Weeknight dinners can be a chore. Between homework, evening sports and other family tasks, you can feel like you’re rushing just to get something on a plate. It’s no wonder many families feel like they resort to fast food or quick service options. While this might be ok in a pinch, if you want to ensure a home cooked meal fast, there are some hacks you can try in fall and winter.
Prep a Soup Base
Soups are the perfect warming dish for the cold seasons. After a long day there are few things more comforting than coming inside to a hot bowl of delicious soup. Make weeknight dinners a breeze by prepping a large soup base ahead of time. This can be frozen in smaller portions that can simply be tossed into a large stockpot and warmed with your favorite ingredients and spices to ensure a quick and easy dinner. A simple soup base can be jazzed up with a lot of various ingredients, so don’t be afraid to use it more than once in a week.
Cut Corners
Chopping vegetables can take a lot of time and energy on a weeknight. Fall and winter’s hard squashes and pumpkins may create a delicious flavor, but their tough exterior can make an experienced cook cringe when it comes to chopping and prep. If your favorite winter veg comes pre-chopped at your local grocery store, don’t be afraid to cut corners to keep dinner prep moving quickly when you’re short on time.
Break Out the Slow Cooker
Slow cookers are a vital tool for getting a delicious home-cooked meal on the table with minimal effort. Plenty of set-it-and-forget-it recipes exist out there, and slow cookers can be safely left unattended while you leave the house. This means your favorite fall chili or wintertime soup can simmer away while you’re at work.
Don’t Forget to Meal Plan
If you’re in a rush, meal planning may seem like just another chore to add to your list, but it will save you time and money long-term. Regardless of what magazine-worthy meal preppers may show, meal plans don’t have to be fancy or time-consuming. Simply find a few of your family’s favorite meals and pick recipes that use similar ingredients. This will allow you to prep and cook some things in advance! Meal planning is especially simple in the cold months since a lot of winter flavors complement each other.
