We all have those days. First, the bus is late. Then, a child comes rushing in with a note from the teacher thanking you for the 200 cupcakes you are bringing in tomorrow. “Oh, I told the teacher you love to cook, so you would do it!” By the way, aren’t those movies due back today? And to top it off, it is scout night.

Photo via Amazon.com

So, while you’re running from one activity to the next, squeezing in dinner prep for a complicated meal is impossible. Does that mean an unhealthy night at the fast food joint? Not at all! Here are three tips for getting dinner ready in just a few minutes:
* Stock up on frozen skinless chicken breast fillets. I get the store brand when they are buy one/get one free. It takes just a few minutes to throw them in the crock pot in the morning and add a can of soup, tomatoes, or a half bottle of a favorite marinade to the pot. Cook them on the low setting and by the time you get home, they will be juicy and tender. Whip up a pot of rice or noodles and you have a quick and easy meal.
* Make sure you always have some sliced cheese on hand and that you have a loaf of bread in the freezer. These staples mean you can whip up grilled cheese sandwiches in about 10 minutes. You can add a slice of ham or turkey or even scrambled eggs to make it a heartier sandwich for dinner time.
* Do some weekly prep when you have more down time, like on Sunday afternoon. I wash, slice and dice veggies for a few days ahead of time and can assemble a fresh salad in about 2 minutes.

I hope you found these tips helpful, but I actually have an ulterior motive for sharing them with you. I want a shiny, sleek new fridge and my post qualifies me to enter a Samsung blogging sweepstakes for a fridge any busy mom would love to own! If you’d like to enter, you will need to write a post on the contest topic – “With Our Busy Schedules, What Are Your 3 Valid Tips for Getting Dinner Ready in a Flash?” and follow the instructions on the contest entry page.