Cook once, eat three times

One roast, three dinners: the leftovers plan we use most in the test kitchen.

Start with three anchors

Pick three dinners you know everyone will eat and put them on your busiest nights. They do not need to be exciting. They need to be quick and reliable.

Leave two nights flexible

Plans fall apart when every night is fixed. Two flexible nights soak up leftovers, late finishes and the evening someone invites you out.

Shop once

Build one list from the whole week and shop it in one trip. Pantry merges the ingredients and sorts them by aisle, so you are in and out in twenty minutes.

One more thing

Check the fridge before you shop. Whatever is close to its date goes on Monday.