Finding time to cook healthy meals can feel overwhelming in today’s fast-paced world. But with a little planning and a few smart kitchen hacks, preparing nutritious, delicious meals doesn’t have to take hours. In this guide, you’ll discover six simple tips that save time, reduce stress, and make mealtime something to look forward to.
1. Save Prep Time with Frozen Vegetables
Using frozen vegetables is a big time-saver because you don’t have to wash, peel, or chop them. You can take just what you need for a recipe and keep the rest for later since they last a long time in the freezer. The best part is that frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh ones.
Oftentimes vegetables that are used in frozen products are picked and then flash-frozen at their peak freshness, which is also typically when it contains its highest amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Along with this, fresh vegetables can often be exchanged for frozen in many recipes without much modification, if at all. Some people prefer the texture of fresh vegetables, but they usually take a bit more time to prepare. Frozen vegetables work best in recipes that do not require roasting since it can be harder for them to get crispy. They are great in soups, casseroles, and dishes with a sauce base. For example, our Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie uses frozen mixed vegetables in the filling, and you can even save more time by swapping fresh sweet potatoes for frozen cubed ones.
2. Stock Up on Canned Foods
Canned foods may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to healthy eating, but they can be an easy and nutritious addition to your meals.
While canned foods can be a healthy choice, some varieties contain more sodium than you might expect. Eating too much sodium every day may raise your risk of heart disease, so it’s important to be mindful.
When buying canned foods, choose products labeled “low sodium” or “no salt added” to help you stay under the recommended daily sodium limit of 2,300mg.
You can also reduce sodium even more by draining and rinsing canned beans or vegetables before adding them to your recipes. To make things easier, look for Choose Homemade’s 1-for-1 badge on recipes. These recipes are meant to help you cut back on sodium while still enjoying quick, tasty meals.
Canned meats like tuna or chicken are also a great way to add protein to a meal. They’re shelf-stable, require no thawing, and can be ready to eat in minutes. Just remember to check the label and choose options canned in water instead of oil or broth, which can add extra sodium and saturated fat.
3. Save Time with One-Pot Recipes
A big part of the time you spend in the kitchen often isn’t cooking but cleaning up afterward. By using as few dishes as possible while you prep and cook, you can cut your cleanup time nearly in half.
Choose Homemade’s Easy Clean-Up badge was made to help you find simple, one-pot meals that only need one dish for prep and one for cooking.
In general, recipes like casseroles, stir-fries, and sheet pan meals usually use fewer dishes, which makes them great options for busy nights.
While many pasta dishes typically call for the pasta to be cooked separately, our Chicken Pot Pie Pasta is made all in one pot and without the need for draining.
4. Prepare Staple Items in Bulk
Batch cooking and prepping staple ingredients that you’ll use in recipes throughout the week can save a lot of time in the kitchen. For example, instead of waiting 30 minutes for rice to cook for your stir-fry, you can have it ready to go and simply reheat and serve. The same idea works for raw ingredients too.
Chopping onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, and other veggies ahead of time and storing them in airtight containers make weeknight cooking much easier.
You can also wash and chop leafy greens in advance to make quick salads. To keep them fresh, store them in a sealable plastic bag lined with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture.
Prepping your seasonings in bulk is another great time-saver. As you plan meals for the week, check which spice blends each recipe needs and measure them out ahead of time. That way you can use the same blend multiple times and cut down on prep work during the week.
For example, here are a few easy ways to cut your prep time in half when making our Tuscan Steak Pasta recipe:
- Dice onion
- Mince garlic (or use jarred minced garlic)
- Rinse and chop kale
- Measure yogurt
- Measure parmesan
- Measure Italian seasoning
5. Freezer-Friendly Meals for Busy Days
Make a double batch of your favorite recipe and freeze it for a quick heat-and-eat meal later on.
When choosing which recipes to freeze, avoid dishes with creamy, dairy-based sauces, such as mac and cheese, since the sauce can separate and won’t reheat well.
Here are some dishes that hold up great in the freezer and taste just as good when reheated:
- Broth-based soups
- Ground meat recipes (patties and meatballs)
- Enchiladas
- Lasagna
- Chili
Try freezing extra patties from our Southwest Turkey Burgers recipe or Pork Green Chile Stew!
6. Get Kids Involved In the Kitchen
Invite your family to help with meal prep to share the work and make cooking go faster. Cooking together is not only a great way to spend time as a family but also helps kids build confidence in the kitchen. Plus, they’re often more excited to try foods they helped prepare.
Our Fluffy Pancakes recipe is a fun way to get kids started. Give them the job of measuring out the ingredients and let them help mix the batter. It’s simple, hands-on, and a great introduction to cooking.
Remember, kids do best in the kitchen when they have clear, specific tasks.
Summary
These six kitchen tips can help you cook healthy and delicious meals without spending too much time in the kitchen. Frozen vegetables save you from washing, peeling, and chopping while being just as nutritious as fresh. Canned foods are another easy option if you choose low-sodium varieties. One-pot recipes make cleanup faster, and preparing staple items in bulk helps cut down cooking time during the week. Freezer-friendly meals are perfect for busy days, and inviting the family, especially kids, makes cooking more enjoyable for everyone.
What are your favorite ways to save time in the kitchen? Let us know in the comments.