A couple years ago when I got my first Instant Pot Duo 8 Qt, I had no idea how it would revolutionize my cooking. I had never used a pressure cooker before (and to be honest I was kind of scared of pressure cooking after some explosion stories I’ve heard), but I was intrigued by this new gadget that could do so many things. It could do soup, stew, rice, yogurt, slow cooking, sauteing, pressure cooking, steaming, and so much more.

Back in those days, our family wasn’t quite so busy. We didn’t have any kids in school or many outside activities yet so we spent a lot of time at home. In those days I started experimenting with my Instant Pot. I quickly mastered yogurt making and bread proofing using tutorials I found online. I also learned some pretty amazing authentic Indian recipes that I could whip up in almost no time, and in large quantities for a crowd (and my hungry Indian husband).

One time my dear husband asked me to cook Indian Butter Chicken for his promotion ceremony which would be attended by 50 people at lunch time, to which I took on the challenge gladly with the help of my Instant Pot. After the ceremony we received the glowing reviews that it was the best promotion food people had ever had in his workplace. That’s a win for the Instant Pot!

For everyday use, I liked the fact that I could start a recipe in there and then close up the IP and walk away for a bit, and it would finish up on its own. This was pretty handy when the kids needed attention and I didn’t feel like I had to be chained to the kitchen. I could start a meal during their long naps and then it would be cooking on its own when they woke up.

But as our kids got older we started to get busier and found ourselves away during the day more than we were home. I am now driving our girls to preschool and kindergarten on opposite ends of town, as well as gymnastics twice a week, and our moms group which I lead, and piano twice a week, all with baby brother in tow. This 2019-2020 school year has been our busiest season of life, and I don’t think I could physically do all of it without some good time management and a whole lot of help from my (now two) Instant Pots.

By now, my IP arsenal looks like this:

This is how I do dinner on most days:

While our oldest is in afternoon kindergarten, I put the younger two kids down for a nap for about 1 hour. While they are resting, I start the dinner prep. The chopping, measuring, and browning of veggies/meat in the 8 Qt IP happens at this time. I then add whatever other ingredients (sometimes frozen) and liquid are required. This is where the magic happens.

I close up the IP and then start it using the timer feature to delay the cooking for about 2 1/2 hours so that it will be done about the time we return from our afternoon activities. Then we head out of the house for a 2-3 hours on most days.

If we are having rice or quinoa with the main dish, I set that up in the IP Mini using the timer feature as well.

When we walk in the door hungry at dinner time, usually all I have to do is open up the Instant Pot(s) and serve the food. Sometimes a sprinkle of cilantro or some pureeing with the immersion blender, or stirring in heavy cream might be necessary at that point, depending on the recipe, but those steps are so quick when all the cooking is already done.

If you read my book Lifestyle Redesigned: Banishing 7 Hidden Wastes from Your Life to Make Room for What Matters Most, you may remember that waiting is one of the seven types of waste. My trusty friends the IP Duo 8 Qt and IP Duo Mini have virtually eliminated the wait time altogether, because I am out of the house on most days while the food is cooking. I know a slow-cooker can accomplish this too, but you can’t brown your onions and meats in there, can you? And can you time it to be done within 10 minutes of the time you’ll be walking in the door?

Here are a few tips I have for someone considering buying an Instant Pot in order to help you get the most out of it.

  • Download the IP app for recipes and to help with meal planning and shopping lists.

  • Learn to use the timer feature on your IP. If there are ingredients that need to be added right before closing and setting it, consider freezing them and adding them frozen before sealing and programming the IP, especially if you are going to be setting the timer for more than a couple hours.

  • Purchase an extra inner cooking pot for your IP, especially if you aren’t getting a second IP but want to be able to make a couple different items in there for a single meal. If you have the second pot ready to swap out when the first one is done cooking, you can still get a meal wrapped up pretty quickly.

  • If you plan on making yogurt in your IP, be sure to purchase one that specifically lists that feature. Most models (except the LUX) have a yogurt setting. You do not want to use your regular IP lid for making yogurt unless you have a spare rubber ring to put on there to use ONLY for yogurt, otherwise your yogurt will taste like chili, curry, etc. I prefer to use a glass lid from my other set of pots and pans- all I had to do was try them on for size until I found one in my cabinet that fit perfectly. This allows me to keep an eye on my yogurt AND helps me avoid the funny smells.

  • The IP Duo Mini is the perfect size for cooking 2 dry cups of rice or quinoa while something else is cooking in my 8 Qt IP. This feeds our family of 2 adults and 3 small kids when used as a side dish for 2 days.

If you already own an Instant Pot, I would love to hear some of your tips for maximizing its features. Comment below with how you have made it work well for your family.

If you are in the camp of people who doesn’t own an Instant Pot yet, what are you waiting for? I have purchased both of mine on Black Friday/Cyber Monday from Amazon, but now that its been out for a few years you can find deals on it most of the year if you are willing to shop around.

If you take the plunge after reading this post, comment below with what you are most eager to use it for.

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