Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Making several days' worth of lunch ahead of time, so I don't have to worry about what I'm going to eat!

I like to make a big vat of marinara sauce on the weekend and then freeze it to use on pasta, etc. during the rest of the week.

agree - making a big batch of soup, stew or salad and eating that for lunch the rest of the week.

also, store-bought stock

Defrosting chicken breasts in warm, salty water - not only does it defrost extremely quickly, it brines the chicken at the same time - so I get moist, flavorful chicken breasts every time, without having to go through the sear-then-transfer-to-the-oven-and-bake-for-ten-to-twenty-minutes thing :-).

I cook several meals at a time. I roast a chicken, make a stew and and make meatballs in a sauce. I have enough meals for the week which I portion out for different dinners and lunches.

I make a couple of half sheet pans of roasted vegetables at a time (of late, a mix of beets, sweets, and (brussels) sprouts) and then dip in to the leftovers for snacks, sides, or additions to my morning egg white omelette.

freezing the meat from a rotisserie chicken for future meals: quesadillas, soups, sandwiches, omelettes...so versatile!

Soak steel cut oats in water overnight so they cook faster in the morning. I turn the stove on when I get out of the shower and by the time I'm dressed and mostly put together, breakfast is done.

I did away with the spice rack. Instead, I keep a vase full of fresh herbs on the counter (trim the stems and keep them in fresh water) for easy access - it saves time and promotes experimentation, not to mention looks and smells great.

I make my own stock & freeze it in measurements of one cup so that its easier to thaw just the right amount.

I always put the tea kettle on to boil when I start in the kitchen. No matter what you're making, you almost always need warm water, and a cup of tea to boot.

I like to make the full recipe of whatever I'm making and then freeze half of it for later. It helps save me money and time as well as not wasting ingredients since I live alone. I can take out a package from the freezer when I leave for work and by the time I get home, I've got a home cooked meal ready to be heated up!

make extra food on purpose and put it into individual reusable portable containers to take along to work, or heat up for dinner later in the week.

chop up garlic and basil and freeze it in olive oil in and ice cube tray. it's ready for pasta sauces or to add flavour to tomatoes, just about anything.

I like to make a large batch of soup or chili and freeze enough for another 1 or maybe 2 meals (plus a small container for my oldest daughter, as she gets tired of cooking for one)

i freeze my lemons and oranges in to ice cube trays for later use..

When I'm in a cooking mood on a weekend or day off, I'll make batches of things like ravioli or tamales, and ad freeze them. Then I've always got a quick home-made meal at hand.

Cook as a couple! When my husband and I cook together, everything moves faster and meals come together in half the time. Plus, what a great way to spend time together.

Buying meat & fish in bulk, cutting it to the portions I want (if it's not already cut), and then wrapping the meat in pairs for freezing. That way I don't end up defrosting extra meat that I won't use for several days.

I have my husband do all of the chopping :)

cut and wash the romaine lettuce and then store it in a vac-sealed container, it's all ready to eat!

I cook a few meals at once so I have dinners for the kids during the week.

I put together a crockpot meal the night before, cook it on Low all night, then leave it on Warm throught the day.

call ahead for take-out food

Make a big pot of chicken stock. Freeze it in batches for use later.

Great tips all, as always, from the Serious Eats community. mise en place is your friend. The freezer is your friend - cubes of stock - a freezer bag increasingly full of vegetable trimmings to be later turned into vegetable stock - and on and on. The crock pot is something that I've not yet explored but people that I trust cook with them frequently and never fail to produce great results.

To the crock pot users that may read this, is there a particular one that you'd recommend?

I do as much prep work as possible after dinner, before washing dishes. The bonus timesaver is not having to clean up as I'm cooking the next evening.

Wash and prep veggies while putting them away from the grocery store. (I have to specify that I eat ludicrous amounts of produce, so they won't have time to spoil from the moisture.)

I also rely on frozen veggies, instant veggie stock, and Asian rice noodles/wrappers (the kind you soak for a few minutes) for quick meal prep.

Like many other commenters, my main way of saving time is just to cook in big batches and then package the extras in leftover tupperware containers for quick-grab lunches or dinners later in the week.

I make stock from a roast chicken carcass as soon as dinner's done -- just toss it in a pot with veggies and let it cook away while we eat dessert and wash up. By the time the party's over and the ktichen's clean, the stock is ready to come off the heat and chill in the fridge. In the morning, I de-fat it and either put it back in the fridge or into the freezer.

Make a shopping list of everything you'll need for several nights' worth of dinners so you don't have to go to the market every day. Keep a running list of what's in the freezer, and cross things off as you use them!

The freezer is my best friend. I make big batches of turkey chili, marinara sauce (especially in late summer when the tomatoes are so good) and pesto freeze into meal-sized portions for 2.

And, I estimate that almost half of my freezer is devoted to cookie dough - I have at least 3 kinds in there right now....it's really nice knowing that fresh-baked cookies are a mere 20-25 minutes away.

buy steamfresh vegetables

Many salad dressings are great marinades and can be used with meats and vegetables in the crockpot, so they are ready when you get home from work. The key is to use a dressing with lots of oil, such as a vinagrette. For example, I put chicken on a bed of vegetables and pour a bottle of Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette over the top, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Delicious. I like a zesty Italian or Garlic Parmesan vinagrette with pork and beef, and many of the Asian vinagrettes on the market are great with fish. Use frozen vegetables, and you really save time!

My housemates and I cook lunches & dinners for one another. Since cooking for 4 isn't much harder than cooking for 2, we're saving time by exchanging human capital, with everyone cooking half as often.

I buy vegetables for cooking already pre cut at the salad bar.

Prep veggies and herbs when we get home from the store. Then when needed, rough chop ingredients and toss in the food processor for very quick chopping of everything from garlic and shallots to shredding cheese.

cutting up and freezing vegetables like broccoli and peppers to use in stir frys and soups

I like to cook extra chicken for dinner on the weekend and use the extras for a variety of chicken dishes for the week: pot pie, chicken salad, chicken fried rice, etc.

L*E*F*T*O*V*E*R*S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't know how much time this saves, but when I buy a package of bacon, I fold each slice in thirds and put them in a large ziploc bag in a single layer to freeze. That way when I only need 1 or 2 slices, I only have to thaw what I need, rather than the whole pound stuck together.

I'm trying to keep lemon juice in ice cube trays and minced shallots, garlic, and onions in the freezer for quick prep work. Also chicken broth in 1/2 cup servings in baggies.

making as much as possible and then freezing it for later use

Well, there is just the two of us now that the kids are out of the nest. So I buy things at the store that will go for more than one meal, like the roasted chicken from Sams club. For $5.00 you can get a couple of nice meals from it and then there is soup

make a big dish and pack it up into individual meal containers for lunch and/or dinner. if you are single like me it lasts all week, or until you are sick of it and throw it out.

I try to make enough to last for several meals...sometimes freezing left-overs, sometimes just changing it up a little for meals the same week.

I'm know I'm boring and redundant but I cook in quantity and freeze. It's so much easier on work nights.

My boyfriend and I need something sweet to end our day, but I am usually too tired to make dessert every night. So I make a huge batch of cookies and use an a small ice scoop to form them. I freeze them on a tray first, and when they are partially frozen I transfer them to a freezer bag. I take a few cookies out each night and defrost them while I cook dinner.

I let someone else cook.

I have a running list of recipes I want to make, and when the weekly food ads come out on Sunday, I plan out the week's menu taking into account what's on sale.

I always keep diced onions (but not garlic--there's just no comparison w/fresh) in the refrigerator.

I'm a big fan of freezing my leftovers for instant meals later.

I always prepare the mis en place for my recipes - that allows me to move through the recipe very quickly and be sure I have all of my ingredients together in advance. I also like making "no knead" bread - it proofs over many hours but the time you actually spend working on it is very little compared to other breads and the results are fantastic!

parchment paper - amazing how much time you save not having to clean up sticky pans and baking sheets and countertops. I compost the paper, so I don't feel so guilty about it.

use the slow cooker. Put the meal in the morning, and it will be done for dinner. Great meals for the whole family

Par cooking potatoes in the microwave. Just cube up some new potatoes and nuke in a covered container on high for 5 minutes or so. Then saute in a hot pan with other flavorings.

Precooking and freezing rice. A few minutes in the microwave makes it almost as good as fresh cooked rice.

Preparing mise en place for a meal ahead of time; then when you want to make dinner, your mirepoix (or whatever) is already chopped and ready to go.

Making large batches of sauces ahead of time, instead of making them right as your preparing the rest of the food.

Make and biscuits and rolls and freeze them unbaked seperately then just pop them out of zip lock and bake when you want one or two or a dozen.

Buy bone in chicken breasts on sale, debone & freeze in individuals bags for future use in soups & casseroles. Strain the broth & freeze that too.

I want this book soooooooooo bad! I don't have any time-saving tips for dinner, but for lunch I generally put my leftovers in a microwaveable container so I can just pull it out from the fridge on my way out!

my husband is the cook

Like many others here, I aim to make extra so as to have leftovers and save me one or two days of really cooking.

Buy in bulk
Cook large batches for the week---soup, veggies, grilled meats
Stay Organized!!

It save me time to go on that "cooking frenzy" every now and again...multiple meats on various heat sources and some great storage containers and I've got a week's worth of lunch AND dinner in the fridge waiting for me.

Out of almost every night, from Dinner I will get a lunch or freeze for latter.

Nigella Rocks! My tip is to buy what is on sale and plan your menu for the week.

I make a lot of beef bolognese sauce and freeze it since it takes a long time to make. The same goes with chicken stock.
I also peel a whole bunch of garlic so I have cloves ready to chop up when I need them.

Buy Bagged Salad! The best time saver of all!

Invest in a good quality chef's knife, it makes chopping veggies so much quicker and easier

When I come home from the store I toss old junk out of the fridge as I put new stuff in. Then when I get to veggies & fruits, I clean and prep everything so it's ready to go for the week.

When I buy fresh herbs, I chop them all in the processor and freeze them in ice cube trays. Pop them in zipper bags and use as needed. No waste and time saving.

1. Buy prepared foods.

2. When in doubt, make a sandwich.

Chicken stock in ice cube trays!

I stuff some basil, on the stems, in a decorative bottle & fill it with a nice medium dry sherry. This adds an unbelievable flavor to all kinds of soups & stews& sauces. You needn't remove the herb from the bottle until it's empty; the alcohol preserves it.

make extra for leftovers

Brown hamburger then spread it on a cookie sheet and freeze it for an hour. Then bag it up and feeze it. You grap what you need. It's already cooked and not frozen together.

Cook enough to have leftovers and buy pre-cubed tofu!

Don't be afraid to throw away the recipes, especially on weeknights. With a little practice and confidence, chances are your improvised recipes will naturally have many fewer steps than any cookbook.

Washing veggies & herbs before you put them in the fridge saves time later when you have to pull them out to use!

Making enough rice or beans to freeze in single serve portions in addition for whatever I need right then.

Freezing stock in one cup amounts so I don't have to thaw it to measure it.

Make enough for leftovers to bring for lunch. It helps the day go by faster when I have a yummy lunch to look forward to!

My best friend is the crock pot.

Defrosting chicken in cold water for a few hours...and that water SHOULD be cold!

I always make my lunch for the next day before I go to bed. Then I'm never faced with not having enough time in the morning and being forced to eat out the next day.

Prepare all the ingredients before doing the actual cooking, like cut all the veggies and stuff beforehand. This is easy esp when making soup - all cut and ready to boil.

Making turkey stock out of the Thanksgiving bird -- toss in the extra carrot and onion halves and mushroom stems from the holiday meal, add the carcass after the meal and simmer overnight. Freeze the stock in two cup portions in ziploc bags. Voila! Homemade stock for risotto and soup on hand!

Store-bought chicken broth.

Freezing an extra portion so you can enjoy your favorites again.

I buy extra organic chicken breasts to grill/poach and have on hand for a healthier protein to add to salads, sandwiches, and soft tacos throughout the week. If I poach them I save the stock and add it rather than water, to recipes for a bit of additional flavor and nutrition.

I mince several heads of garlic, cook them on low heat with a lot of olive oil till they turn golden brown and crisp. I store it in a glass jar, and spoon it over everything: it's perfect in soups (even crappy ramen tastes 1000% better with a spoon of browned garlic), dressings (use the olive oil, which is deliciously garlicky), rice (garlic rice, anyone?), noodles, etc. It's brilliant. Meals (even take out crap) gets a boost of flavor in seconds.

I clean up when I am in between processes for the meal and keep a paper towel off the side of the cutting board to scrape food, scraps, and papers onto , then am able to simply wrap up and throw away!

slow cookers rule! so good for making a dish large enough to create another dinner or at least two decent lunches.

Whenever I make my favorite dishes I double the recipe and freeze half for later.

I love to make pounds and pounds of cookie and pie crust, roll it up, and have cookies speedy whenever i want them. I often let my roommate play with them so she doesn't have to buy pillsbury.

I always chop the whole onion or whatever vegetable and put the extra in the fridge for the next time I'm making something.

Learning the wide variety of things that a slow cooker can make has definitely been a time saver. Maybe a little prep the night before, dump everything in before work in the morning, and the best smells greet you when you come home!

I do the mise en place technique. Saves so much time!

Learning knife skills really helped me fly through prep!

Slow-cooking is nice, but pressure cooking is FASTER!!!! We just got one of these, and I didn't think I'd ever use it. Now I use it almost every night.

I always make extra portions and save the leftovers for my lunch at work.

Roasted Garlic - Buy peeled garlic in bulk, place two-three cups in an over-proof bowl (I use a stainless steel 1 qt. bowl), add salt, pepper and olive oil to cover.
Cover bowl tightly with foil, bake at 400 degrees for 60 minutes - voila! a whole bunch of roasted garlic, without the mess.

I like to make a huge batch of soup--then freeze it for busy days.

Mine is a real basic time saver - I LOVE my crockpot. On a night that I don't use mine (while I am waiting for that night's dinner to cook) I gather all the ingredients together for a crockpot meal, combine what can be combined, and toss it in the fridge. Before heading to work, I throw all that into the crockpot, crank that baby on, and have a nice hot meal when I get home. Too easy.

Cleaning up as things are on the stove or in the oven

So many great tips above. We keep an organized and well stocked pantry, which provides great basics for most meals. We also buy meat in bulk and freeze it in smaller portions to thaw/use easily.

clean as you go.

cooking ahead on the weekend

rotisserie chicken from the grocery deli is always a nice meal and if you need chicken in a recipe it saves time.

make more than what you'll eat and have leftovers for second meal. use store bought stock, it's good in a pinch.

A clean organized kitchen is the key for me, I need to know where every kitchen gadget is, I can not stand looking for a knife, can opener, etc...
I cook large meals, I enjoy the left-overs, very quick and easy to toss into an oven or microwave to reheat the next day..

eating the cookies before they're baked, none of that pesky waiting!

I cut up peppers, onions and ham ahead of time so during the week I can make a quick omelette before work.

Always make extra...sauce, soup, meat loaf, whatever...and freeze some.

At least half of every lasagna or casserole gets cut into individual servings and frozen for later use.

My favorite time saving tip is the quick thaw. Run lukewarm water over food in an airtight container (I usually use a ziplock bag unless the food is already in a container). Most food thaws within 30 minutes, which is good because I usually forget to put the frozen items I plan to make the next day in the refrigerator.

Move faster in the kitchen. Making cooking into a race or a game always saves me time.

Chinese Take-out.

I try to make at least one, possibly 2 meals on Sunday night for the upcoming week. Then, when I drag myself home too tired for words, all I have to do is re-heat and enjoy a great homecooked meal. (Saves me from the drive though!)

I double my rice whenever I'm making it as a side and stick it in a ziploc in the fridge. it's there whenever i want to make fried rice, and is properly aged (grains separated).

Foodsave portions for two. That way we always have a quick meal.

Freezing ginger and certain herbs when they are in season.

big batches

...organization...having needed ingredients, wash all before putting away, have a soapy sink ready for used utensils and cooking gear......

Use Sunday to make meals for the week. Then the night before just remove one from the freezer.

Hello! A delicious meal that was started in a slow cooker or crock pot
before heading out for the day! Add fresh fruit, cottage cheese and there is a healthy meal ready for dinner time. Thanks,Cindi

Clean up as you go along while cooking so you don't have a big mess to clean up at the end.

when you walk in the door put water up to boil.

I make stock from leftovers and freeze it in small containers to use in cooking - I never buy stock and the small container is usually just the right amount to cook something for two.

clean up as you go, and leftovers!

I make all of my chicken, beef, vegetable and shrimp broth from scratch, then freeze them in 1 and 2 cup sour cream containers for future use. They freeze beautifully and are perfectly measured for instant defrost and incorporation into whatever creation I am working on.

I make a batch of belgian waffles on Sundays and freeze them in packages of 2. Pop them in the toaster on weekday mornings, top with orange marmalade, and I'm out the door.

The freezer is my best friend too. I store homemade stock in zip top bags and individual portions of soups, stews and tomato sauce for a quick lunch/dinner.

instead of making broth, i use powdered broth mixed with water.

I make one large meal whose leftovers can be reused to make other meals - a roast chicken and trimmings can turn into chicken pot pie, Asian lettuce chicken wraps, chicken tacos, and the leftover bits become stock for the next go-round.

Make double what you need and freeze the leftovers or eat for lunch.

Planning out my meals over the weekend so when I get home after a long day I don't have to think about what I'm going to cook. Also, making sure I bag up some leftovers for lunch the next day! Definitely better than a sandwich.

Chop twice as much onion, celery, carrots, peppers, etc. you'll need at one time for quick use for another meal.

Cook on the weekends for the week

I love to make homemade cookies. Its just my husband and me so when I make a whole batch I use a large scoop to portion it out (works great for muffins too) on to a large baking sheet covered with parchment and then freeze. Once the "balls" are frozen I take them off the tray and put them into a large ziplock. When ever I want 1 cookie and he wants 2 I put them on the tray frozen and bake. Yummy, hot, trans fat free cookies on demand!

chop veggies night or day before.

I also cook extra portions and freeze them. They're great for busy nights or when I just don't feel like cooking.

get frozen veggies. pre-cut and already cooked. just heat or throw into whatever you're cooking til it's warm or hot to your liking.

I always prep my veggies on the weekend for fast meals during the week.Prechopped & ready to go. I buy family packs of meats & break those down for dinner for two. I'm pretty organized & make my menus the week prior to buying the groceries, that way it saves me time & since my husbands first question before we leave for work is "what are we having for dinner tonight", I can tell him, so he knows beforehand. My meals normally take 30 to 45 minutes max during the week. Since I cook, I don't have to worry about the cleanup because that is my husbands job!!! Good for me!

Agreed with cooking extras and refrigerating or freezing them for future use.

Frozen vegetables for dishes where texture doesn't much matter (e.g., if they're going to be pureed anyway). Red peppers, broccoli, greens -- it saves SO much chopping time.

Also, I've always cooked up double or triple batches of meat (ground meat, roasted or poached chickens, etc.) to be divvied up in various recipes throughout the week. Especially when I roast beef or meatloaf -- I always do two -- one for dinner, one for sandwiches throughout the week!

Count me among the fans of cooking extra (soup, stew, casserole, etc.) and having it for lunches or in the freezer.

I always keep pre-washed baby spinach in my fridge, it cooks in seconds, can be used in salads, and adds lots of nutrients to any dish. Quick, nutritious, easy!

Also, in the freezer I have pre-chopped fresh herbs which last longer than fresh herbs and can be thrown into any dish on the stove or off.

Cook a big batch of something, then freeze individual portions.

using a garbage bowl on the counter is way more efficient than running to the trash can and tossing every bit that fills my hand.

To save time on after work meals, I try to do a lot of preparation the night before so I can get dinner on the table quicker and have more family time on weeknights.

When I bake pies I always make 2 extra crusts to freeze thaen when I need them fast I just take them out of the freezer and fill without the mess.

Cooking large quantities in the crockpot -- we have two -- which means that we have a lot of leftovers. Makes life easier for two empty-nester middle-agers.

Surprisingly, the thing that saved me the most time was making a garbage plate right by the cutting board. Rather than constantly walking back and forth between the wet trash container and the cutting board, I just dumped everything on the plate. I know it sounds a little simple but it made my life infinitely easier.

I freeze all my left over veggies together, when I make home made soup I just defrost and add it to my base.

I make sure I always have ingredients on hand to make whatever I might be cooking, and I always make a ton so it will cover lunch the next day.

Cooking ahead of time.

I am a busy working Mom and have found that life goes much easier if I plan out an entire month's worth of dinner menus at once. I use a freebie calendar program I found on the 'net. I look at a week at a time and plan out all the dinners. We have some dinners we like to eat more than once a month so those get scattered about. It takes me about half an hour to get the whole month done but then it's done and I don't have to think about "what's for dinner?" again.

I grocery shop twice a week and I can sit down with the calendar and make out my list, adding whatever else is needed for breakfasts and lunches or household items. If we don't feel like having that night's meal, I'll swap it for one of the other nights. If we go out unexpectedly (some meals out are scheduled!) and I've already purchased the items for that meal, I cross out a meal further in the week and cook what I've got on hand.

One meal that we try to keep the ingredients on hand for at all times is tacos. I keep an extra pound of ground beef in the freezer and have a can of refried beans, taco shells, and salsa on hand. I almost always have lettuce, tomato and cilantro in the fridge, too. Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is a staple in my fridge, so that's there as well. When the kids decide to have a group of friends over immediately after school, they are usually hungry. Brown the ground beef and season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. Put taco shells in oven to warm. Heat up refried beans in microwave with a little garlic and cumin and some diced cilantro and shredded cheese to liven it up. I put the beans in the taco shells as a base. It adds protein and stretches the ground beef. Finish with the beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato and you're done.

Keep a tumbler full of tasting spoons (I use regular flatware tablespoons) by the stove for quick access while cooking.

My husband and I work at home. We eat a lot of roast chicken and find that if we set it up before we go out for our errands, out of the house/office needs, afternoon walk etc that we can easily pop it in the oven when we get back and avoid eating dinner at like 9 pm. Our chicken is simple and gets great results time and again:

Spray canola oil in a small pyrex baker. Rinse the empty chicken well. Place half an onion (or garlic or scallions) and cut up a lemon in quarters (or a lime, orange or celery), add a bay leaf (very important) inside the chicken. On the outside, sprinkle liberally with S&P, paprika, herbes de provence. Pour a scant half a cup of chicken broth or other liquid (wine/juice/tea, not water) into the cavity.

When ready to go - heat oven to 400, put the chicken in and do not baste it for 45 minutes - let it get a crusty sear going. Then baste, and baste again after 30 minutes, at which point it will probably be done, or need just a few minutes more if it's a really big chicken.

Keep leftovers for sandwiches, salads, soups, the cat.

Organize the menu. Plan the shopping ahead, make your first dish help with your second (ie roast chicken, then use leftover meat for enchiladas the next day). Just knowing what you're supposed to be cooking ahead of time gives huge time dividends!

Freezing homemade chicken stock to use in virtually anything later. So much better than the canned kind!

Cooking a big batch of soup to eat over a couple days..

Something like a big batch of couscous with chicken on Sunday night that then can be reheated for lunch for at least several days midweek.

Making a week's menu (thanks dad!) that will determine what goes on the grocery list. I can also credit my mom's example of cooking 2-3 main dishes on a Sunday. I also chop & save extras of granishes like cilantro or onion to use for egg breakfasts during the week.

Pressure cooker. Stock, beans, stews, sauces, root vegetables, etc. Turns hours into minutes.

I love to make more than necessary to feed my family of 3 then use the leftovers to make a new lunch version of last nights dinner for my boyfriend and myself.

i make stuff ahead of time and eat it throughout the week. especialy cookie doughs and baked muffins that i freeze

Cooking for the week.

I like to freeze something that's easy to make in big batches - soups, casseroles, bread. Then I just need to reach in the freezer and dinner is served.

Making double portions of meals and freeze the extra portion - that way you are only cleaning one set of pots and pans for 2 meals.

If it's going to be a busy week, I'll plan the week's lunches and dinners and try to do most of the shopping except fresh fruit and vegetables, which I tend to pick up on the day I use them, since I work right by where I shop. Also, it's amazing how much I accomplish in the morning before work. I'm up early enough that I can have most everything prepped and depending on what I'm making, entirely finished for that evening.

Condiments ready to go: peeled garlic in alchohol (chinese cooking wine, right now, but sherry would work, too); ginger chunks in vinegar or cooking wine; scallions in the windowsill (root the ends of purchased scallions in a flowerpot).

I also think my best timesaver is to take out all ingredients and cooking utensils/pans before starting a dish, and that includes chopping and/or measuring out the ingredients

Make enough the first time for leftovers and lots of rooster sauce

Microwave russet potatoes for a few minutes before baking to shorten the cooking time.

Using my slow cooker throughout the day saves time when I'm hungry at dinner and it's already prepared.

Keeping boiled eggs, boned fresh chicken and tortillas on hand saves time in making a quick snack, salad or lunches.

I buy bulk hamburger and make patties with whatever seasoning catches my fancy mixed in with it. I then freeze and store them for quick use. They are "custom flavored" and much better than any store bought pre-frozen patties.

Speedier but still good meals are the answer here.
What was the question?

I make a large pot of soup, or a casserole on the weekends. We take it for lunch during the week, it saves time and money.

I like to make way more waffles than I can eat and freeze most of them for quick fun breakfasts during the week.

I have a master list of meals that the kids will actually eat, and I mix them up so that we only repeat every three weeks or so. Also, to save time, I prep the next night's meal while I cook tonight's dinner.

Freezing ind. portions..

love crock pots....also have a herb garden...freeze the herbs for future...also have salmon frozen...always a great meal

Crock pots, cooking in adance & freezing in small portions for healthy lunches.

If I am going to make sausages for breakfast, I simmer them the night before until they are about 3/4 of the way done, and put them in the fridge. In the morning, they are done right along with the eggs, and I can have breakfast on the table quickly!

doing the dishes while waiting for things to cook

crockpots are fantastic friends year round

Instead of staring at my french press coffee pot while waiting 4 minutes for the coffeee to "brew" in the morning, I hand wash and dry the previous day's post dinner wine glassess that my thoughtful husband remembered not to load in the dishwasher. I am rewarded at the end of that chore by a perfect cup of coffeee!

I also cook extra rice and freeze it in half-cup servings. 2 min. in the microwave and I'm done! Tastes just like fresh made, too. I've served it to guests and no one could tell that it was frozen.

I re-discovered the crockpot. I don't have to think about it. I wash and trim veggies, and trim and divide meat on grocery day, then throw ingredients into the crockpot and wait for amazing smells!

I cover the countertop with wax paper before doing messy chores- like breading chicken cutlets-less mess means less time cleaning up and the bonus is no worry about salmonella on my countertop.

Using a clean dishcloth, wipe down the outside of the bottles/jars you use when cooking before putting them back in the cupboard or fridge. Less grime in your cupboard, no sticky or slimy goo the next time you reach for that ingredient, longer periods between cupboard cleanings.

Plan each dinner to "feed" into the next. Tonight's rotisserie chicken becomes tomorrow's chicken stew, which becomes the next night's chicken pot pie.

I buy hamburger meat in bulk. Cook it and freeze it in smaller packages for tacos, spaghetti, sloppy joes, chili, etc.

I plan my meals and shopping list for the week using featured items that can be used for more than one meal. I buy less and use up items while they're still fresh.

buying 5 lb bag of onions and chopping them then freezing for fresh tear free onions when you want them

It may not be a huge time-saver, but covering the pot when boiling water saves a lot of energy and at least a couple minutes. Boiling potatoes, etc.: cover the pot.

If I see a very busy week coming up, I make Sunday dinner a large roasted chicken or a small turkey, and save the leftovers for meals during the week. Leftover vegetables go into a chicken or turkey soup. Anything I can't use during the week gets frozen for later.

I usually store chopped onions in the freezer so that they're ready to go when I am.

Better Knife Skills! It would take me FOREVER to do any chopping, but working more with knives - and getting high quality steel - have save me a huge amount of time in prep work!

Make 2 and freeze one

I buy aluminum pans at our local restaurant supply store and make large batches of meals that can be frozen, that way I can just pop one into the oven when there is no time to prep.

I would love to get into the habit of cooking extra large portions like many others here, creating leftovers and freezable portions. I do try to make stock when I can as well as a basic red sauce (Mario Batali's) and I freeze portions of that. But when I am cooking it is all about the mise! I try to always have my mise en place done before getting started, it saves time and my sanity!

I make a ridiculous amount of pancakes in smaller sizes and just use them as the base for dozens of snacks and deserts throughout the week.

Current favorite, Ginger Pancakes topped with fresh sliced banana, greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey.

peeling ginger with a spoon here too. then freezing them so they don't dry out before i get to use the whole knob and using a microplane to grate into whatever i need.

plan meals in advance, reusing leftover ingredients to make the next meal. brown some ground turkey and onions for turkey noodle soup, turkey stroganoff... turkey burritos the next, and turkey chili the following night.

We cook as much as we can during the weekend to cut prep time during the week. It's the best in the summer, when we can just grill a bunch of meat all at once and eat it all week.

i make a big pot of soup every sunday. a bowl of soup and a salad of mixed greens sees me through lunch every day for the week. throw in a few pieces of fruit and a handful of almonds and i am set.

Two words: PRESSURE COOKER.

Getting the boyfriend to help is my time saving tip!

I make pie dough and freeze the rounds. Then, when I find good fruit, I can whip up a pie!

One of the best ways to save some time but still get a really fresh taste to things like soups and stews is to make the time-consuming part of the soup (stock, the meat and onion parts of stews, the harder, more resilient vegetables in vegetable soup) ahead of time, on the weekend, and divide it into portions and freeze or refrigerate. Then, during the week, you can take the heartier portion of the meal and add your delicate vegetables or spices and do a final finishing prep, and you won't get mushy overcooked veggies or pasta like you do when simply reheating. Works great for things like Minestrone, Chile Colorado, etc.

Always make twice as much and freeze the leftovers. That way when I don't have time to cook, I can just re-heat a previous meal.

There's nothing that reassures me like planned-overs. And if I'm doing bacon, I go ahead and do the package- same amount of dirty, and then you have good precooked bacon, not that store precooked stuff, whith which to make salads and BLTs.

I have always cleaned up as I go-that way when you are done you are done.

Buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and deskin and debone it right away. (It's easier when it's warm). It makes salads, pasta, casseroles so easy.

use a slotted serving spoon as an egg separator. So much easier and if you do it on top of a glass you can let it drain

I make a double batch of bread and freeze one before the second rising so I can defrost and bake fresh bread when I don't have enough time for the full process.

When I need chopped onion for a dish, I go ahead and chop a couple more and store it in Tupperware in the fridge for the next couple dishes. Might as well get all the tears out of the way at once!

make sure all the things you need to prepare the meal is already sitting out ready to use.

I need an empty nest cookbook

I buy a bunch of red and green peppers and cut them all up, freeze them on cookie sheets and then pop them all into a freezer bag. Really easy to grab a handful when cooking.

I cook four or five additional dishes on the weekends. These are frozen into servings for one or two. During the week, we just pull something out of the freezer, heat and eat!

If I plan on making chili, soup or meatloaf, or any dish which requires diced or chopped vegetables, I do all the prep work either the night before (for a crockpot recipe), or in the morning. I then store them in the refrigerator in ziploc bags so that they are ready and waiting!

following recipes that cook for 4 or 6, then packing everything into individual serving containers that i can take for lunch or have another night for dinner (i live alone)

Any cook book that gives hints or recipes that can be made at one time and frozen for later use is a must have. I buy the freezer containers that pop right from the freezer to the fridge, oven or microwave for greater convenience. With an active family it is really important to find quick recipes that satisfy large appetites.

Making a huge pot of sauce and freezing it and have it ready to go at anytime

I make lasagna without cooking the noodles first. It still tastes just as good!

My fav time saving tips is to cut up some of my veggies when I first get them home and put them in storage bags in the fridge. I love reading everyone's posts here!
Thanks so much!

Steam veggies in the microwave. Not only is quick, you don;t use space on the stovetop and they are just as good.

when I want to save time, I go to old favorites that I know by heart.

I wash salad greens in the salad spinner and keep them tightly covered in the salad spinner in refrigerator to make a quick frequent salad.

I freeze chicken stock in ice cube trays, I just take out a couple of cubes as needed for recipes.

I line baking pans and/or cookie sheets with aluminum foil. Not only is cleanup a snap but almost nothing sticks so no need for cookiing sprays.

...I prep a week's worth of fresh vegetables (i.e. washed, chopped, etc.) for cooking each weekend after my trip to the local farmer's market.

assemble your ingredients together ahead of time

I usually make dinner ahead in the crockpot and just drop it in to warm it up...

I clean as I go.
:-)

it's best to cook in large batches so you can freeze several meals for later.

For boiling water--just put a lid on to bring it to the boil faster.

making several days worth of meals ahead of time, always having fresh sauce frozen and also have veggies prepped ahead of time.

If you eat plenty of salads, cut everything up and put into plastic storage containers as soon as you get home from the store.

We always make extra - doubling every recipe - to have leftovers and save cooking time.

When I buy a bag of lemons I zest them and then juice them all. I freeze the zest in little baggies and the juice I freeze in ice cube trays and then place in baggies in the freezer. It's very convenient for baking and cooking.