On average, how long does it take you to prepare a meal?

[Caribbean girl]

I know the time taken to prepare a meal can vary depending on what you are cooking. However, on average, how long would you say it takes you to prepare lunch/dinner?

For me, it varies between 1 and 2 hours. Cooking soup would take me about 1-1/2 hours, while something like chowmein could be finished in an hour. Some meats, like pork, for instance, take longer to cook than others, so this could result in the entire meal taking up to 2 hours before it is finished. Fish, on the other hand, cooks rather quickly.

 

[ReadmeByAmy]

When we are talking how long does it take to prepare a meal, well it depends what kind of dish you are preparing. On my own experience if I am cooking beef it takes me longer time to make it tender and to prepare a dish out of it. Pork and chicken dishes it takes me one hour to cook it. Soups would take me maybe half an hour to prepare it. I should always cook quickly because my husband was always in a hurry and before he arrives home from work I should prepare our food ahead of time and set the table already.

 

[Arch]

Most of our evening meals only take half an hour or so to cook from scratch - pasta dishes, curries etc. I might take an hour over a risotto or something special.

Soups and casseroles take all day in the slow cooker, but probably only a quarter of an hour prepping the ingredients, then it's just left to get on with it.

 

[DIna00]

That's great question. If I'm cooking a meal from scratch it could take an hour, but if I'm using prepared foods I can have something ready in under 30 minutes. The longest part of cooking for me is cleaning and chopping vegetables. I actually stay away from ones that are too time consuming to clean, because even the easy ones seem to take forever. For example I only buy kale, heads of leaf lettuce, leeks and mushrooms when I am feeling particularly energetic.

 

[ChanellG]

It depends on what I am making. I like to plan ahead and that helps cut down on time, since you can do things like put the rice on while you're chopping vegetables. I generally steam and saute, which takes minutes, but I also roast things, which depending on the texture quantity of food, can take up to an hour.

 

[elles-belles]

It obviously depends on what one is making as everyone has pointed out! Speaking in loose general terms, I would say it usually takes me between 1-2 hours. I have to say though some dishes can take up to 3 hours for me! I like taking my time honestly, making sure that I do it just right with no or less mistakes.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have dishes that take less than 30 minutes and I have dishes that take 2-3 hours sometimes longer. Some of my recipes need dehydrating overnight and one actually needs the dehydrator as an incubator for 36 hrs. So it all depends on what I am making.

 

[missbishi]

That depends on what I'm cooking. Sometimes, it's the chopping and peeling that takes up the majority of the time - especially when you're doing a stir-fry or salad. In general, I tend to allow an hour for cooking the evening meal. Things like stews and casseroles get started off in the afternoon then left to cook. To save time, I will sometimes prepare some of my ingredients beforehand.

 

[Pat]

I try to do a meal within 39-4 minutes. If it is going to take longer than that I may decide on something else to cook. Also if I am cooking for several days it make take a few more minutes to get it all together because I am cooking more.

 

[Rosyrain]

A lot of my meals take less than an hour to prepare, because I do not want to be standing over a stove for very long after I have been at work all day. Some of my more fancy meals can take a couple of hours to make, but I always plan those out to make on days I have off from work.

 

[winterybella]

Well it very much depends on who the meal is for. If I am cooking for guest it's going to take hours and hours starting from the night before. In those cases I can hardly walk the next day. When it comes to my Sunday meals that's about 2hrs and I do pull some stops on Sunday. Some not all. Then there are days when I can prepare a meal in about half of of hour. Those are the meals I am enjoying most as I age "gracefully".