Cat Cora may be a famous, award-winning chef, but she's also a wife and mother who struggles with the same balancing act every family faces. She says planning ahead is the key to success. Here are her tips for making meals quicker and more nutritious:

• Take an inventory. Avoid purchasing duplicate items by looking in the cupboard to see what you already have.
• Make a menu plan. This will help to give focus to your shopping list.
• Make a list. With inventory and menu plan in hand, make a shopping list. It may seem like it takes more time but statistics show you spend 50 percent more money if you don't make a list (not to mention wasted time on extra trips to the grocery store).
• Get the family involved. Ask them what they'd like for dinner, bring them shopping, get their ideas. Eating is a family affair – the preparation can be as well.
• Make one-pot wonders. Dust off the Crock Pot, focus on pasta dishes, incorporate chicken in salads for meals. These basic dishes are inexpensive, filling and healthy.
• Find free ideas. People tend get into a rut and then get bored, but magazines and the Internet are great resources for finding new recipes, from main dishes to side dishes. The Internet in particular is a great resource for finding healthier ways to cook traditional dishes. You can even look for a dish by just putting the ingredients you have on hand into a search engine.

Try Cat Cora's recipe for Greek Cinnamon Stewed Chicken with Wine and Garlic!