Weeknight meals are often a struggle if you don’t plan ahead. Time is usually limited, and everyone has a different schedule, so fitting in a healthy meal between all the activities and obligations can be challenging. From batch cooking recipes and recipes for families to plan-ahead meals and premade options, let us help you with these five tips for efficient household cooking.
1. PLAN AHEAD
Meal planning is the perfect way to reduce the stress of weeknight meals. Planning out your meals for the week not only saves time and money in the long run, but also reduces waste. Plans can include reimagining leftovers by using them in a different dish later in the week, or taking advantage of batch cooking recipes, then serving half and freezing the rest for future use. There are so many ways to meal plan, everyone is sure to find what fits best with their household. Here are a couple of articles to help get you started: How to Use Ready Set Eat for Meal Planning and How to Use Google Calendar for Meal Planning.
2. MEAL PREP BASICS
One of the keys to successful meal planning is preparation. Choose a day each week to prepare ingredients that can be used throughout the week for the dishes you have planned. This saves valuable time during the hectic weeknight push to get dinner on the table. Sticking to a meal plan allows you to waste less food and stay within your grocery budget as well. Take a look at these articles for tips and guidance on your meal planning journey: How to Meal Prep Like a Pro, How to Reduce Food Waste, and Delicious Ways to Stretch Your Grocery Budget.
3. PREMADE OPTIONS
Some nights are so crazy busy, you just need to go with a premade option, or at least some premade ingredients. From cooking sauces, frozen premade meals, and plant-based entrées to microwavable side dishes and bake and serve desserts, we have options for every need. Try out some of our delicious bundle options that can help on those hectic evenings.
4. LARGER MEALS TO COVER MULTIPLE NIGHTS
There are many recipes for families and batch cooking recipes that allow you to prepare a large amount of food that can be served throughout the week. Cooking once and serving twice will save you lots of time and reduce food waste to boot. Here are some delicious dishes that can be made to cover multiple meals. Sheet Pan Recipes, Casserole Recipes, and Slow Cooker Recipes make great multi-meal options.
5. MAXIMIZE YOUR LEFTOVERS
Leftovers are inevitable, but serving the same thing reheated doesn’t have to be the only way to serve up your leftovers. There are tons of options for turning your leftovers into a whole new meal. Here are a few of our favorites: Breakfast for Dinner Ideas, Fried Mashed Potato Balls, and Easy Fried Rice.
