blog details

Our 5 Best Cooking Tricks for Nights When You Just Cant

As ambitious as we all try to be in the kitchen, some days really get the best of us. Maybe you lost track of time, realized you’re missing an ingredient (or two) for the dinner you planned to make, or you’re just too tired. There’s a good chance you’ll jump ship, and that’s OK. This is where being a lazy-yet-productive cook in the kitchen comes in handy.

Here at The Kitchn, we value ease just as much as flavor. Meals should not only taste great, but also always be truly worth the effort you put in to make them — especially when you’re making them for others.

Being a lazy, smart cook at home is more about preparation and strategy. To prep, stock up on shortcut ingredients to save yourself a future trip to the store. The strategy: Be kind to yourself, don’t overthink it, and have fun. 

Here, we’ll share some of our favorite tricks and methods so you never have to think twice about what’s for dinner on those nights when you just can’t. Your future self will thank you. 

Do some lazy food math.

Many of us struggle with math, and when there’s food involved, the stakes can get high fast. But we’ll keep things super simple. Below are our favorite easy dinner equations truly anyone can solve. 

• Boxed mac and cheese + frozen veggies = meal. You can’t go wrong with this classic combo! 
• Packaged sauce or spice mix + protein = meal. We’re fans of Omsom sauce packets, Maya Kaimal simmer sauces, and taco seasoning. 
• Jarred soup + pasta = meal. Make it fun with tortellini or mini ravioli like Senior Groceries Editor Mara Weinraub. 
• Instant noodles + eggs = meal. We rave about this combo, and Culinary Producer James Park has even waxed poetic about it.