Tips for Busy Home Cooks

I work and commute every day. My commute is absolutely dreadful but I like a home-cooked meal at night when I finally get home. This means that I have to plan my meals ahead of time and prep throughout the week. For example, this morning, I chopped up two bell peppers, one onion and two stalks of celery. I pulled the ground beef out of the freezer. I put the vegetables in a baggie. Any extra 15 minutes I have, I am using them wisely.

Tips That Keep Meals on the Table

1) Plan your meals ahead of time. (During the week, I cook M, T, W, Th)
2) Go shopping for everything on the weekend
3) Freeze whatever meat you buy ahead of time. Thaw the day before. I learned this the hard way.
4) Keep a well-stocked cabinet and freezer: This will change your life!

Here are some examples: Keep canned tomatoes, tomato paste, pastas (for non paleo followers) beef/chicken stock, potatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, and celery (these keep well in the frig for a while). Frozen peas, corn, spinach are also helpful. Keep frozen chicken, ground meat, kielbasas, sausages, fish etc in the freezer. You can thaw these out the morning of and have a quick supper at night.

5) Brown meat the night before for the next morning (if using crockpot)
6) Learn what cooks fast for 15-20 minute suppers
7) Boneless skinless chicken thighs and fish are super easy quick night supper
8) I also keep frozen potatoes, mashed potatoes (for hubs), frozen squash etc for a quick side dish
9) Buy a cast iron griddle! I throw everything on there at once and dinner is ready as soon as the protein is cooked
10) Make casseroles ahead of time that the hubs can put in the oven before you are home
11) Rices of all different types are great for a quick side dish.
12) Stirfry your protein. Add in vegetables. It is quick. Pour some stock in there and cover for 5 minutes.
13) Ground beef is my friend. My hubs loves tacos. I can make the meat when I have time and reheat when I get home. Always keep taco shells on hand too.
14) Keep lots of spices to make anything you want during the week

This is about it folks. Make your life easier and makes it so you avoid ordering pizza.