Easy Hacks To Speed Up Kitchen Prep

Time is a hot commodity, but that doesn’t mean you have to skip eating healthily. These tips can help even the busiest people prepare nutritious home-cooked dishes in no time.

- Kate Daley

1 PLAN IT OUT

You don’t need to spend hours mapping out a week’s worth of meals, but try planning two or three dishes at a time, suggests Claire Tansey, author of Uncomplicated: Taking the Stress Out of Home Cooking. Having recipes and the relevant ingredients on hand can not only relieve stress but also make it faster to throw dishes together when you have limited time.

2 GET THE RIGHT TOOLS

“Having a good knife can make or break your food prep,” says Rachel Caven, a nutritionist and clinic director at Caven Nutrition Group in Ottawa. Make sure that you have the basics on hand for meal prep, including a high-quality peeler, meat thermometer, blender or food processor and cast iron pan. These investments can make a huge difference in how fast and enjoyable your cooking experience will be.

3 DO FAVOURS FOR YOUR FUTURE SELF

Double or triple your recipe every time you cook, suggests Tansey. That way, you can freeze the leftovers or portion them out for meals during the week. “It’s the same amount of work to make a double batch as it is to make one batch,” says Tansey.

4 PREP THE BUILDING BLOCKS