5 Time Saving Tips for the Jewish Holidays

The Jewish high holidays are fast approaching and we all want to spend more time with our families and friends and less time in the kitchen. However, for many of us, our families won’t let us get away with that unless we’ll spend the holiday with a kosher river cruise that offers an all-inclusive trip.

The holidays are a time to celebrate, but with all the cooking and baking, it can be hard to find the time and energy. Even if you've been looking forward to your favorite dishes for months, the stress of preparing them can get in the way of the enjoyment you're supposed to feel when celebrating.

This blog is full of simple ideas and tips for preparing for the holiday season. This can be used for any holiday throughout the year but are particularly useful during the busy season.

1. Plan Ahead

Planning is essential for success during the holidays. Each day before Rosh Hashanah, take a few minutes to think about what needs to be done and how you can accomplish it all.

If you have a few extra minutes, write down your daily tasks in a notebook or on a calendar app. This way, you won't forget anything important. You'll also be able to see when there's extra time in your schedule, so you can add another task if needed.

2. Clean up your house before the holiday

If you do one thing before the holidays, it should be this: Spend an hour or two cleaning up your house. Put away those shoes, pick up the dirty laundry and vacuum the living room.

Once you have things tidy and organized, it will be much easier to keep them that way until the holiday arrives. And if you have more than one holiday coming up, you can just keep things tidy in between as well.

3. Make lists

Make a shopping list for each family meal you're hosting so you don't forget anything at the store (or waste money buying what you already have). Make a cleaning checklist so that nothing gets missed when you clean up ahead of time — no half-cleaned bathroom or sticky kitchen countertops! And create a cooking checklist so that you don't forget anything in the kitchen on the big day.

You are much less likely to forget things if you write them down in advance. It's best to start off with everything that you need to do before the holiday, along with what you need for after the holiday as well, so that you know ahead of time what to buy and how much freezer space you will need. Now is a good time to take stock of your freezer and see what's there already and how much space is available. Your freezer is one of your best friends during the holidays!

4. Make it a Potluck

Rosh Hashanah is all about eating in good company, so why not ask everyone to bring something to the table? Whether you’re hosting dinner or just bringing a dish to your friend’s house, potlucks are the perfect way to share the responsibility and get people involved.

5. Shop Online

You don’t need to brave the crowds at the grocery store this year! Order high-quality holiday foods online and have them delivered right to your door. Reserve your order now for delivery before Rosh Hashanah starts.