There are lots of little ways to make meal prep simpler and dinner time less chaotic. Here's a list of ideas. Choose shortcuts that work best for you.
Do What Works for You
Your personal preferences, budget, and time limitations matter. If something is more of a priority to you but is time consuming like working with fresh vegetables, then look at other areas where you can save time.
Adapt as Life Changes
Come back and revisit this list as your priorities and constraints shift. Have more time once kids are older? Go ahead and incorporate more fresh ingredients.
Cooking Shortcuts
- Plan.
Plan your meals for the week ahead to streamline grocery shopping and preparation. - Outsource chopping.
Purchase pre-cut vegetables, fruits, or meats. Most stores have both freshly chopped and frozen veggies that are ready to add to your recipe. - Solicit extra hands.
If you have extra people living in your house, have a family member help you do some of the tasks — chopping, dishes, wiping down counters, taking out the trash, etc. - Use frozen vegetables.
Keep a stash of frozen vegetables on hand for quick and easy additions to meals. Frozen mixed vegetables are ideal for soups and stir-frys. - Incorporate prepared meats.
Using a hot rotisserie chicken is an easy way to cut down on cook time when preparing a chicken dish. Some types of beef can be purchased already cooked like meatballs which can be season differently with sauce for a variety of easy appetizers and dinners. - Incorporate canned seafood into your dish.
Try transforming imitation crab, tuna, or canned salmon into patties, casseroles, and salads. - Minimize cleanup time.
Opt for recipes that allow you to cook everything in one pot or on a single sheet pan to minimize cleanup time. - Organize your kitchen.
Keep your kitchen organized and stocked to easily find common ingredients and utensils. - Clean as you go.
Use cooking time to do quick clean-ups to avoid a pile-up of dishes, tools, and ingredients. - Cook once, eat twice.
Cook larger quantities and repurpose leftovers for the next day's meal. Transform leftover ingredients into different dishes throughout the week. - Optimize oven use.
Cook multiple items simultaneously in the oven to save time. Use the oven for hands-off cooking while you focus on other tasks. Many things like bacon, vegetables, and potatoes can be cooked in the oven vs. the stove top. - Use prepared side dishes.
Try using pre-cooked packaged rice, prepared mashed potatoes, bagged salads, microwavable vegetables, canned or cartons of soups, canned veggies, or frozen sides that complement your main course. - Use pre-made sauces and condiments.
Enhance flavors with store-bought sauces, dressings, or condiments to save time on seasoning. Go for a quality pre-made sauce or condiment for the best flavor. You can also mix several sauces to create new flavors. For example: marinara with alfredo sauce to create a pink sauce. Try adding sweet chili sauce to Asian sauces to enhance the flavor with sweetness and spice. - Try a charcuterie-board dinner.
This is a great way to use what you have on hand and offer a variety of foods. Just arrange different ingredients onto a platter and let your family or guests choose what they want. Incorporate deli meats, cheeses, nuts, fruits, breads, pretzels, crackers, hummus, or other dips. - Be flexible.
The most important thing to remember is to adjust to your time, budget, and priorities. All these things may vary week to week, year to year, or day to day. You may have an abundance of fresh foods you need to use up, or you may not have been able to make it to the store this week. Always start with where you are right in this moment and build your meals from there. Take shortcuts if you need to without beating yourself up about it.
What works for you?
Have other ways you've found success saving time cooking? Please share below what works for you, what tools you use, or what questions you have.
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