Managing Mealtime Madness

It is 5:00 pm and Cindy has no idea what to make for dinner. In the process of searching through the freezer, she causes an avalanche of frozen foods to fall to the floor. Meanwhile, her hungry baby is crying and the phone is ringing.

After checking the Caller ID to see it's another sales call, she grabs a cookbook to search through as she feeds Zachary. Cindy starts flipping through recipes trying to find something she can throw together in a hurry. Bingo! Here's something quick and easy.

The hunt through the pantry for recipe ingredients begins. Her pantry is in such a state of chaos that the process takes twice as long as she had thought and she realizes she does not have a can of tomatoes. The door bell rings. Forcing a smile on her face, she answers the door and finds a neighbor child asking if Nicole can come out and play. She sends Nicole out the door asking her to run to the neighbors to see if they have a can of tomatoes to borrow.

Meanwhile, Cindy decides to start the recipe but can't find an inch of counter space to cook on. The mail, school papers and dirty dishes are scattered everywhere. Nicole returns from the neighbors having had no luck finding a can of tomatoes. By now it is 6:00 pm. and Mike will be home shortly. Defeated, Cindy picks up the phone and orders pizza, again.

It's 6:30 am and as Tracy waits for her coffee to brew, she glances at her menu on the fridge and relaxes, knowing that she bought all the week's ingredients on her Monday morning grocery run. She pulls the cooked ground beef out of the freezer and begins unloading the dishwasher so the rest of the family can load their own dirty dishes.

At 3:30 pm, Tracy returns from picking up Brook at school. She sorts the mail before feeding the baby and sends Brook to the front door with the red light sign signaling the neighbor kids, "Do Not Disturb."

Next, Tracy talks with Brook about her day while going through her folder of papers. The phone rings but Tracy lets the machine answer. Tracy signs any papers she needs and delights in her daughters progress before throwing out unneeded papers.

Brook gets her homework and sits at the counter while Brandon joins her with a coloring book. Tracy wipes down the counters and prepares everything needed for tonight's meal. When homework is finished, Tracy gets the older kids started on their chores and finishes her recipe. Tracy then cleans up the dishes and puts dinner in the oven. Taking the timer with her, she puts the baby in the stroller and takes the kids on a short walk to the park.

With 10 minutes left on the timer, Tracy and the kids head home and run into dad pulling in the drive. At 6:15 they all sit down to have a meal together.

Mealtime Tips:

? Plan your menu at least one month in advance. It will save time and headaches!

? Start typing family recipes into your computer on a database.

? Making a grocery list becomes much easier using the cut and paste feature on the computer and it is easier to find than hunting through cookbooks or recipe holders.

? Run the dishwasher after dinner or at night so it can be unloaded before bed or first thing in the morning.

? Pull frozen meat out of the freezer and place in refrigerator first thing in the morning.

? Organize your freezer so you don't spend time searching for that frozen piece of meat.

? Brown ground beef needed for the week all at once to save on dishes and time. Once browned, ground beef can be frozen again in containers ( 2 3/4 c. browned ground beef is equal to 1 pound).

? If cooked chicken is needed for casseroles, boil chicken needed for the week all at once, chop and freeze.

? Have a place to sort and store mail so it stays off the counter.

? Create a sign such as a red light/green light system that tells neighbor kids when it is and is not OK to ring the doorbell.

? Just because the phone is ringing, doesn't mean you have to answer it. Let the machine answer and call back at your convenience.

? Designate labeled hooks low enough for the kids to reach for hanging jackets and backpacks. The closer to the door they usually enter, the better.

? Have older kids help with setting the table as part of their chores.

? Use paper plates on hectic days or even ordinary days to save on clean up time.

? Keep like ingredients in the same place. For example: Keep bottled sauces such as vinegar and soy together.

? Alphabetize your spices for easier retrieval.

Susan Stewart is a professional organizer and the founder of Perfectly Placed Professional Organization and Design in the Phoenix area. Perfectly Placed specializes in bringing peace and order to busy families through organization. You can find out more about Susan and Perfectly Placed at her website: http://www.perfectlyplaced.org

Chicago limo Skokie ..

In The News:

Technology expert Kim Komando gives her tips and tricks on enhancing your user experience a smartphone and other devices you use everyday.

A new camera called NUCA uses artificial intelligence to create deepfake photos of subjects by stripping away clothing in close to real time.

The Kimberley Kube trail-ready camper has a compact but spacious design and combines luxury, functionality and ruggedness for a weekend getaway.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Emails instructing you to reset your password for an account may be legitimate, or they may be scams. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Northrop Grumman's Manta Ray uncrewed underwater vehicle aims to revolutionize undersea missions — it glides through the ocean without human assistance.

Learn how to work Google's calendar application to streamline and organize your daily tasks from technology expert Kim Komando.

If you do not want Facebook to have automatic access to your private photos, follow our tips to protect yourself. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson goes into detail about Apple’s recent iOS update that allows iPhone users to instantly translate spoken language simply by using the Action Button.

Safeguarding your digital life with a reliable physical backup isn't just a precaution, it's a necessity. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides the essential backup checklist.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how a Redditor exposed false recycling claims at their apartment, highlighting a report that only 21% of U.S. recyclables are processed.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson offers a travel toolkit featuring five technology tools to help you with booking flights and hotels for your summer vacation.

The bubble behind the clock on your iPhone can appear in different colors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what each of those colors mean.

Scammers are using the power of artificial intelligence to mimic voices of people and are using the fake voices to commit crimes, like kidnappings.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the science behind the Invisibility Shield, a 6-foot shield that makes people become invisible.

The International Olympic Committee on Friday announced plans to use AI in various Olympic aspects, including athlete identification, training and judging.

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains an easy trick to avoid squinting while working or surfing the web by zooming in on your personal computer.

Streaming giant Roku has recently been targeted by a pair of cyberattacks, and the company confirmed over a half million Roku accounts were compromised.

The Land Aircraft Carrier combines an all-terrain, six-wheeled vehicle with a two-seat aircraft, which features electric vertical takeoff and landing.

The European Union has sent TikTok a "request for information" on the video sharing platform's newest app, TikTok Lite, under the Digital Services Act, with the aim to clean up social media.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The FBI is warning the public about a recent phishing scam via text that claims its targets owe money in Pennsylvania for unpaid road toll charges.

Your Apple Music settings may be revealing to your contacts what you're listening to. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the process to change those settings.

Learn how to secure social media accounts, implement legacy contacts, and create a digital estate plan to protect your online assets from 'ghost hackers' after your death.

Managing Mealtime Madness

Get Organized - Organization