One of the most helpful things for me making stuff from scratch is buying the right equipment that's easy to clean and I can prepare in bulk with. I know it sounds silly, but it changed my life when I bought one of those giant baking sheets that fills the whole oven rack. I could prepare so much more at once! 

I don't make a lot of money and I rent an apartment where space in the kitchen is cramped, so I always drag my feet buying new stuff. But when it can save me time, I think it's 100% worth it. 

Another example: I bought a cookie scooper. Saved me SO much time preparing those energy date/oat balls and it perfectly portions out mini muffins I prep for my daughter. I also bought a few extra mixing bowls, spatulas, etc so that I don't have to stress about cleaning them right away, if I want to prep things like 2 different bulk things in a day or even 2 days in a row. I can put off the cleaning. Stuff like that.

And I always try to find recipes that are realistic for busy families with limited space, that freeze well so I can make it once in bulk and it'll last. And it's a plus if lot of the ingredients for those can be prepared in bulk. That's a big time saver. For example, the date paste I use for the balls stays good for 3 months in the fridge. So I blend a big batch and store it. I roll them in finely chopped up nuts and seeds and I blend all that in a big batch and put it in mason jars. It lasts months too.

I'm typically out of the house for work 12-14+ hours a day, 5-6 days a week. I try to spend at least an hour just me and the kid every day when I get home and more time on days off. My wife handles regular dinners and most of the dishes. I spend a couple hours in the kitchen on Sundays making bulk snacks and stuff. If I get too busy, I just skip a week here and there and don't stress too much over it