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After an exhausting eight-hour shift at work, the last thing you probably want to do is cook dinner when you get home, especially if you have a number of mouths to feed. This may lead to one of two things: either picking up take-out or fast food on your way home, or preparing a not-so tasty meal using random ingredients from your fridge.
Neither your wallet nor your stomach will be happy if you choose either of these options too often. It’s time to stop worrying about having no time to cook and start putting together dishes you (and your family, partner, roommates or neighbors ) will love.
ENTITY’s five tips will make cooking a fresh dinner quick, easy and chic!
Planning out your meals for the week will save you both time and money. After figuring out what you are going to cook, make sure you have all the ingredients you need so you don’t have to take multiple trips to the grocery store during the week.
Deciding your meals ahead of time will keep you from resorting to unhealthy options. Also, if you have a picky household when it comes to food, you won’t have to worry about arguing for two hours over what to eat while their stomachs are growling.
RealSimple offers 20 make-ahead recipes that can be stored in your fridge for the week – or the freezer for a few months. From Spiced Braised Beef With Sweet Potatoes to Dijon Salmon Cakes with Couscous, you’re sure to find a few meals that fit your taste buds and time schedule.
If you know you won’t have time to assemble a dish when you get home, a crock pot can become your best friend. The night before, search for a recipe on Pinterest and prepare your ingredients.
This requires a bit of morning prep, but it’s super easy. All you have to do is throw your ingredients in the slow cooker and turn it on. When you get home, dinner will be ready and all you have to do is serve the meal.
Crock pots are convenient and chic. Check out Kohls’ collection – complete with purple, red, turquoise and opal options – for a bright addition to your cooking space.
Why waste half a pan of food that your family didn’t finish? Leftovers can be great, especially for busy weeks. Think of ways you can transform what you initially prepared into something else that may taste even better!
The Kitchn offers a comprehensive guide for dealing with leftovers ranging from fruit to tofu. Consider saving your veggie scraps for stock or getting innovative with your excess buttermilk! You can even try it during the holidays – make Candy Bar Apple Salad with leftover Halloween candy or transform your turkey into chili.
These recipes will help you save food and money – as well as keep you on your toes in the kitchen.
Cook now, eat later! Meals like soups, lasagnas, chilis and casseroles are great for preparing and sticking in the freezer to finish another day.
As stated by Fine Cooking, “Stock your freezer with a few dishes that freeze and defrost easily, so that all you have to do on the most hectic nights is reheat.” Instead of picking up fast food on your way home from a long day at work, simply heat up a frozen dish for a healthier choice that’s just as easy.
Not only are these meals ideal for hectic days, but they are also perfect for cold winter nights. When you’re curled up on the couch on a snowy Saturday, the last thing you want to do is leave your house to go grab take-out or groceries. Use some of that frozen goodness to whip up a hot meal without having to change out of your comfy clothes.
Having an empty pantry will make nights when you don’t have anything planned extra frustrating. With basic ingredients at hand you will be able to throw together something tasty in no time.
The Food Network has a “Pantry Essentials Checklist” that you should definitely check out. The basics include salts, peppercorns, olive oils and vinegars – but there are also baking ingredients, rice and grains, snacks and cereals, canned goods, dried herbs and spices, sweeteners and drinks to consider. (Not to mention refrigerator and freezer must-haves!)
While this list may seem overwhelming, stocking up now will later save you time and energy. Many of these items have a long shelf life – some may even last for years! Invest now and you’ll reap the benefits for many meals to come.
Use these five tips to make dinner much easier while making both your wallet and stomach happy. Responsible cooking never tasted so delicious!
