1.

Meal plan. Decide what meals you’re eating and which nights you’re going to eat them. “I suggest starting with four or five days during the week. Don’t try to overdo it and think that you’re going to cook all seven days, because it’s just not reality most of the time,” Walker says. Leave room for life to happen when it’s not realistic to make dinner.

2.

Make a grocery list. You can jot your list down on a Post-it, add it to your iPhone notes, or use an interactive app, like Shop the Book—which lets you easily browse recipes in Healthy in a Hurry and add the ingredients to your grocery list. Walker recommends shopping once a week.

3.

Organize your refrigerator based on meals. “I use these big plastic bins that are in my refrigerator,” Walker says. Put all the ingredients you need for each meal in a separate bin so when you go to grab ingredients for, say, tacos, they’re all in one place.

4.

Prep immediately. Meal prep time often gets underestimated, but it adds up when you need to dice onions, peel potatoes, or chop peppers. “Coming home from the grocery store and prepping immediately helps so much,” says Walker. “Having some of your ingredients already washed and chopped, like your own meal kit box, can save lots of time when you go to cook that meal.” When it’s time to cook, you can immediately toss your veggies into the skillet or add them to a sheet pan. Plus, you won’t forget about an ingredient hiding in the back of the fridge. (Or you could buy cut or sliced veggies, which helps save time, too.)