A Busy Mom's Guide to Saving Time, Money, and Eating Better
Just last week, while waiting for my teenager to be done with her after school activity, I found myself scrolling through photos of last summer's garden bounty. Remember those overwhelming weeks when zucchini seemed to multiply overnight? Or when your CSA box was so full of tomatoes you wondered if you'd ever see the bottom of the box? I've been there too, and over twenty years of seasonal eating has taught me something important: those "overwhelming" moments are actually opportunities in disguise.
As we step into 2025, I'm excited to share how you can turn those moments of produce abundance into your go-to for feeding your busy family all year long. There is nothing better than bringing out those peak-season veggies in the winter. Trust me—as a full-time working mom who has also juggled sports schedules and dance concerts, I've learned every shortcut there is to making seasonal eating work in real life.
My Journey to No-Waste Seasonal Cooking
Back in 2004, when I first signed up for my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), I was both excited and terrified. What would I do with all those vegetables? Between work commitments and activities, how would I find time to use everything before it spoiled? That's when I discovered the power of strategic preserving and freezer meals—and it changed everything.
Building Confidence One Vegetable at a Time
Remember that feeling of staring at an unfamiliar vegetable, wondering what on earth to do with it? (Fennel, I'm looking at you!) Before Pinterest existed, I spent countless hours experimenting with new vegetables, talking to farmers, and diving into cookbooks. Now, I'm here to share those hard-earned lessons so you can skip the trial and error phase.
From l to r: Frozen veggies ready for soup.; Jars ready for freezer after a day of batch cooking.; Sauteing veggies.
Quick Wins for Busy Moms
Between homework help and sports practice shuttling, I know your time is precious. Here's what works for me:
The Power Hour: While your teens are at practice, use that waiting time to plan your seasonal cooking strategy for the week.
Double-Duty Cooking: When making dinner, roast extra vegetables. Your future self will thank you when you're racing to feed hungry athletes before the next game. (Roasted veggies over a salad or rice, yummy!)
Family-Favorite Focus: Start preserving with recipes your family already loves. (Trust me—frozen homemade pasta sauce is way more exciting than another mystery vegetable experiment!)
Strategic Prep Sessions: Use Sunday afternoons to prep grab-and-go snacks and future freezer meals. Perfect for those nights when you're running between parent-teacher conferences and music lessons.
Your 2025 Seasonal Eating Roadmap
This year, let's make seasonal eating work for your real life. No more guilt about forgotten produce, no more stress about healthy meals during sports seasons. Whether you're preserving summer tomatoes for winter pasta nights or freezing spring garlic scapes for quick flavor boosts, I'll show you how to make the most of every season.
Join Our Growing Community
Take the first step today by downloading my 5-step guide to seasonal meal planning. As a special New Year's bonus, the first 100 subscribers will receive my exclusive Upper Midwest seasonal produce calendar—perfect for planning around your family's busy schedule!
Until next time, remember: you don't have to do everything perfectly. Even small steps toward seasonal eating can make a big difference for your family's health and your budget.
Enjoy the season you are in, while dreaming of future meals.
Until next time!
AnnaBelle
P.S. What's your biggest challenge with seasonal eating? Drop a comment below or share your thoughts on Instagram @AnnaBelle_SeasonalEats. I love hearing how other busy moms make this work!
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