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Guides in Preparing Meals

Use of Work Simplification Techniques

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Work simplification is the quickest and easiest way of doing things. Since meal

preparations are time-consuming, it is important to think of ways and means on how

family members can prepare the meals without wasting much time and energy. They

need to plan what to do and how to do the preparations in the simplest and most

orderly manner. Here are some guides:

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Plan for simple, easy-to-prepare menus. Dishes that require simple boiling like

sinigang, tinolang manok, and nilagang baka are easy to prepare; those that

are cooked in sauces like adobo, asado, and mechado; or even one-dish meals

like arroz caldo, pancit, and fried rice with meat and vegetables.

Prepare equipment, utensils, and ingredients ahead of time, preferably the

evening before.

3. Check the ingredients and make sure that every ingredient is available.

Estimate measurements and ingredients without going through actual

measuring. For instance, a bar of butter is 1 cup, a tall can of milk is 1 cup, or an

8 ounces of cocoa is 1 cup.

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Know how to execute different cooking processes. If possible, use simple and

short processes like boiling, frying, poaching, and roasting.

5. Use the right equipment in cooking. This makes it easy to do the work. A peeler

can remove the skin of potatoes in seconds rather than using a paring knife.

6. Synchronize the work. Two or more tasks can be done at the same time.

Cooking rice in a rice cooker while frying eggs in a pan can save time.

7.

Dovetail the job. This means you can combine the tasks at one time. For

example, you can poach eggs three at a time or one after the other or you can

prepare hot chocolate in one pot instead of each member mixing his/her own

individual drink. You can also boil eggs on top of the rice being cooked.

8. Use convenience foods to save time. Ready-mixes like hotcakes, no-bake

brownies, and instant food like champorado and noodles are good examples

of these.

9. Use food additives sparingly especially those which are not organic or are

artificial. Food additives are food seasonings such as salt, spices, and herbs

or chemicals added to food to perform a specific function like artificial food

colors; monosodium glutamate (MSG); flavoring extracts like almond, vanilla,

lemon, orange, and their imitations; and sauces like soy sauce, patis, ketchup,

and vinegar. Take note that some of these are made artificially.

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