Making got you down? Do you find yourself letting out a big sigh around five or six o'clock when you realize you have yet another meal tocooking?  Follow these five tips below to simply the dinner meal making.

1. Have pre-cut seasoning vegetables such as onions, carrots, and celeryalready cut and bagged in the freezer.  When you come home from the grocery store. After taking a moment to take a breath.  Get out your cutting board, knife and/or food processor and go to town.

2. If you don't have the energy or inclination for once a month ooking try once a week cooking.  Take a day that you have the least amount of pressing issues and make up a coup of of meat loves, casseroles or soups and have them ready to go in the freezer.

3. As you're cooking have the sink full of soapy hot water to soak the dishes you are using. My mother always said to clean as you go and isn't it much nicer to be done cooking and realize the kitchen is clean as well?

4. Keep a list handy of the things you have in your pantry. Tape or tack it to the inside of the door. That way you won't run out of important staples when it's time to cook.

5. Make leftover night one of your dinner meals. I do this on a day when we are really busy. You can make your leftovers into an entirely new meal or do as I do and just stuff it all in the oven or various pots on the stove. Cleaning is can be a bit more but then have that sink full of hot soapy water and enlist other family members to give you a hand.

Of course there are many more things you can do to make dinner easier on you but these are just a few tips that might give you a jump start.

Happy eating!