If you ask us, access to fresh, affordable food goes beyond the physical access of location and geography -- access also depends on having the know-how and the time to cook regularly for ourselves and our families. It’s easy to say that cooking at home is cheaper in dollars than eating out. But the rest of the story is that cooking can be more expensive in time, which is something most of us wish we had more of. That’s why, in The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre®, we put extra effort into providing class participants with practical, time-saving advice for everything from meal planning and pre-prep to using leftovers and packing healthy lunches.

If you want to save both time and money in the kitchen, meal planning is key. Follow our step by step process to get started.

See a meal plan in action, including a sample menu and grocery list, here. Highlight: make multiple dishes throughout the week that use the same ingredients so they can be re-purposed, cutting down on food waste and saving time.

And if you’re just getting started in the kitchen, here are some of our best ideas to help you get going!

Let’s get cooking!