O1. Cook A Theme Dinner
Meatless (or macaroni) Monday, Turkey Thursday, Fish Fridays, Sandwich Saturdays… you get the idea. Themed dinners are all the rage these days, and it’s easy to see why. By assigning a category to each day, you’ll have a clear “blueprint” for dinner. So no, rules aren’t set in stone. But there’s still some semblance of order and direction — just with a tad bit of wiggle room if you’re feeling inspired.
O2. Organize A Food Bar
The last thing you want to do on busy weeknights is make entirely separate meals that cater to everyone’s conflicting taste preferences. But when faced with one die-hard tomato lover and another ardent tomato hater, what is the humble home cook to do? DIY food bars, that’s what. Not only are they versatile and customizable, but they’re also easy to prep in advance, foster creativity, require practically no recipes, and are inherently communal.
O3. Take Your Taste Buds International
Discover a world of flavor from the comfort of your kitchen with globally-inspired recipes (conveniently tagged with GLOBAL EATS on the HelloFresh menu). From sticky-sweet Asian stir-frys to herb-studded Argentinian chimichurri, it’s easier than you think to take your taste buds on a trip around the world, no passport required.
O4. Cook With A Cocktail
Sipping on a flavorful, fruity, and boozy wine cocktail will surely help warm your spirits while you wait for spring to arrive (and your food to cook).
O5. Turn Up The Music
Cooking is prime time to dance like no one’s watching — and sing, too. Preparing a hearty sauce, lasagna, or meatloaf? “That’s Amore,” obviously. For more elegant fare, “Swan Lake.” On repeat. All night long. And if your meal walks the line between sweet and savory (think dried fruit, glazes, etc), “Sweet Caroline” is a must.
O6. Whip Up A One-Pot Wonder
Your to-do list is a mile long. The dog needs to be walked, car pooling needs to happen, and dinner? Haven’t even thought about it. We’ve been there. We get it. On the days when free time is not your friend and you think there’s no way I could cook dinner tonight, remember these 10 one-pot meals. Remember that it’s possible to whip up a hearty, delicious, and simple meal without slaving over a Jenga stack of dirty dishes after words. And hey? You may even have fun in the process
O7. Play With Your Food
Is there anything more beautiful than avocado roses perfectly assembled on a piece of toast? Anything? ANYTHING? Picture perfect, if you ask us (and not as hard as you might think). So go ahead — play with your food. Make beautiful patterns, rainbows, food gradients, and roses. ‘Cause let’s be honest, you definitely eat with your eyes first.
O8. Make The Kitchen Your Happy Place
Before you bust out the pots and pans, give your kitchen some love and scrub, scrub, scrub until everything’s spick and span. But instead of the usual all-purpose cleaners, try your hand at making them from scratch. Not only do they come together in less time than it’ll take you to drive to and from the store, but they’ll save you money, too. And the best part? No harsh chemicals. Before you know it, your spotless kitchen with fresh, citrusy scents will become your new happy place, cooking will become part of your fun, go-to groove, and you’ll never look back.
O9. Forget About Perfection
Some dinners take a turn for the worst. It happens to everyone; we’re all human. The important thing to remember is that stressing over perfectly roasted veggies (golden brown but not charred-kinda golden) or impeccably cooked steak (medium, moist, tender) is a sure way to put a damper on the fun. Far easier said than done, we know, but try not to take yourself too seriously.
10. Cook With Friends
Key ingredients include actual conversation, team building without an obstacle course, and less time ’till dinner.