If you dread going to the stove each night of the week and coming up with amazing meals that wow your family, you’re not alone. After working all day, sometimes it’s tough to come home at night and have to take on the role of a short-order cook–especially if you’ve had a long day. I know some people dread it and say it’s impossible, but when I sit myself down and make a meal plan for the week ahead, it makes a world of difference.

If your kitchen is more of a place of chaos and meal plans just aren’t your bag, here are some easy tips that can help you get things under control and maybe even find that joy that exists in cooking meals for (and with) your family.

family cooking

  1. Put Your Leftovers to Work
    Instead of creating something new each night from scratch, consider stretching your ingredients by featuring leftovers for the next days lunch, or even dinner. Not only does this help you save time, but it can also reduce your grocery store bills. Start with something simple, such as a rotisserie chicken dinner on Monday. When it’s time for dinner on Tuesday, use the leftover chicken for a brand new meal like tacos, wraps, casserole or soup.
  2. Set Aside Freezer Portions
    Another way that can save you some aggravation for future dinner meals is to plan ahead with freezer meals. When you’re cooking one of your family’s favorites, make enough for two night’s portions and bag the seconds. Store the other portions in the freezer, and when you’re short on time one night, you can simply thaw and heat it up again for an easy and quick dinner shortcut.
    easy freezer meals
  3. Divide Cooking and Cleaning Duties
    One of the most grueling things about standing over a hot stove and cooking dinner each night is the thought of having to clean up everything after it’s all over and done with. You can make cleanup time much easier if you divide and conquer. Split up cooking and cleaning duties with your husband or partner to give you both more time to recharge and relax before or after dinner.
  4. Make One Pot Meals
    Another great way to make things go by faster and make your dinners less likely to leave a messy aftermath is to choose recipes that only require one pot. Meals such as casseroles, bakes, or slow cooker stews can simplify the process and shave time off of the cleanup. You can literally throw everything together, turn on your stove or oven, and end up creating something tasty that wows your entire family.
  5. Assign Your Junior Chefs an Easy Task
    If your kids are constantly in and out of the kitchen and doing whatever they can to get your attention, instead of turning on the television to keep them occupied, you can try a different approach. Assigning your children different tasks to help with the meal preparation can make things even less stressful at night. Depending on your children’s age and interest, you can give them various jobs to help out with, such as setting the table, buttering rolls, mixing ingredients, or other things they can do to make things move faster.
    Father baking with children
  6. Make Simple Swaps to Keep it Healthy  
    Cooking dinner for your family in today’s world may cause even more anxiety due to the increasing importance of keeping things healthy. Putting together a wholesome meal every single night can be challenging sometimes, but it’s not impossible. One simple way to increase the nutritional value of your dinners each night is to gradually start swapping out different mainstay ingredients. Instead of regular mayonnaise for sandwiches, try something like Just Mayo, a healthier and more natural condiment alternative. Hampton Creek coupons make it easy to save on your grocery budget and capitalize on better ingredients for your favorite meals.
  7. Change Up the Recipe Routine
    The last easy dinner tip for those busy weeknights is to start being creative with your dinner recipes. One fun way to mix it up is to try cooking breakfast for dinner one night. Pancakes and eggs are easy and fun to make for dinner. Or, you can consider a hands-on dinner activity, such as making personal pizzas. Chop up a few healthy add-ons, such as mushrooms, green peppers, or pineapples and watch as your family has fun decorating their pizzas, and you get a break from the routine for once.

When you’re a busy mom with a limited amount of time in the day, every second counts. Turning a crazy dinner routine into something peaceful and fun can make a difference in your time at home with your family at night. Looking for ways to make dinner easier, yet still tasty, can help you get more from your family dinner table each night.