Time-Saving Tips from Your Cooking Coach

Two people cooking together can get dinner on the table more quickly. It’s also a nice way to connect after a day apart. Either of these two modes works to get dinner on the table faster, whether it’s two adults or one adult and a capable child.

• Designate a lead cook and prep cook One person makes dinner while the other assists. The lead cook has chosen the recipe(s) and created a shopping list. (Either one does the shopping.) At game time, the lead cook is in charge of timing and making sure dinner is a success, directing the prep cook to wash and chop veggies or measure ingredients into prep bowls. The prep cook can also make a simple side dish.

• Have a solo cook and a non-cook partner One makes dinner while the other focuses on other essential household tasks such as loading or unloading the dishwasher, washing pots and pans, helping the kids with homework, walking the dog, tidying up, setting the table, and getting everyone their favorite beverage.

Not everyone can cook a week of food on Sunday afternoon, but there are simple ways to get ahead on dinner prep.

• Prep an ingredient or component in advance For example, if a recipe calls for Parmesan on Monday, grate some extra to use in a recipe later in the week. Likewise, many sauces are fine made a day or two in advance. These tasks can be tackled on the weekend, or even after dinner during the week, so that things go faster another night.

• Take 5 minutes to get organized in the morning Move anything that needs to be defrosted to the fridge. Double check that the parsley in the crisper drawer still looks fine. Put canned goods on the counter so you don’t need to hunt around for them when you get home. If you work at home, spend 10 minutes at lunch or during a midafternoon break organizing dinner. This can be as simple as draining and rinsing a can of chickpeas, washing salad greens or herbs, or measuring out ingredients.

• Involve kids in menu planning Ask at breakfast whether your kids would prefer recipe A, B, or C. This encourages compromise and taking turns and gave them a stake in the process. Do the same thing with side dishes. Do you want crispy broccolini or olive oil green beans?

• Give kids age-appropriate tasks Start with setting the table and move on to ­ measuring ingredients and whisking and stirring. A size-appropriate apron can be surprisingly helpful— many kids love anything that involves dress-up. Whenever possible, serve garnishes and sauces on the side. This lets kids avoid things they don’t like, and it gives them the opportunity to customize their dinner plate.

• Put a bowl of flake sea salt on the table too Even if kids are just seasoning their own food, giving them the ability to “finish” their dinner can be helpful.

• Find plain side dishes your kids enjoy and serve them often If your kids aren’t wild about tonight’s dinner, it’s good to know there’s something else they will eat. Also, flatbreads stashed in the freezer and easily reheated in the oven are helpful on nights when kids are mostly eating the side dish for dinner.

Customizing recipes is highly personal but there are some strategies that increase the odds of success.

• Make recipes as written, at least once When trying a new recipe, it’s important to follow the instructions as written.

• Figure out the formula Every recipe has a basic structure, core technique, or ratio of ingredients that makes the dish unique. Don’t tamper with these. But try a different protein or grain, switch up the seasonings, or use an analogous cooking method (many grill recipes work perfectly fine under the broiler).

Seasoned cooks get bored. It happens. We've found that one of two approaches will help keep up interest in cooking. In both cases, it’s about building your pantry, which makes it easier to cook new dishes.

• Explore a new cuisine There’s much to learn about so many cuisines based on travel, favorite restaurants, and reading novels set abroad. Once you start buying pantry staples for a few Spanish or Indian recipes, for ­ example, the shopping for future recipes from that cuisine becomes progressively easier.

• Discover a new ingredient For example, a popular condiment is chili crisp, delicious when used as a garnish with both noodles and proteins. This applies to tahini, preserved lemons, za’atar, and high-end canned tuna packed in olive oil. Find an ingredient you love and that will shape new recipes you decide to test out.