Cutting up fresh vegetables constitutes most of the work in these dinners. Wash ahead of time and store in an airtight container. This helps take some of the drudgery out of making salad each night. Buy fresh raviolis, tortellini and pastas. Store in ziplock bags in the freezer.
Fresh pastas taste better and cook quicker than dried varieties.
Plan ahead and use leftovers. Slice up leftover meats and chicken for fajitas, tacos, stir-fries, pastas, and salads. Cook extra rice and pasta and store in an airtight container for the next night's meal. Though most just use it for warming leftovers, it is the best method for cooking vegetables. Just wash vegetables, place in a microwaveable dish and cover with plastic wrap.