STACKING TASKS by Gail K. Kachnycz 17 September 2026
I hate chopping veggies; I would never make it as a prep cook. However, to promote healthy eating, I have developed a method to get this task done. My trick is to prepare the foundation for a salad while I am cooking or baking other foods. I don't want to leave a pan heating on the stove, or forget to check the oven, so I get out the veggies and start chopping away. This keeps me in the kitchen so I can tend to whatever is cooking. This works really well when onions need to be caramelized, and prevents me from impatiently checking them every few minutes. Here's my method for preparing the foundation for three salads, using baby cut carrots, bell peppers, celery, and Romaine lettuce hearts. These four keep very well in an airtight container in the fridge, so I prep once and have salad for three days.
First, rinse and clean the veggies. Then, grate 5-6 baby cut carrots into each container that will store the salad. Next, cut one bell pepper and divide among the containers. Use one stalk of celery per salad, sliced into bite size pieces. Finally, cut the Romaine lettuce by cutting the heart lengthwise and chopping manageable slices. Some people say to tear lettuce, not cut it, but I want easy, bite sized pieces. I don't want lettuce hanging down my chin, making me look like a cow. I have never had a problem with the cut edges turning brown, as I may eat one portion the first day and eat the others on day two and three. Once the chopping is done, pop on the lid and store in the fridge. The greens will stay crispy since there is no salad dressing or watery items like cucumber, tomatoes, or cheese mixed in.
When it is time to eat the salad, empty the storage container into a larger bowl. Now watery items like tomatoes or cucumber can be added; it is really up to you what you add in. Protein such as cold chicken, boiled egg, or tuna salad will make this a complete meal. I like extra crunch, so I top with croutons, Chinese fried noodles, or Chex Mix. Drizzle with salad dressing, and voila! This works so well that I could easily take a salad for lunch when I was still working and left the house about 7 AM.
Here is another way I stack tasks: whenever I make a batch of baked oatmeal, I first scrub up some potatoes (sweet potatoes or white), turn on the oven to 350 degrees F, and start baking the potatoes while I mix up the oatmeal. Depending on the size, the potatoes take longer to bake than the oatmeal, so they usually finish at about the same time. It's great to have potatoes ready that just need to be heated briefly in the microwave when I want to eat them. Of course, once the baked oatmeal is in the oven, I prepare a set of salads before washing up all the equipment used to make the oatmeal.
Here are links to other recipes for baked items that might work well for stacking tasks:
Roasted Spaghetti Squash 10/2025
