Life is busy and cooking can take more time than you’d like it to…and then there’s the tiredness leaving you with limited energy reserves for cooking.

So, how about finding ways in which you can make best use of your time and your energy? Doing some planning will really help to take the stress away, ensure you have the right kind of meals planned for busy nights as well as help you find the efficiencies each week, but if you haven’t got round to that yet here are some tips:

• Each time you’re doing some cooking, think about whether you can cook extra of some ingredients which will go towards tomorrow’s dinner or dinner the following night.
• What might you be able to put in the oven at the same time as whatever you’re cooking for dinner that will mean another meal will come together quicker?
• When you do have a bit of time one day, what can you prepare and have in the fridge or freezer ready to go? I’m not suggesting you spend the whole of Sunday meal prepping, but you can get a lot done in 30 minutes or an hour one day.
• Can you plan in a batch cook once a week so that you have a stash of homemade ready meals in the freezer or always have some quick wins in your store cupboard, fridge and freezer?
• Or, how about putting together a list of meals that you know you can make easily and rapidly, to refer to when you need a quick fix, and ensuring you have the ingredients for at least one of those included in your weekly shop in case you need it?

I share lots more tips like this, which you can tailor to make them work best for you, in my meal planning and reducing food waste sessions.