4 Tips to Help Reduce Weeknight Cooking Stress

“One of the most meditative times of my day is when I’m cooking” – Gabrielle Bernstein

While some people find cooking therapeutic, others find it downright stressful; especially after work. Here are four tips you can use to help reduce weeknight cooking stress in your home.

Use the weekend to plan - Preparation is key to reducing stress, and if you choose one of your days off to plan your meals, you won’t run in to the whole “what’s for dinner tonight” problem. Additionally, you might also be able to get an extra meal out of a casserole or one-pot dish. Cook once, eat twice!

Use it to prep too - The weekend is a great time to cut up fruits and vegetables. Not only can you use them for dinner, you can also use them for grab-and-go snacks. Keep sliced fruit from turning brown by dipping it in lemon water. Check out our veggie prep video.

Kids can help. Save time and stop the complaining - It’s hard to listen to squabbling. Help reduce it by involving your children in meal planning. When they help plan and prepare the food, their sense of ownership over the meal will increase, potentially making them more likely to eat it. Plus, you might even make some memories along the way. Try our kid friendly veggie grilled cheese.

Nothing thawed out? Go Vegetarian - Try an all-vegetable stir-fry served over whole-grain rice. The key to a crispy stir-fry is very hot oil – your veggies will cook quickly instead of soaking up unneeded fat. For other meatless ideas try our spaghetti squash, Greek lettuce wrap, or roasted vegetables with balsamic vinegar. Don’t forget about dessert! Our baked apples are yummy and nutritious. Bonus points if you prep these meals with the kids on the weekend! Happy cooking!