While we all enjoy an in-depth cooking project on the weekend, we know that most weeknights you just need to quickly get dinner on the table – and not simply resort to takeout or a frozen pizza. But there’s no reason to sacrifice flavor for efficiency. With a thoughtful meal plan, quality ingredients and the right cookware and tools, you can enjoy a deliciously healthful, home cooked meal every night of the week. Here are our some of our favorite make-ahead meal tips for busy weeknights.
Make a Meal Plan and Organize Your Kitchen
The first step to getting ahead is to make a meal plan every week. The plan should list out all the meals you plan to cook, incorporating pantry ingredients that you already have on hand and creating a detailed grocery list of what you need. That way, there’s no scrambling for dinner ideas, running to the store multiple times, or double buying ingredients you already have. It also helps to organize your kitchen so you have all of the essential cookware and tools within easy reach to speed up meal prep and cooking time. This little bit of extra effort you spend planning in advance will save valuable time on weeknights.
Read More: Prepped and Ready: Get Organized in the Kitchen
Multi-task Ingredients
When you’re making your plan for the week, think about parts of the meal that you can cook once, but eat twice. For example, if you’re baking sourdough bread in the Bread Oven to serve with dinner one night, plan to use the leftovers for our Next Level Grilled Cheese the next night. If plain rice is on the menu as a side dish, make double so you can serve fried rice another night. Sauces are also great for multitasking – making a triple batch of tomato sauce in a large Dutch Oven is just as easy as making a single batch. Freeze sauces in individual portions and you can pull out a container for pasta night, meatball subs or when making homemade lasagna.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Basil Sauce
Utilize the Freezer
The freezer is your best friend when it comes to meal prep. Full meals like soups, stews and casseroles all freeze well, with little loss of flavor or texture. The freezer is also great for storing meal components like tomato sauce or cooked grains. Simply make extra all at one time and freeze for later use. For casseroles, freezer-safe bakeware is key because you can cook, freeze and reheat the meal without having to dirty any extra dishes. Le Creuset Casseroles and Baking Dishes are freezer and oven-safe so you can do the cooking on the weekend, and then easily reheat on a weeknight.
Get the Recipe: Sunday Lasagna
Master the Sheet Pan Meal
Sheet pan meals are a deliciously simple way to make an entire meal. There’s minimal prep, one pan for all the ingredients and it’s an easy way to get a meal on the table in a hurry. Plus, the durable surface of our Non-stick Metal Bakeware Sheet Pans makes cleanup a breeze. To create your dinner, learn our strategy to building the perfect sheet pan meal, then you can mix it up each week. Nothing is off the table when it comes to these customized all-in-one meals – we’ve made whole ducks, gnocchi, fish and even breakfast for dinner.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Pork Chops with Roasted Peaches and Balsamic Ranch
Incorporate One-Dish Meals
A Le Creuset fan favorite, one-dish meals speed up prep time and make cleanup effortless. Transitioning easily from stovetop to oven to table, our enameled cast iron and Toughened Non-stick PRO Braisers and Sauté Pans are ideal for preparing these versatile meals. Sear and sauté on the stovetop, then add the rest of the ingredients to finish off the cooking hands-free in the oven. Whisk the pot straight to the table to double as an elegant serving dish. Bonus that one-dish meals can also be cooked ahead, just store any finishing touches like citrus, fresh herbs or toasted nuts separate and add just before serving for the freshest flavor.
Get the Recipe: Braised Chickpeas with Halloumi and Spinach
Make Breakfast the Day Before
Meal prep isn’t just for dinner, it can also ensure you never skip the most important meal of the day. Many popular breakfast items, such as quiche, frittata and egg strata are just as delicious the next day as they are when first prepared. Even better, they can be stored in the dish you cook them in and then reheated in the morning. For making individual portions, Non-stick Metal Muffin Pans are great for cooking items such as egg cups and muffins for a delicious and healthy grab-and-go breakfast.
Get the Recipe: Blueberry Muffins with Brown Sugar Oat Crumble
