I’ve been needing some extra energy when it comes to being in the kitchen lately, so I thought it would be fun to poll my friends & round up 10 practical ways to make cooking easier and more enjoyable!
I polled my friends on social media & they sent in so many fun ideas. Now I’m headed into the kitchen with a refreshed perspective this week. Hope this list offers some encouragement to you as well!
1. Keep cooking tools out & easily accessible.
This has literally been a game changer for me! A few months back, I moved my cutting boards & baking stones from my cabinets and propped them on the kitchen counter and I love it. Why? No more bending over and digging in my cabinets! I also keep all of my cooking utensils in crocks on my countertops so I never have to open a drawer.
2. Print out your recipes and store them in a 3 ringed binder.
I get the majority of my recipes off blogs & they almost always have a “print” option. I print them off and put them in page protectors in a 3 ring binder. I can wipe off any mess, and it keeps me from looking at a screen! Pro tip: Once you try a recipe and determine it a “keeper,” take a pen and write down your review + any notes to make it easier next time! I love to write down the cost as well.
Keep the guess work out of meal prep & have all your favorites in one place so you don’t have to go searching for recipes.
3. Keep a 15 minute frozen meal handy.
Some of our favorites are Trader Joes chicken fried rice, TJ’s frozen ravioli, and TJ’s buffalo chicken poppers. Find a prepared frozen meal your family loves for when all of your plans fall apart at the last minute.
4. FREEZE! Cook once. Eat twice.
I do love leftovers, but with just the two of us eating, it feels like the leftovers never go away. This year, I’m wanting to cook a recipe once and freeze half to pull out later. Or, for bigger families, cook a double batch and freeze the extra.
5. Treat yourself to your favorite beverage.
Keep your favorite drinks stocked: kombuchas, sparkling waters, etc. Make them a cooking treat for yourself & give yourself a little happy to look forward to.
6. Get a Walmart+ Membership.
For $98 a year, they will deliver orders over $35 to your porch for free. The time savings is WORTH it to me. My friends actually surprised me with an annual membership as a baby shower gift & I’m never going back, ha!
7. Light a candle and play music.
There are few things this won’t fix. Make it fun!
8. Set a few weekly meal traditions.
Serve Mexican food every Tuesday. Let Friday be pizza and salad night. The fewer decisions you have to make about what to cook each night, the easier it is!
9. Eat on pretty paper plates with paper napkins.
If you’ve spent your time quota in the kitchen, don’t shame yourself for eating off paper plates and using paper napkins. In fact, make it a “treat.” Buy cute plates and napkins when you see them & pull them out on occasion! (My favorite place to grab these for cheap is TJMaxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls!)
10. Write a meal plan for the week & hang it on the fridge.
Get a dry erase meal planner to keep on the fridge to remind yourself what the week holds. It also serves as accountability to not grab take-out last minute if everyone is expecting a certain meal! (If I’m being honest, I’m so bad at meal planning! It’s a work in progress over here!)
10 Bonus Ideas Sent in by Friends:
- Buy in bulk so you have everything on hand.
- Keep a meal plan for the week. (or longer if you’re really organized.)
- Prepare things while kids are asleep so dinner can be popped in the oven.
- Host a recipe swap with friends.
- Look for recipes that are semi-homemade to make them easier to put together.
- Batch cook.
- Cook with your family.
- Sign up for a service like eMeals, Hello Fresh, Blueapron, etc.
- Stick to staples, but mix up dressings & sauces.
- Make Instapot or slow cooker recipes.
Happy cooking! If you have any other ideas, feel free to drop them below in the comments!
Daisy Sue
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