How these families organise cooking to make weeknight dinners easier

Does the idea of planning out an entire week's worth of meals with precision seem unachievable in your household?

We spoke with three family cooks who find smaller ways to make the whole process of planning, shopping and cooking easier, from grating cheese ahead to stocking staples.

Here's how three different households manage the cooking at home.

The big shop strategy

Karima Hazim is the sole manager of the meals in her house.

On Gadigal land in Sydney, Karima says her two daughters — aged six and eight — mostly eat the same meals as her husband and her, except for the occasional side.

The cook and food educator works for herself, and says she likes to do a big shop once a week, usually on a Monday. She says this shop lasts the family anywhere from a week to 11 days and is supplemen