Once-a-month cooking - Tips

Based on my experience yesterday, I came up with a few tips for anyone looking to try it. Otherwise known as things I need to remember for next time:

1. No child at home. Toddlers need to be out of the house in order to reduce the time needed. Having daddy watch him doesn't work because obviously said child wants mommy time at the crucial moments.
2. Wear comfortable shoes. I don't normally wear shoes in the house, but after standing and walking in the kitchen for hours, I realized I should have worn running shoes.
3. Read the ingredient lists carefully. Otherwise you may buy 1 small can instead of 3 large cans.
4. Put all ingredients out before you start. This tip is listed in the book, and was a great time saver. I put everything on the back half of the table, and used the front for prep and bagging.
5. Wash all your dishes beforehand, and put them away. You will want the space, and the drain tray. I rinsed everything between every dish, and having a full drain tray limited my space to put the stuff I was using.
6. Read the recipes beforehand. This way you know what is coming. And won't rinse out the skillet and drippings that you are supposed to use to make the sauce.
7. If you plan to split some of the meals, make notes to yourself so you don't forget.
8. Type up and print handy cards with the instructions to finalize each dish. I created one for each meal, and placed mine on the fridge, so they not only tell what to do, they also let us know what we have left. And you don't destroy your book any further.