A well-stocked freezer can spare a person a lot of late-night snack cravings or lazy days when you just don't feel like going to the store, and it's absolutely essential if you have friends who like to drop by for impromptu parties. (See our 8 staples for stress-free entertaining here, but be warned: the well-stocked freezer may cause this habit to develop in your friends.) But what constitutes "well-stocked" depends a lot on where we live, how we cook and entertain, and how big our freezers are. What are your essentials? Here are five of my own. More

There are nights when you have a couple hours to shop, cook and arrange a knock-out appetizer spread to greet your guests...but what about those nights when you don't? Even a last-minute gathering can be quick and stress-free if you keep your freezer stocked with the right supplies. More

Nutty, nourishing brown rice is a great addition to rice bowls and the perfect accompaniment to stir-fries, but its long cooking time makes it a tough sell for busy weeknight dinners. Packaged, precooked brown rice from the frozen section of the supermarket makes preparation quick and foolproof enough for last-minute meals — but why pay extra when it is so simple to freeze your own portioned brown rice at home? More

I love beans. They're an inexpensive, healthy and tasty protein that I eat at least a couple times a week. But I don't love canned beans, which I find flavorless and mushy compared to beans cooked from scratch. So instead of relying on canned beans for quick weeknight meals, I've started cooking big batches of from-scratch beans and freezing them, so I always have perfectly cooked beans on hand and ready to thaw for dinner. More

Last week we asked our readers for their best tips for meal planning. How do you get dinner on the table, week in and week out, without getting bored? How do you stay energized and engaged with the act of cooking at home? Here are fifteen of our best and most universal tips for learning how to plan your meals. More

Making big batches of grains and refrigerating or freezing the leftovers not only maximizes your time in the kitchen, it also makes throwing together a healthy meal on a busy weeknight a lot easier. And once you have them on hand, there are plenty of ways to incorporate cooked whole grains into your meals. Here are six! More

I crave watermelon this time of year. (No, I'm not pregnant!) Cold from the fridge, a cup of watermelon is my favorite August treat. Its sweet, refreshing juiciness quenches thirst, and it makes a superb post-workout snack, replenishing fluids and nutrients. Here's the best way I've found quickly and easily cut a watermelon into neat, even cubes for snacks and salads. More

What should you pack in your picnic basket? Yes, a few leftovers, a quick tossed salad, a baguette and some cheese will make anyone happy, but with just slightly more planning you can develop a flexible picnic menu that'll work for you every time. Mark Bittman has a system for this which he divides into four categories: dips, poached food, raw or pickled food and beverages. More

When I first learned to freeze herbs in olive oil, it's like a lightbulb went off in my head. So easy! Such a time-saver! And a great way not to let food go to waste. In the spirit of that easy freezer-friendly tip, here are 24 more. So put that freezer to use! You'll thank yourself later. More

How well do you plan your weekday lunches? And what do you do when you don't have time to pack a lunch - does it throw you off? When I have one of those multiple-snooze-button mornings, I usually end up buying lunch even when I have a perfectly suitable - yet unassembled - meal waiting in the 'fridge at home. A friend shared her last minute lunch secret with me and it's totally changed my busy weeks. More