| Preparing healthy homemade dinners can be a real | | | | you may want to chop some of the vegetables |
| chore, especially if you don't know what to make | | | | up at once for the whole week. If you will be |
| for dinner, or don't have the necessary | | | | making three recipes with chopped onions, chop all |
| ingredients in the house. However, using some | | | | the onions at once. |
| simple strategies can help you get dinner on the | | | | 7. Keep frozen cooked meats in the freezer. |
| table with ease and avoid the last minute trap of | | | | Taco salad is a mainstay recipe in my house. |
| ordering take-out or going out to eat. | | | | When I make it, I usually make a double or triple |
| 1. Have a plan. If you have a plan for the week | | | | batch of the browned meat and freeze one or |
| you can make sure you have all the necessary | | | | two containers of this for a future dinner. I like to |
| ingredients in the house and save time by | | | | do the same with grilled sausage. I usually make |
| prepping foods in advance. Take a look at your | | | | extra sausage, cut it up and freeze if for future |
| week and plug in quick meals for busy nights, | | | | use in lasagna or jambalaya. |
| slow cooker meals for nights you need to eat as | | | | 8. Side dishes don't have to be complicated. |
| soon as you walk in the door, and more involved | | | | Simple sides can include fresh fruit, raw veggies |
| meals for days you have additional time. | | | | or buttered noodles. |
| 2. Keep a list of family favorites. Making weekly | | | | 9. Entrées don't have to be complicated. A |
| menu plans will be easier if you have a list of | | | | simple soup and salad dinner can be very |
| recipes you've made before that your family likes. | | | | satisfying. Tuna and Egg salad, whether served |
| It is easy to forget about a new dish, especially if | | | | inside of a tomato or in a sandwich can be a quick |
| it is seasonal. There may be recipes that you | | | | dinner as well as a salad with cut up deli meats |
| cook on the grill in the summer and warm soups | | | | and cheese. Every dinner doesn't have to be a 5 |
| you make more in the winter. Having a list helps | | | | star meal. |
| you remember those dishes the next time that | | | | 10. Some convenience foods are worth the |
| season rolls around. | | | | convenience. It's hard to beat the price or |
| 3. Try to minimize grocery trips. Make your | | | | convenience of a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, |
| grocery list before you leave home so you won't | | | | bagged salads are often on sale and save a lot of |
| have to go back to the store to get something | | | | time, and peeled baby carrots can speed up |
| you forgot. The more trips you make, the more | | | | soups and stews. If you find these items on sale, |
| you will probably spend and the more time you | | | | you may find you not only save time but money |
| will waste. If you make a weekly plan you can | | | | as well. |
| also purchase the majority of the items you need | | | | 11. Have fun and break the rules! Make breakfast |
| in one trip. | | | | for dinner, eat dessert first, have an indoor picnic. |
| 4. Double up and freeze. Many recipes freeze well. | | | | Spice up dinner by breaking your usual routine. |
| As much as I like to cook, there are some nights | | | | 12. Recruit Help. Teaching your kids to help not |
| that I love having a pre-made dinner in the | | | | only helps make dinner easier for you but will also |
| freezer that I can just heat up and know that | | | | help them in the future. If you are making dinner |
| there won't be many dishes to do. | | | | for just you and your spouse, consider doing it |
| 5. Keep the ingredients for a few quick meals in | | | | together. Dinner parties can even be a joint |
| the house. In a pinch, I usually have the | | | | effort. When I was single, I used to have a lot of |
| ingredients for linguine with clam sauce, stovetop | | | | dinner parties. When guests arrived, I gave them |
| macaroni and cheese, and potato soup in the | | | | a cutting board and a knife along with a drink. |
| house. Find a few recipes for dishes you family | | | | Themed dinners, such as an Asian dinner, work |
| likes, which have a minimum of perishable | | | | great with a lot of hands in the kitchen. |
| ingredients, and keep those ingredients in the | | | | A little planning can help even the busiest person |
| house for a quick throw together dinner. | | | | make healthy, homemade dinners without a lot of |
| 6.Prep in advance. If you have a plan for the | | | | stress. |
| meals you're going to make for a given week, | | | | |