![]() Most have settings for the different foods and cook times, so it takes the guessing out of cooking. Pressure cooking dramatically speeds up cooking times by using a tightly sealed vessel where high pressure and steam work together to rapidly cook food from chicken to beans, grains, and vegetables. I throw it in the Instant Pot and prepare sandwiches, tacos, pasta, or salads with them. I love doing this with chicken when I forget to take it out of the freezer in advance. It can go from the freezer to your dinner plate in 30 minutes or less with just the press of the button. Use an Instant Pot for faster meals: Did you know you can cook frozen chicken in an Instant Pot without thawing? The same is true for beef and fish. Having these staples on hand helps me prepare meals in a pinch. I also like to buy my pantry staples in bulk because I know I will always use pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, and chickpeas, for example. I like buying chicken and ground beef in bulk, and freezing in portions for up to three months. I like to make huge batches of meatballs, lasagna, and Arabic stews and freeze them for when I don’t have time or energy to cook.īuy in bulk: While many of us have had to learn this skill the hard way this past year, buying in bulk not only saves money but also saves time from making too many shopping trips. But I never tweaked those proportions for some meals because those were the meals that were perfect for leftovers or freezing. And when I learned how to cook, it was in large quantities similar to how my mom prepared food. Prepare freezer meals: Coming from a large Middle Eastern family, my mom always made large quantities at mealtime. You just have to think about it once before you go shopping. This will make you feel less restricted and more prepared at dinnertime. This way you’re not just buying cabbage because it’s on sale, but because you plan to use it in a cabbage soup or to make coleslaw. Just think of a few meals for the week you’d like to make when planning your grocery list, and plan for leftovers at least one day during the week. YJ: Plan out your meals: This doesn’t have to be overwhelming or feel like a daunting task. NP: What are some hacks that you can share for whipping up a meal when you don’t feel like getting in the kitchen? Think of what you can assemble at home using quick shortcuts and pre-made items to make something your own. When it comes to homemade, don’t feel like it has to be 100-percent homemade. Homemade food will always feel like higher quality, but there are many times where it’s just not worth the time, money, or effort, especially when you’re pressed for time. And you can save a lot of effort (and an arm workout!) by buying almond milk instead of making your own. You can save money by buying salad dressings instead of making your own (just make sure the ingredients are recognizable). You can save time cooking and shredding chicken by using rotisserie chicken. Frozen vegetables are actually an excellent substitute for fresh since they retain their nutrients. And if a recipe calls for fresh trimmed veggies, you can swap with frozen ones. If a recipe calls for mirepoix to start a soup recipe, you can buy them pre-chopped all together. If a recipe calls for homemade pesto, you can substitute it with premade. But it’s also important to note that shortcuts in cooking can really help you get dinner on the table faster with those comforting home-cooked results. YJ: As day-to-day schedules begin changing, there may be a deeper desire for freezer meals or prepping meals in advance. NP: What are some ways to make cooking less of a production? It’s effortless, easy, and quick to prep, which means dinner is on the table a lot faster. This is a big reason why baked feta pasta went viral and became known as the TikTok pasta. We’re seeing a desire for more one-pan weeknight meals, quick and easy breakfasts, and single-serve work-from-home lunches. ![]() Instead of looking for complex and detailed recipes, they’re looking for quick and easy recipes, or looking to whatever is trending on TikTok. ![]() ![]() YUMNA JAWAD: We’re definitely seeing some burnout, but people are still in the kitchen. NICOLE PAJER: Are you seeing your followers getting burned out on cooking? Shondaland caught up with the self-proclaimed “foodie by day and foodie by night” to get her tips on how to make meal prepping less daunting, why it’s perfectly okay to swap out homemade ingredients for store-bought staples - something Jawad often does herself, even as someone who cooks for a living - and what to make when we just don’t feel like cooking. So what do we make when we don’t feel like getting busy in the kitchen? Jawad has us covered.
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