I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day with a baby/toddler, I don’t really feel like standing in front of the stove and cooking a meal. In fact, it very rarely happens in our household. “Do you eat dinner?” I hear you ask. Yep, we do. Only I have all of our meals cooked in advance. Twice a week, I do the “shop ‘n chop” – I buy groceries, I bring them home, chop up all the veggies and make all of our breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the next few days. (The only things I wouldn’t cook in advance are things like omelettes – however I would have all of the veggies that I put into the omelettes prepared ahead of time). It does take me 1-2 hours to chop and cook everything, but I can tell you now, it’s so worth it! Babies and toddlers are so unpredictable, so it’s great to know that whatever happens in my day, I have healthy meals prepared and ready to go. If you’d like to give the shop n’ chop a try, there’s a few things I’ve learnt along the way: – You can do it with your bub around, however it’s heaps easier when they can be entertained by your partner, or another family member/friend. As most things you do with a baby/toddler, the process takes a lot longer when you have to stop for cuddles/feeds/because they’re bored, etc. – Have the right tools… Especially sharp knives! It makes the process so much quicker!n- Follow a recipe. It saves time and you know exactly how much of each ingredient you are using. Give it a go and let me know how you go! Follow me on Instagram here.