Since when has dinner become such a complicated affair? Why does it always involve trying to navigate through a mess of dishes and ingredients, meanwhile losing valuable time? With these four tips, you'll be so efficient that you'll never ask those questions again.
Get everyone involved! If you live with your family or have roommates, incorporate them into the process. Each person can have a certain task or dish that they are in charge of, so you don't have to play superman/woman. This will not only decrease the time it takes to make dinner, but also create an opportunity for you to bond.
While you're cooking, it's easy to focus on getting just one portion of the meal done and forget that you side dishes to make. Take off the blinders and multi-task! While the pasta is boiling, cut those veggies! You might feel all over the place at first, but this will help your dinner come together rather quickly.
You're hungry. You're tired. Your stomach is growling and your feet are aching. Boost your energy with some beats. Yes, that's beats— A-T-S—as in music! Turn on the tunes while you cook, so you can re-energize as you prepare your meal. The time will go faster and you may even want to move with the music. That will help burn off those dinner calories!
Choose wisely. Pick recipes ahead of time that require only a small amount of prep work and cooking time. This way, on nights where you know you have little time to spare, you have a few quick options. On regular nights, you can pick a demanding recipe for one element of your meal and make the other items less intense. Don't take on too much in one night!
