Maria: Saving Time with Smarter Cooking
I cook because I love to see the happy faces of my family when they enjoy the food I’ve made for them.
-Maria
#KitchenHero
Being a mother who works full-time is no easy feat, but we have many Kitchen Heroes who are busy moms who still manage to put dinner on the table, like Maria. (There’s a reason they’re all Super Moms!) Finding time and eating healthy, delicious food can sometimes battle against each other, making it easier to go the take-out route. But Kitchen Hero Maria knows that it makes her and her family happy to eat healthy, tasty, home-cooked meals, so she finds ways to make it happen. Read her Hero in the Kitchen story below to find out how she manages to do it all.
Name: Maria
Age: 35
City, State: Delaware
I cook for: myself, my husband, and 2 hungry kids, ages 6 and 3.
I cook because: I enjoy food and love to see the happy faces of my family when they enjoy the food I’ve made for them.
Outside of the kitchen I: work full-time in the finance industry, am a mother to 2 amazing kids, and a wife to a wonderful husband.
Favorite Cook Smarts meal: Do I have to pick just one? Balsamic Chicken with Bruschetta, Chicken with Pineapple Salsa, Shrimp and Two-Peas Green Curry Stir-Fry…I could list many more. 🙂
How did you learn to cook?
Growing up I was always in the kitchen with my mom. She taught me a lot about cooking. If we weren’t in the kitchen together, we were watching Food Network together.
What’s been your biggest cooking challenge?
Time! I’m constantly trying to cook a healthy and delicious meal in a short amount of time.
How has your cooking routine changed since starting Cook Smarts’ meal plans?
Time is very precious to me as a busy mom. Cook Smarts saves me time by providing a grocery list, meal prep tips, and great videos to help make delicious dinners.
“Time is very precious to me as a busy mom [and] Cook Smarts saves me time.”
Tell us about your proudest kitchen moment.
I enjoy baking. I can proudly say that I’ve baked and decorated each of my children’s birthday cakes. It’s something that my mom did for me and I enjoy doing for my children.
What are your tips for health and success in the kitchen?
Meal planning, meal prepping and fresh ingredients. Don’t be afraid to recruit help. My husband jokes that he is the best sous chef. We also enjoy involving our children when we cook. We try to make it a family affair.
We agree, Maria – never be afraid to ask for help in the kitchen! It makes for great family bonding time, and it’s extra time to spend with your loved ones. Plus, we’re sure the kids love helping out since they get homemade birthday cakes every year!
To join Maria and cook meals like her favorite Shrimp and Two-Peas Green Curry Stir-Fry, Chicken with Pineapple Salsa, and Balsamic Chicken with Bruschetta, check out our meal plan service. You can get started for free!
