There are two main ways to get ahead in your cooking. You can either combine ingredients and freeze before cooking, or cook all of the food and freeze it to thaw and reheat later. There are benefits to each, which we will cover and then look at a few other ways to prepare food for easy preparation.

Cook First – For those with time constraints, such as a second job, kid’s soccer practice or even a late night out with friends, cooking first is the way to go. Just as the title conveys, this involves cooking all of the food first, letting it cool down and then storing it in the freezer to be used at a later date. The best part about this preparation method is the almost-instant door to table effect.

Since this food is already cooked, it only needs to be warmed up to your liking which can be accomplished within a few moments of walking in the door. Unlike the freeze first method there is no fresh cooking. If you are not a fan of eating leftovers, this may not be the ideal preparation method for you.

Other preparation techniques for foods include dehydrating, pickling and curing. With all of these techniques, food can last longer and be ready almost instantaneously. Not only does this help save money, it tastes great and is generally healthier than eating out. Get everyone in the kitchen one night and cook or prepare, until the cows come home. Once this is done and the food is in the freezer, you won’t even have to second-guess dinner for the next month. It also gives you a plethora of options to choose from for those indecisive ones in the family. The only thing left is deciding who does the dishes.