For most of us—especially busy executives—time is our most precious commodity. Between meetings, deadlines, and personal commitments, finding time to cook can feel impossible. This is particularly true for female executives balancing work and family, but it is likely true for anyone wanting to eat healthy and wholesome home-cooked food, while living our extraordinarily busy 21st century lives.
I’m happily single and don’t have children, but I still find it challenging to make sure I eat well during the week. The only way I manage is by keeping my kitchen, fridge, freezer, and pantry fully stocked and dedicating one Sunday per month to prepping meals for the days when even a 20-minute dinner feels like too much effort. On those days, I simply reach for one of my home-cooked frozen “TV dinners.”
The Professional Kitchen Mindset
In a busy kitchen, time is precious. While waiting for water to boil, don’t just stand there! Use that time to chop vegetables, measure spices, or set the table.
Spend some time in a professional kitchen, and you’ll quickly learn that if you don’t prepare properly, you’re setting yourself up for chaos. I’ve seen chefs in Michelin-starred kitchens lose their tempers (and occasionally, launch a potato) when service starts, and someone isn’t ready.
If you don’t want your weeknight cooking to feel like a battle, embrace these three golden rules: prepare well, work cleanly, and keep moving.
Step 1: Keep Your Kitchen Ready to Go
A well-stocked kitchen is the foundation of quick, stress-free cooking. You don’t need endless gadgets or rare spices, just the right basics:
Pantry Staples:
- High-quality olive oil and neutral oil for cooking
- Dried pasta, rice, and grains
- Canned tomatoes, beans, and coconut milk
- Vinegars, soy sauce, and mustards
- Nuts and seeds for texture and nutrition
- Herbs and spices (cumin, paprika, oregano, thyme—whichever you use often)
Fridge & Freezer Must-Haves:
- Eggs, butter, and hard cheese (like Parmesan)
- Fresh lemons and garlic
- Pre-cut or blanched vegetables (to speed up prep)
- Frozen proteins: portioned fish, chicken, or beef
- Pre-made stocks, sauces, or soups (homemade or store-bought)
Step 2: Master the Art of Batch Cooking
Cooking from scratch every single day isn’t realistic, not for me. Instead, I dedicate one Sunday a month to prepping meals for the freezer. This way, when I’m too exhausted to cook, I can reach for a home-cooked frozen meal instead of defaulting to takeout.
Some of my favorite batch-cooked meals:
- Soups and Stews – Lentil soup, chili, or a hearty vegetable stew all freeze beautifully.
- Batch-Cooked Proteins – A batch of homemade Jimmy Dean sausages that go straight into the air fryer from frozen, or a large batch of Spanish meatballs—some precooked with a sauce like Albóndigas en Salsa de Tomate or Salsa de Almendra, others simply formed, cooked, and frozen, ready to heat.
- Vegetable & Ingredient Prep – A batch of homemade sundried tomatoes stored in the fridge, along with prepped spinach or green beans in the freezer for easy access to vegetables.
- Homemade Sauces – Pesto, curry pastes, or tomato sauce make weeknight meals effortless.
Step 3: The Right Tools Make All the Difference
Having the right equipment is a game-changer. You don’t need every gadget on the market—just a few essentials:
- A sharp chef’s knife – If you only invest in one thing, let it be this.
- A sturdy cutting board – Preferably a large one, so you have space to work.
- A frying pan and a saucepan – For quick sautés, searing meat, and frying eggs, with one and making sauces, boiling pasta, or simmering soups and stews with the other.
- A large oven tray – Perfect for roasting vegetables, baking, or batch-cooking proteins.
- Storage containers – For freezing meals in portion sizes.
Step 4: Speed Up Cooking Without Sacrificing Quality
- Mise en place is your best friend – Before you start cooking, take five minutes to chop, measure, and lay everything out. It saves time and stress.
- Cook once, eat twice – If you’re roasting chicken, do an extra portion for the next day’s salad or wrap.
- Use pre-prepped ingredients – Buying pre-cut veggies or pre-washed greens can be a lifesaver when time is tight.
Cooking Should Work for You, Not the Other Way Around
At the end of the day, cooking is about making life easier, not harder. By keeping your kitchen stocked, planning ahead, and using smart shortcuts, you can ensure that even on your busiest days, a good meal is never out of reach. Whether it’s a perfectly planned dish or a home-cooked freezer meal, the goal is the same: eating well without adding more stress to your life.
So, next time you feel too exhausted to cook, remember that a little preparation goes a long way. And if all else fails? There’s always the backup plan—a glass of wine, a piece of good cheese, and a handful of nuts. Quick, satisfying, and (technically) homemade.
