Plan Ahead

1. At the grocery store, purchase items in the form you will use them in a recipe; purchase (ie shredded cheese or pre-cut fresh vegetables).
2. Cook extra rice on weekends and refrigerate or freeze to use in quick-prep weeknight dishes (use in casseroles, fried rice; with stir-fries; add to wraps and soups).
3. Read recipes in advance and plan out the do-ahead steps.
4. Assemble ingredients before beginning to cook to determine if you have all ingredients on hand before you begin.
5. If recipe calls for cooked rice or a packaged seasoned rice product, start cooking rice first, then begin preparation of the recipe ingredients.