6 Ways to Make Weeknight Cooking Easy and Hassle-Free

Making a game plan for a week's worth of meals can be tough, especially if you're constantly busy with work or the kids. Budget your time with these tips to make cooking a lot quicker and simpler around the kitchen.  

1 Cook a big batch of a braised or roasted dish during the weekend.

You could heat one portion of the dish for one weekday, and transform other portions into new dishes for the following days. This makes meal prepping for the family easier and faster especially for the busy week ahead. It also gives the braised dish time to become more flavorful.

 

 

 

 

2 Prep in the morning. 

Need to make a fast and easy dinner for the entire family? No worries! In the morning, right before dropping the kids off at school or going to work, thaw and marinate your meats in the refrigerator. This cuts your cooking time, making it easier for you to prepare dinner. All that's left to do when you get back home is cook.

 

 

IMAGE Flickr

 

3 Use the microwave!

The microwave is your best friend! Aside from its ability to heat food, it can also be used to cook meals from scratch. Use this appliance to have a meal prepared in a flash if you're running late for work or need to get the kids ready for school in less than 30 minutes. Make simple recipes such as blueberry muffins in a mug or scrambled eggs. They're quick and easy to make, saving you the fuss of preparing a more complicated breakfast in the morning.

 

 

 

 

IMAGE Riell Santos

 

4 Cut your vegetables in uniform sizes.

This ensures that each finishes steaming, boiling, or sautéing all at the same time. You could julienne, mince, dice, or prepare them in any way you prefer. Using a mandolin could help you accomplish this task in a quick and efficient way. 

 

 

 

5 Store any leftover cream, broth, juices, and other liquids in ice cube trays 

then freeze.

Use silicone ice cube trays to make it easier to remove from the shaped mold. Once frozen, transfer to a resealable bag and use as needed. This makes it easier to measure how much of the ingredient do you really need.

 

 

 

 

 

6 Wrap burger patties or fish fillets individually in plastic wrap to make meal prep quicker.

You could also place parchment paper between the pieces before freezing so that you can thaw as few or as many as needed. Do this to control the amount you need to thaw before cooking, ensuring that no food goes to waste.