Don't dumb down the food.
True, kids have delicate taste buds, but that doesn't mean they should be served only pasta with butter. In fact, it's all the more reason to give them flavorful food; with their naturally sensitive palates, children really notice when something tastes good. I expected my kids to shun garlic when they were babies, for instance -- but a little bit makes so many things taste better, even to a 1-year-old! I do avoid very spicy foods and funky, stinky things like blue cheese. Other than that, I cook the same kinds of meals for my family that I used to cook for friends.
Save time cooking
Does your mind go blank when faced with what to make for dinner? We have cheat sheets taped inside our cabinets, with easy recipes and ingredient lists. We also keep track of recipes that our family likes, jotting down the cookbook and page number before it permanently leaves our memory. Cooking familiar dishes or ones with limited ingredients saves shopping, prep, and cooking time. Look for meals that cook quickly or can be left unattended. Save a more involved recipe for the weekend -- and double it so you can freeze half for another meal.
Plan ahead before you shop. Look through the cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer and see how you can use up what you have on hand. Then rough out the week's meal plan -- or at least aim for a few days at a time -- to shorten the number of trips to the market and avoid ingredient overlap.
Speed cleanup
Before starting dinner prep, run and empty your dishwasher so you have a place to put dirty items. Keep a trash bin or empty bowl handy while cooking to deposit all wrappers and waste immediately. If there's a lot of mixing or measuring, cover your work space with wax paper to catch spills.
Use larger mixing bowls than you think you'll need. This eliminates messy spills and overflows, and you won't have to transfer ingredients to a larger bowl midway through the recipe (and then have two bowls to wash).
Line baking sheets and pans with foil or parchment paper -- no washing!
Invest in quality cookware. Heavy-duty pots, such as cast-iron or stainless steel pans will cook more evenly and are less likely to scorch. Those with ovenproof handles can go from the stovetop to the oven.
Keep things tidy as you go. Wipe spills before they get a chance to harden, and keep a sink filled with soapy water to rinse utensils and to wash or soak pots while the meal cooks. Before you know it, dinner is ready and your kitchen is virtually clean!
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