Set Your Table Before Leaving For Work To Make Dinnertime Stress-Free

As much as you might love a home-cooked meal, when you're the one doing the cooking, there are times when it can be stressful. Getting home after a long day at work, you likely don't feel like spending time preparing a meal, setting the table, and cleaning up. All you probably want to do is sit on the couch and relax. But if you have even a few extra minutes in the morning, you can make evening dinner prep easier, by setting the table before you go to work.

It might not seem like much, but when you're in the middle of cooking dinner, it's hard to find a moment to step away and set the table. If you're hosting a dinner party, setting a formal table takes even more effort. It can add to the mental stress of having to prepare a meal. Eliminating that step before work means you have one less thing to do — and you're able to enjoy the process of cooking even more.

Whether you're living with one other person, a few roommates, or have a big family, eating dinner with your loved ones is important. It offers a time to separate yourself from technology, work, or other distractions, and build connections with those around you. For children, family time around the dinner table is important, as it has been shown to have positive impacts on development.

Setting the table for a family meal only takes a few minutes. Even doing a small task like this before work will help you feel better about making dinner when you get home. If you have extra time, maybe even add a centerpiece in addition to the plates and silverware (it will make the meal feel special). Walking in and seeing a set table will give you a sense of organization, along with a little excitement for the meal and conversations that lie ahead.

The most important thing to remember when making dinner for your family is that a home-cooked meal doesn't have to be complicated. For example, you can keep dinner simple, and quick, with a basic pasta dish. Boxed pasta cooks in minutes, and dressing it up with an easy cacio e pepe sauce, which only uses a handful of ingredients, delivers a delicious meal with hardly any effort. You don't even have to handle any raw meat or turn on the oven.

Cooking at home has surprising benefits for your well-being, too. Since you're the one in control of the meal, you know exactly what you're eating — right down to how much salt and pepper you add. Plus, when making dinner is simple and methodic, it can be relaxing and a great way to unwind. Think of it as an escape from reality with a delicious reward.