It’s a Tuesday night. I’m on my way home from work when a familiar anxiety starts to creep in: Called mom? Check. Went to the gym? Check. Renewed driver’s license? Check. So what is that gnawing feeling? Oh, right, it’s dinnertime, and I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to make. All I have in the fridge is a carton of hummus, half a bottle of rosé, and a bunch of wilted greens. (Is that kale or spinach?)

Everyone’s been there (both I and my co-cookbook-author, Kathy Brennan, are professional food writers, so, trust when I say we’ve all been there). But even though a night of Netflix, delivery pad Thai, and the rest of the rosé doesn’t sound half-bad, I’ve also learned that making a homemade dinner at least a few nights a week is one of the best treats you can give to yourself. Why? It’s healthier (you actually know what’s in your food when you make it yourself), less expensive then takeout, and it’s also the best way to hone your cooking skills.

So how to actually make sure it happens? Here are five tricks that Kathy and I have learned over the years while writing our two cookbooks (Keepers and the new The Dinner Plan).

1. Remove your ingredients from the fridge as soon as you get home.

Before reading the mail, feeding the cat, or even changing your clothes, get all of your ingredients out of the fridge and put them on the kitchen counter. Protein in particular (meat, chicken, tofu) will cook better if it’s not super-cold, and you never want to throw cold ingredients directly from the fridge into the pan. It affects the cooking times, the flavor and the texture of the ingredients. No bueno. If you can, take out every ingredient you’ll need from the fridge (even eggs, cheese, etc.) so it’s a bit closer to room temperature when you’re ready to start cooking.

2. Make a big batch of grains in the beginning of the week so you have a base ready to go.

Sunday is our day for making a big pot of brown rice, quinoa, couscous, wheatberries, farro, etc. Store in the fridge and you have a dinner base at the ready for anything from roasted vegetables, to a quick fried egg with chopped avocado, or sliced rotisserie chicken and dressed greens. A pot of soba noodles that are drained, rinsed in cold water, tossed with a little sesame oil, will also store well in the fridge.

3. One great sauce or dressing will improve even the most boring chicken breast or salad.

If you do nothing else, learn how to make a good, basic salad dressing and a couple of make-ahead sauces. When I have leftovers that are kind of “blah”, I reach into the fridge for my jar of citrusy vinaigrette or flavor-packed salsa verde and it’s a total lifesaver. And it’s amazing how simple it is to make something that’s better tasting and better for you (no preservatives, no added sugars or tons of sodium) than any store-bought brand.

4. Sharp knife = faster dinner prep

The mantra “a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one” is most definitely true (try slicing a ripe tomato with the former and it will slide right off the skin towards your fingers, do it with a sharp knife and it goes cleanly right through); but just as important is that it makes dinner prep quicker and, I’m just going to say it, more enjoyable. Getting things sliced and diced easily is a joy to behold, so try and get into the habit of sharpening your knives before each dinner prep, you’ll feel like a pro and get dinner ready twice as fast (with all of your fingers in tact).

5. Clear Eyes, Full Pantry, Can’t Lose

All of us have had those weeks where getting to the supermarket just didn’t happen. This is where a well-stocked pantry and freezer will save your dinner life, time and time again. Having long shelf-life ingredients in your cupboard, fridge, and freezer (what we consider the general category of “pantry”) will allow you to make a bunch of tasty dinners on the fly. For example: I always have a box of spaghetti, wedge of parmesan cheese, eggs, and bacon (which can be stored in the freezer) on hand because I know that’s all I need to whip up a super fast carbonara, which is arguably the most satisfying pantry dish on the planet. And once you get in the habit of stocking up on essential spices, oils, vinegars, grains, condiments, your dinner arsenal will only get better and better.

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