If you feel like cooking dinner is something that you loathe every night you’re not alone. For many people the last thing they want to deal with is thinking of what to cook, and going through the process day after day.
Yet, you’ll be pleased to know that cooking dinner doesn’t have to be stressful or even time-consuming! With the right techniques and a few simple tips, you can create delicious meals with hardly any effort at all. Whether you’re a freshman in college or in your retirement years, here are five cooking secrets that will help you make dinner a breeze.
Meal Prep
One of the biggest complaints people have about cooking dinner is how long it takes. This is where meal prep can be a total game changer. Prepping your meals ahead of time can be one of the biggest time-savers in the kitchen. It’s as simple as putting aside some time at the beginning of the week for chopping vegetables, marinating meats, and pre-cooking your pasta and rice.
Having ingredients ready to go means you can throw together meals quickly and with minimal effort instead of reaching for the easiest and often not healthiest option.
One-Pan and One-Pot Recipes
Welcome to the age of one pan and one pot recipes, where you can save time on cooking and cleanup with this revolutionary way of cooking. Dishes like sheet pan dinners, stir-fries, and slow cooker meals allow you to cook everything in a single dish, which means less prep time and fewer dishes to wash.
Keep Your Cupboards Stocked with Essentials
A well-stocked pantry can make weeknight cooking so much easier. Keep staples in your cupboards like canned beans, pasta, rice, broth, and spices. Having these things on hand means you can whip up a meal without a grocery trip. Keeping versatile ingredients also means you’re always prepared to cook something delicious without having to look up complicated recipes or stress about whether you have what you need or not.
Master a Few Go-To Recipes
Having a handful of tried-and-true recipes that you can make without much thought means you have that much less to worry about. Get to know a few simple pasta dishes, learn how to make a hearty soup, or a quick stir-fry, and master a few other easy and reliable recipes.
Embrace Shortcuts
There’s nothing shameful about using shortcuts. Try out time savers like pre-cut vegetables, rotisserie chicken, or frozen ingredients. Having these shortcuts on hand can significantly cut down prep time and make dinner time that much less of a hassle. Kitchen gadgets like an Instant Pot, air fryer, or food processor can also make cooking faster and easier—without sacrificing flavor.
