If you are like me, when tired and home late from work, it is tempting to order in or eat something unhealthy on the way.  Follow these 6 tips on cooking quick meals in your home. It it easier to cook something healthy and good under these circumstances.

1. Get Everyone On Board

It is unfair to stand on your own in the kitchen and do everything.  Make this into a fun time where the kids help out and have their say on the menu.  My experience is when I involve the kids they are more likely to eat everything.  If they help make it they are more likely to eat something healthy.

2. Get the Basics Out of the Way

Some ingredients you tend to use in most cooking. Onion, garlic, tomatoes, pepper, etc.  Why not chop them up and put them in containers store them in the refrigerator.  This shortens the time it takes to create a meal as the preparation time is usually the most time consuming. Frying things on a pan takes the least time.  Try out different ingredients and see which ones you use the most.  I guarantee that you are more motivated to cook at home when you know in your mind that it will only take a few minutes.

3.  Pre Cook

Pre cook the brown rice, barley or other grains or beans and save another 20 to 30 minutes in waiting time.  You will have a meal ready in 15 minutes instead of an hour. Combined with the pre basics to stir fry on its own  or as a complement with a chicken breast fried on a pan.

4.  Knife Investment

By having a good knife that chops everything like a dream, you get even more motivated to pre chop food for the week.  Do research on different knifes, test in stores, or be lazy and order a good Japanese knife online.  The chopping becomes a new experience, one that you would want to repeat week after week.

5. Be Original

Try new ingredients, test new flavors. Find new textures to add to your basic ingredients. Be creative in what ingredients work well together and try mixing them up. You will surprise yourself at some meals you would never have thought could work.  The joy you will get out of creating something based on your imagination is more than you might think.

6. Use Spices to Change the Flavor

By having different spices to change the flavor of the same basic dish, you don´t need to create a new dish every day. Only change the flavor.  Read my blog on a few different spices that are both super healthy and rich in flavor.

This will inspire you to create more interesting quick meals at home instead of ordering in. Which costs more and is usually less healthy.