Now that we're spending more and more time at home, we're also having to cook at home more regularly. While some of you may really enjoy popping on your apron and commanding the kitchen, for some, having to cook every meal at home can feel daunting and laborious.

So here are a few tips and tricks to help you become better friends with the kitchen during lockdown:

1. Write Down 5 Of Your Favourite Meals
One of the biggest stresses of cooking at home is figuring out what to cook in the first place. If you find yourself looking at the fridge with vacant eyes, then you may need to start planning your meals in advance.

It takes some skill to whip something up with random ingredients in the fridge. So to avoid closing the fridge and opting for a takeaway, put pen to paper at the beginning of the week and write down 5 meals you would like to cook and enjoy. Now that you've boiled it down to a select few meals, it's easier to plan what to put on your shopping list.

2. Shop By Meal & Shop Weekly
Monday Stuffed Peppers, Tuesday Bangers & Mash, Wednesday Greek Salad... do you see where we're going with this? Doing a weekly shop is an effective way to ensure ingredients don't go off and helps you to plan your week in advance. Not to mention, splitting your shopping list into specific meals is also a much easier task than attempting to think about the week as a whole.

The trick is to break it down and to avoid popping to the shops every day just because you forgot you needed quinoa for your stuffed peppers (we've all been there). You'll also be able to use ingredients for more than one meal. For instance, if you plan to do stuffed peppers on Monday and a Greek salad on Wednesday you can save money by using similar things on both nights such as olives and feta. It's a win-win!

3. Do The Dishes (yes, we mean it!)
The dreaded dishes, we see you and we don't want anything to do with you. Unfortunately, cooking at home means you'll be accumulating dirty dishes every evening. One of the best ways to deal with dishes is to do them while you're cooking. If you have something in the oven for 20 minutes you can easily get some pots and pans done in no time.

Alternatively, if you're cooking as a family you can implement a rule that each person needs to clean their dishes after dinner. Even if you end up still having some utensils and pans to clean at the end it will be much less than having to do everyone's plates as well. Make it a team effort!

4. Create Meal Packs In Your Cupboard
This one's great for families who find themselves wasting food or end up not using the food in their cupboard wisely. Instead of accumulating an army of canned tomatoes because you forgot you had 10 to begin with, rather split your cupboard into sections based on meals. You can do this with a few small baskets - we find clear ones make it easier to see what's in each pack.

You can then for example put an onion, a stock cube, a clove of garlic, chilies, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and a can of kidney beans in one basket for Chili Con Carne night. A top tip is to also write a note with all the additional fresh ingredients needed and put it in the basket so you don't forget. It's simple, fun, and is also a great way to teach children about cooking and recipes.

5. Cook More Than One Serving
This isn't always possible, especially if you're cooking for a larger family. But cooking with the aim to have leftovers can help you avoid having to cook every evening. You can always eat your leftovers for lunch the next day as well, which means you won't have to worry about what to eat then. Either way, you'll be giving yourself a break for a meal or two which can help you to feel more motivated to cook towards the end of the week.

Don't forget, you're allowed to relax and indulge in a takeaway here or there. The aim is to create a sustainable balance to help you feel fulfilled, healthier and happier in the long-run. Happy cooking!