By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern
Now that school is back in full swing, and so are music lessons, sports practice, and the like, finding the time to prepare and make homemade dinners can feel impossible. Sometimes it just seems easier to pull a frozen pizza out of the freezer, or swing through a fast-food place, or get takeout. But we all know that nothing beats a healthy, homemade dinner. With a few little tips and tricks, making dinner at home can actually be pretty easy, even on those hectic, busy days! 
Keep Your Pantry Stocked
One of the best ways to get started with cooking homemade meals is to actually have ingredients in your fridge and pantry to use! Keeping your fridge, pantry, and freezer full of essentials such as rice, quinoa, oats, beans, meats, veggies, and fruits!
Buy in Bulk, Cook in Bulk
This tip I learned from watching my mom cook for my three brothers and I for many years. About once or twice a month, she would hit up a Costco or Sam’s Club and buy long-lasting ingredients in bulk, some of which she would cook immediately, and some of which she would store. Another thing that she would do is cook basic foods such as potatoes, ground meat, or rice in bulk and then use them for multiple dinners throughout the week.
Store the Leftovers
After everyone has eaten, and you get up to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen, don’t just toss the remains of your meal. Keep the extras in the fridge or freezer! You can use these leftovers in so many different ways, from eating them for the next day’s lunch, or using them creatively in a different meal later in the week.
Multitask
If it feels like you’re short on time, multitasking while cooking is your best option for still getting dinner on the table! Start cooking the foods that take the longest first, and while those are cooking, begin preparing some of the other foods. For example, you could start browning the ground beef and cooking the noodles for spaghetti, and while those are on the stove, start washing and chopping the lettuce and other veggies for the salad.
Save Recipes and Keep Track of Favorites
A common problem to run into when making dinner is what to even make for dinner! When you’re in a hurry, it’s definitely not the time for searching for and trying out a new recipe. So, save recipes that you have prepared in the past and know what your family likes. That way, choosing what’s for dinner is much quicker and will be readily accepted by the rest of your family.
Hopefully, some of these tips help you to still prepare a healthy, delicious homemade dinner for your family despite your busy schedules! For some delicious recipes, check out the Fill Your Plate recipes page and other blog articles!