15 Dinner Shortcuts That Only Work When You’ve Been Cooking for Decades
Ever wonder how your grandma managed to whip up a three-course meal faster than you can find your takeout menu? Turns out, kitchen wisdom is like a superpower that only gets stronger with age (and maybe a few burnt casseroles). If you’ve been around the stove a few times, you know there are shortcuts that only seasoned cooks can pull off without disaster.
Ready to level up your dinner game? Here are 15 time-saving tricks that only work if you’ve got years of kitchen mishaps and triumphs under your belt. Spoiler alert: You might finally impress your in-laws.
Using homemade chicken or veggie stock frozen in ice cube trays for instant flavor boosts
Homemade stock cubes are the kitchen equivalent of magic spells. Pop a couple of those frozen flavor bombs into soups, sauces, or rice, and you’ll feel like a culinary wizard.
No need to open a whole carton or play fridge Tetris with a giant jar. Just grab a cube, toss it in, and pat yourself on the back for being so organized.
Freezing stock in small portions means you only use what you need and waste less. Just don’t forget to label them, unless you enjoy playing “Guess That Mystery Cube” at dinnertime.
Pour cooled stock into ice cube trays, freeze, then store the cubes in a freezer bag. You’ll always have a flavor boost on standby, and your freezer will thank you for the extra space.
Pre-roasting garlic heads in bulk to add depth to any savory dish
Bulk-roasting garlic is like sending your taste buds on vacation. Drizzle whole heads with olive oil, roast until golden, and suddenly everything tastes fancier.
Roasted garlic turns sweet and creamy, losing its raw bite. It’s perfect for spreading on bread, mixing into sauces, or sneaking into soups when you want to feel like a chef on TV.
Store roasted garlic in the fridge or freezer, so you always have it ready. The bonus? The olive oil you used gets infused with garlic flavor, making even your Tuesday night pasta taste gourmet.
Roast a bunch every few weeks, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without this trick. Your breath may never recover, but your dinners will.
Mastering a large batch of caramelized onions to freeze and enhance meals
Caramelizing onions is basically a patience test. But if you make a huge batch at once, you can skip the tears (and the constant stirring) for weeks.
Slice a mountain of onions, cook them down until sweet and golden, then cool and freeze in small portions. Ice cube trays work here too, unless you need them for your stock cubes—choose your battles wisely.
Frozen caramelized onions are your secret weapon for soups, burgers, or sauces. Just toss them in, and suddenly your meal tastes like you spent hours slaving away.
No more starting from scratch on busy nights. Make a batch, freeze it, and enjoy the sweet taste of victory (and onions).
Preparing and freezing herb butters for quick sauce and flavor additions
Herb butter: because everything is better with butter and a little bit of “I grew these herbs myself” energy. Mix fresh herbs into softened butter, shape into logs, and freeze.
Slice off a piece whenever you need a quick sauce or want to look fancy at dinner. No one needs to know you made it weeks ago.
You can even mold the butter into fun shapes if you’re feeling extra. Freezing keeps it fresh, so you always have a ready-to-use flavor boost.
Who knew butter could make you feel so accomplished?
Always having a jar of homemade curry paste in the fridge to speed up ethnic dishes
A jar of homemade curry paste is like a culinary cheat code. When you want a flavorful meal fast, skip the spice-grinding marathon.
Homemade paste means you control the flavor and heat. It stays fresh in the fridge or freezer, ready for Thai curries, Indian dishes, or even as a marinade.
Making your own isn’t as scary as it sounds. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder why you ever bought the store stuff.
Dinner in a hurry? Just add a spoonful, and pretend you spent hours prepping.
Par-cooking proteins and freezing them to finish later in any recipe
Par-cooking proteins is the ultimate “future you” favor. Cook chicken, beef, or pork partway, freeze in portions, and finish cooking when hunger strikes.
This trick saves time and keeps your meats juicy, because nobody likes shoe-leather chicken. Just finish cooking to the right temp, and dinner is done in record time.
No more panic defrosting or eating cereal for dinner. Par-cooked proteins are your new best friend.
Making a versatile dough (like pie or pizza) and storing it ready to roll
Having dough ready to go is like having a pizza party on standby. Mix up a big batch, wrap tightly, and store in the fridge or freezer.
When the craving hits, just thaw, roll, and bake. No flour explosions or last-minute dough drama.
This shortcut is a lifesaver for pizza, pies, or even emergency cinnamon rolls. Your future self will thank you (and so will your family).
Layering and freezing fully assembled casseroles that just need baking
Assemble your casserole, freeze it uncooked, and you’ve got dinner ready for any crisis (or when you just can’t deal with dishes).
Use freezer-friendly ingredients and wrap it tight to avoid freezer burn. Label it, or risk the “mystery dinner” game later.
When you’re ready to eat, bake straight from the freezer. Add extra time and enjoy homemade dinner without the last-minute chaos.
Keeping a stash of homemade spice blends tailored to your favorite cuisines
Having your own spice blends is like having a secret handshake with your taste buds. Mix up blends for Italian, Mexican, or Indian dishes and store them in labeled containers.
No more digging through your spice drawer or accidentally grabbing cinnamon instead of cumin. Just grab your blend and go.
Homemade blends stay fresh longer and let you skip the measuring. Plus, you get bragging rights for being that organized.
Using a slowly cooked bone broth concentrate instead of store-bought broth
Homemade bone broth concentrate is what happens when patience meets flavor. Simmer bones for hours until you have a thick, rich concentrate that blows store-bought broth out of the water.
Just add a spoonful to soups or sauces for instant depth. You’ll use less and get more flavor, plus you skip the mystery ingredients in boxed broths.
Make a big batch and freeze in small portions. Your future self (and your taste buds) will be forever grateful.
Pre-chopping and freezing mirepoix mixes (onion, celery, carrot) in portioned bags
Raise your hand if you’ve ever opened your fridge and found a sad, wilted carrot staring back at you like it knows you failed at adulting.
Here’s a trick that might save your veggies (and your dignity): chop onions, celery, and carrots all at once, then portion them into bags.
This classic combo is called mirepoix, which sounds fancy but really just means “I’m too lazy to chop every single day.”
Toss those bags in the freezer and stack them flat like you’re building a tiny vegetable skyscraper.
When you need to whip up a soup or stew, just grab a bag and toss it in the pot—no more emergency onion tears.
Plus, you’ll finally use up those veggies before they turn into science experiments.
If you’re curious about the science of freezing mirepoix (or just want an excuse to procrastinate), check out this guide on how to freeze mirepoix for easy meal prep.
Roasting and freezing a big tray of mixed vegetables for quick side dishes
Ever stared at your oven wondering if it does more than just reheat pizza?
Try roasting a big batch of mixed veggies—fresh or frozen, whatever’s lurking in your fridge.
Toss them in oil, add some salt and pepper, then spread them out on a tray like you’re casting for the next Veggie Avengers movie.
Roast at a high temp so they get crispy and golden, not sad and soggy.
Give them a shuffle halfway through so nobody gets left out.
Once cooled, freeze them in portions so you can pull out a ready-made side dish whenever you need to pretend you have your life together.
Next time you want a quick side, just reheat in the oven or on the stove and act like you totally planned this all along.
Curious about roasting frozen veggies without turning them into mush? Check out this guide.
Cooking grains or beans in bulk and freezing in meal-sized portions
If you’ve ever cooked a mountain of rice or beans and wondered how you’ll eat it all before it grows legs, welcome to the club.
Make your life easier by cooking grains or beans in bulk, then freezing them in meal-sized portions.
Scoop them into containers or bags, and you’ll always have the perfect amount ready to go—no more guessing games.
When hunger strikes, just reheat and pretend you’re the kind of person who always has a plan.
Pair your grains or beans with whatever veggies, sauces, or proteins you find in your fridge.
Batch cooking like this means you’re basically a meal prep wizard, minus the pointy hat.
Find more batch cooking ideas at Simple Bites on freezer-friendly grains.
Soaking and par-boiling dried pasta, then freezing it for quick reheating
Pasta cravings don’t wait for water to boil—so why should you?
Try soaking or par-boiling your pasta ahead of time, then freezing it in small portions.
After soaking or par-boiling until it’s just undercooked, drain and spread the noodles out on a baking sheet.
Once frozen, toss them in a bag and stash them in your freezer like a pasta squirrel.
When you’re ready to eat, just toss the frozen pasta in boiling water or zap it in the microwave. Dinner is ready before you can say “where’s the parmesan?”
For more on soaking pasta and saving both time and sanity, check out the tips at tastingtable.com.
Using a cast iron skillet to finish multiple dishes evenly and efficiently
Ever feel like you need eight arms and a time machine just to get dinner on the table? Enter the cast iron skillet, your new best friend in the kitchen.
This pan is like the superhero of cookware. It holds heat like it’s hoarding it for winter, so your food cooks evenly without those sneaky hot spots.
You can sear meat, sauté veggies, or even bake a dessert that will make you look like you actually know what you’re doing. The skillet is perfect for dishes that start on the stove and finish in the oven, so you don’t have to play musical chairs with your pans.
It spreads heat slowly and keeps it steady, which means you’re less likely to burn dinner and more likely to impress your family or at least avoid their judgmental stares.
Try cooking in batches and keeping finished items warm right in the skillet. You’ll save yourself from a mountain of dirty dishes and maybe even have time to watch that show you keep pretending you’ve seen.
The seasoning on your skillet adds a little extra flavor with every use, like a secret ingredient that only you know about.
Switching from stove to oven with the same pan is a game changer. It saves time, energy, and possibly your sanity.
Once you master heat control and give your skillet a little TLC, it’ll be your trusty sidekick for years to come.
If you want more tips and tricks, check out this cast iron cooking guide.
