Lots of recipes I share are excellent time-savers, but there are many tricks and techniques  for busy families that can save you even more time in the kitchen-from the way you organize your kitchen to shortcuts that minimize those dreaded cleanup chores.

Kitchen Planning and Working Ahead

One key to saving time in the kitchen is to have a place for everything. Arrange your utensils for your convenience according to the type and amount of use they get. If you have a smaller kitchen or it’s not functionally designed, invest in a few inexpensive kitchen organizers– a pegboard(for your weekly menu), a spice rack (to organize your spices so they are easily accessed), or drawers that can be attached to the bottom of a wall-hung kitchen cabinet.

Be sure to keep your refrigerator just as organized as your kitchen cabinets, pantry and drawers. Designate spots for such items like the mayonnaise, salad dressings, milk and juice that you already have on hand. Maintaining a refrigerator that’s organized and clean, not only saves on time but also cuts down on wasting food.

Efficient kitchen tools are important too. Always make sure your knives are sharp and your kitchen appliances in good repair. (You can take your knives to your local kitchen store and they can sharpen them for you. And be surer to always send in those warranties on your kitchen appliances.) Cutting up a chicken can be a 10-minute job with a sharp knife and kitchen shears or a 20-minute hassle with dull knives. You can keep your knives well honed by running them over a sharpening stone once or twice every time you use them.