plastic container makes it easy to measure without spilling. Using plastic containers can save you a lot of cleanup work after a meal.
Organize your refrigerator and pantry
Organizing your refrigerator and pantry can make you feel more in control of things when you go to prepare a holiday meal. Organizing the refrigerator may mean putting all your salad dressing bottles on the door along with other condiments such as the mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
You may put lunch meats on one shelf in the fridge and cheeses on another. In the pantry, you may create space on a shelf for all your spices. Arranging them in alphabetical order can prove helpful to you as you prepare a meal. Organizing your refrigerator and pantry can help to prevent spills from happening due to too many items crammed onto one shelf.
Wash the dishes and clean the countertops before bedtime
Chances are, you’ll be tired after a satisfying holiday meal with your loved ones. You may want to skip cleaning up the countertops and dishes in favor of going right to bed. But, clearing the countertops and washing the dishes can help you to avoid those two large tasks the following morning. Even if it’s simply rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher, you’ll be glad you took the time when you walk into the kitchen the next morning.
These are just a few simple tips to get you started. Give them a try and make holiday meal preparation more enjoyable for you and your family.
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