Save Time and Alleviate Stress with Quick & Easy Meal Ideas!

Hello Fellow Busy Home Cooks!   

In today’s fast-paced world, having quick and easy meals on hand can be a total game-changer. It's tempting to get take-out on evenings where you feel like an uber driver, but knowing how to whip up something tasty in no time can save you a lot of money, alleviate stress & give you more than you bargained for!   Read on for the benefits of having some Quick & Easy Meal Ideas on hand, and how we can help!   

Let’s dive into why having easy meals on hand (and learning how to make them even faster) can transform your daily routine:

1. Saves You Time

We’re all busy, and cooking a full meal from scratch can be time-consuming. Quick and easy meals allow you to get something delicious on the table in anywhere from 15 minutes or under an hour.   Whether it’s a simple recipe with minimal ingredients, or a sauce that does double duty in multiple recipes, or a way to repurpose leftovers, our Quick & Easy recipes & classes are designed to save you time in the end.   Getting organized first and foremost in the kitchen will save you time.  Pre-prepping and learning basic knife skills will save you hours!   

2. Reduces Stress

Nothing beats coming home after a long day and knowing what's for dinner.  The stress of figuring out what to cook melts away when you’ve got easy to prep options on hand.  Plus, learning new skills from an online cooking class can boost your kitchen confidence, so you’ll never feel stuck or overwhelmed when it comes to meal decisions. Imagine knowing exactly what to make, and how to make it quickly!   

3. Healthier Choices

With quick and easy meals at the ready, you can skip the takeout and avoid unhealthy snacking.   It's no secret that cooking at home can help you control what you put in your food!   Using good quality, simple ingredients with time-honoured cooking techniques allows you to control what you need to make healthier choices.  Be is salt, oil or fats, carbs... learn to make healthier versions of your favourite take-out foods!  Our Bibimbap is a perfect example of making healthy take-out at home!  

4. Portion Control & Balance

Many quick meals from the freezer aisle come pre-portioned, but cooking your own meals can give you even more control over ingredients and serving sizes.  We absolutely love these containers for making a big batch of our favourite Butter Chicken recipe (freezes well) or our Sticky Pulled chicken and then packing them up in individual containers for a quick & easy meal that just needs reheating.  

5. Cost Savings

Quick, homemade meals are far more budget-friendly than constantly ordering takeout. When you know how to cook efficiently you’ll cut down on waste, use up pantry ingredients, and stretch your food budget further. It’s all about making the most of what you have without overspending!

6. Perfect for Families

Got kids or 'selective' eaters at home? Quick meals make it easy to satisfy everyone without having to prepare multiple dishes. Our favourite Quick & Easy Meal recipes for families include our Olivieri Gnocchi Carbonara, Jody's Family Beef Barley Soup recipe, and of course the infamous Tomato Onion & Butter Sauce recipe, cooks as fast as it does to boil a pot of pasta!  

How can we help? Take an Online Cooking Class: 

When you take an online cooking class, you can learn time-saving techniques from Chef's Jody & Kirstie:  we are not only professional chefs, but busy moms as well!  We all want to eat well, but many of us don’t feel like we have the time to cook elaborate meals every day. That’s where online cooking classes come in! Here’s how they can benefit you:

• Master Time-Saving Techniques: Learn shortcuts, knife skills, and meal-prepping methods to speed up your time in the kitchen.
• Gain Confidence: Feel empowered with new recipes, cooking skills, and meal-planning ideas that make quick meals a breeze.
• Variety: Tired of eating the same meals over and over? Online classes will introduce you to new flavors and cuisines that are quick to prepare.  Our top-three Quick & Easy Meal Classes right now are Kung Pao Chicken at home (no deep fryer required!), Lasagna Souperole (perfect for portioning out leftovers) and Chicken Teriyaki (a true better than take-out experience!) 
• Convenience: You can learn at your own pace, from the comfort of your kitchen, without needing to stick to a rigid schedule.
• Support for All Skill Levels: Whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned home cook, there’s always something new to learn!

Pro-Tips for Quick & Easy Meals

• Prep on weekends: Make big batches of food and portion them out for the week ahead.  
• Focus on balanced ingredients: Try to include a good mix of proteins, vegetables, and grains.
• Stock up smartly: Keep your pantry and freezer filled with versatile ingredients like frozen vegetables, pre-cooked grains (we love quinoa!) and healthy proteins.
• Enroll in a cooking class: Learn how to cook efficiently, improve your technique, and make fast meals that taste amazing!

Whether you’re prepping ahead or learning new recipes on the fly, the combination of convenient meals and new cooking skills
is a winning strategy! 

Happy Cooking!
Jody & Kirstie