Taking a few hours to plan and prepare meals each week will make dinner a breeze and take the stress away.

Start by deciding what meals you would like to cook. Take a few minutes to explore recipes and mark or print the ones you’re interested in. Encourage your family to help make a plan.

Check to see what you already have on-hand. Don’t forget to look in the back of your refrigerator and in your freezer.

Next, make a list of ingredients that you’ll need and try to do all your shopping at one. Check grocery store fliers and websites to see what’s on sale. Remember that fruits and vegetables are often better and less expensive when they’re in season.

Once you have your plan and your menu,  do some prep work in advance. This will save valuable time and energy on evenings when you’re too tired or busy to cook “from scratch.” Chopping vegetables, steaming rice, or preparing soup can all be done in advance.

Cook once and eat twice by planning for leftovers. Make extra chicken, rice, pasta, or steamed vegetables for use in another meal later in the week.