Making weekday cooking easy can be challenging. Most individuals are exhausted from a long day at work or school and don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. However, cooking doesn’t have to be a stressful task during the week. You may easily prepare delicious, healthful meals with a few easy tricks and wise practices.
Let’s discuss a few simple yet useful tips for making weekday cooking easy that might make cooking much more fun. Busy people who wish to prepare tasty, quick meals at home will love these ideas.
1. Plan Your Meals Ahead of Time
Making a weekly meal plan helps you save time and reduce stress. You won’t have to stand in the kitchen wondering, “What should I make tonight?” if you already know what you’re going to cook.
Here’s where to begin:
- Choose a day of the week to organize your meals; for many individuals, Sunday works nicely.
- List four or five possible meal options for the coming week.
- Based on your needs, create a shopping list.
Make an effort to select easy meals you like. Here are several examples: Stir-fry with rice, chicken with roasted potatoes, pasta with vegetables, or a filling soup with bread.
2. Keep Your Kitchen Stocked with Basics
Cooking becomes easy when basic items are available at home. You won’t need to go to the store every time you want to cook if your kitchen is well-stocked.
Here are some essentials to keep:
- Dry foods such as flour, oats, pasta, and rice
- Lentils, tomatoes, and canned beans
- Fruits and vegetables that are frozen
- Cooking oil, such as vegetable or olive oil
- Potatoes, onions, and garlic
- Spices such as cumin, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper
You don’t need anything fancy to create a lot of quick meals with these.
3. Prep Some Ingredients in Advance
Even if you don’t have to prepare your meals in advance, it might save you plenty of time on tight schedule.
Here are a few simple preparation ideas:
- Cut up vegetables and put them in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the pasta or rice in advance and store it in containers.
- Clean and pat dry any salad leaves or lettuce.
- Prepare a large pot of curry or soup, then freeze half of it.
Cooking speeds up greatly after your ingredients are prepared.
4. Make Extra Food for Leftovers
Making extra food is one of the simplest methods to save time. The leftovers can be frozen for later in the week or eaten the following day.
For example:
- Make two batches of pasta and reheat them later.
- Prepare extra roasted veggies to include in wraps or salads.
- Make extra rice and use it for fried rice or stir-fries.
When you’re too exhausted to prepare meals from scratch, leftovers are a lifesaver.
5. Stick to Easy Recipes
Weekday meals don’t have to be lavish or complicated. Select dishes that are simple and quick. Look for meals that require only a few steps and have simple ingredients.
Here are a few short suggestions:
- Eggs, vegetables, and fried rice
- Tomato soup and cheese on the grill
- Salad with toast with omelet
- Noodles stir-fried with veggies and soy sauce
You can find a lot of ideas by searching for “easy weekday dinner recipes” online. In order to simplify your planning, you can even compile a list of your favorite meals.
6. Try One-Pot or One-Pan Meals
Cooking everything in one pot or on a single baking pan results in fewer dishes to wash. These recipes are ideal for busy nights.
Here are a few simple one-pot or one-pan dishes:
- Pasta in one pot with tomato sauce and vegetables
- On a single tray, baked vegetables and chicken
- Lentils and spices are cooked with rice.
- Bread and vegetable soup or stew
They’re easy to prepare and taste as good as more fancy dishes.
7. Use Your Freezer Smartly
When it comes to cooking during the week, your freezer is your best friend. On hectic evenings, you can reheat leftover portions of food by freezing them.
Things that you can freeze:
- Pasta, cooked rice, and cooked beans
- Curry, stews, and soups
- Homemade sauces
- Pancakes or muffins
- Tofu or marinated meat
Put the name and date on containers so you can keep track of what you have. When you return home, a dinner that has been defrosted in the morning will be ready to reheat.
8. Use Shortcuts When Needed
There is no shame in taking shortcuts. Time can be greatly saved by using frozen foods, pre-made sauces, and pre-chopped vegetables.
Useful shortcuts include:
- Ready-made salad mixes
- Stir-fried frozen vegetables
- Chicken rotisserie from the supermarket
- Sauces in jars, such as tomato, curry, or pesto
Cooking is made easy with them instead of having to start from scratch. Make use of what suits your lifestyle the most.
9. Keep a List of Your Favorite Easy Meals
List the easy dishes you like to prepare and are good at. If you’re exhausted or short on time, choose something from the list.
Here’s an example list:
- Toast with scrambled eggs on it
- Sandwiches with tuna and sweetcorn
- Wraps with chicken and vegetables
- Olive oil and garlic in pasta
You can keep this list on your notebook, phone, or refrigerator. It’s an excellent tool for cooking more quickly without overthinking.
10. Get Help from Others
Try to divide the work if you share a home. You don’t have to prepare meals by yourself every night. Ask your housemates, partner, or children to assist you with dishwashing, cutting, or preparing the table.
Cooking can also be done in shifts. On Mondays and Wednesdays, one person can cook, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, another. This provides everyone a break while keeping things fair.
You may save time and enjoy cooking more by doing simple chores like stirring the pot or peeling carrots.
11. Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
There will be days that are more difficult than others. Perhaps something didn’t work out or you’re just too exhausted. It’s alright.
If you need to eat cereal, toast, or a frozen pizza once in a while, that’s totally fine. It’s not necessary for you to prepare flawless meals every night.
The idea is to make cooking during the week less stressful and easier. Do your best with what you have and give yourself credit for trying.
12. Make Cooking Fun
Spending time in the kitchen should be enjoyable. Light a candle, play your favorite music, or listen to a podcast. It’s not necessary for cooking to feel like labor.
To keep things interesting, you can also try new dishes once a week. Taking a positive approach to cooking may make it both creative and soothing. Try a cooking course to bring some fun back into it!
Final Thoughts
Weekday cooking does not have to be complicated. You can prepare excellent, healthy meals faster with a little preparation, basic recipes, and a little planning. Prepare extra food for leftovers, keep your kitchen well-stocked, and don’t be scared to use shortcuts when necessary.
Begin with little steps. This week, try simply two or three suggestions. You will eventually discover a routine that suits you. Remember, even tiny steps can make a great difference.
Happy cooking!