Save Time in the Kitchen: Smart Cooking Tips

Some days, cooking feels like it takes more time than we actually have. Over the years, I’ve learned that a few simple habits and tools can make everyday cooking much faster and easier — without sacrificing healthy, homemade meals. Here are some of my favorite time-saving kitchen tips.

Use a pressure cooker: Pressure cookers dramatically reduce cooking time for beans, soups, stews, and meats. They also save energy and require less supervision.

Program your oven: If your oven has a timer or delayed start function, use it. Your meal can cook while you do something else — no need to watch the clock.

Cook in covered oven dishes: Covered casseroles or baking dishes keep food moist, cook evenly, and reduce the need for stirring or checking.

Cook multiple dishes at once: Use the oven efficiently by preparing a main dish and something else — even a cake — at the same time when temperatures allow. This saves both time and energy.

Prep ingredients in advance: Washing and chopping vegetables ahead of time makes everyday cooking much faster.

Choose one-pot or sheet-pan meals: Fewer dishes to wash means less time spent cleaning.

Clean as you go: A simple habit that makes cooking feel lighter and more organized.

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With small changes like these, cooking becomes simpler, faster, and more enjoyable — and your kitchen works for you instead of the other way around.

💡 Want more tips like this? Check my Tips page of the blog — small ideas that make everyday cooking easier and faster.