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1 It’s all in the timing – when you have a few different components to your meal, the cooking times may vary. You need to be able to time it so that everything is still hot when you put it on the dinner table. This takes some pre-planning and practice.

2 Don’t try and be too ambitious when cooking for a group of people. Simple food cooked well is always more popular than a complicated dish that hasn’t quite worked.

3 When cooking for four or more people, one-pot dishes make life easier in the kitchen. Lasagne, shepherd’s pie and stroganoff are all great options and can be served with a side of steamed vegetables or a simple salad.

4 Tidy up as you go. Keep the benchtops and the rest of the preparation area clean and tidy as you work. Wipe up any spills or grease spots that occur during cooking as you go. This way, you won’t have to tackle a messy kitchen after you’ve sat down to enjoy your meal.

5 Make sure you taste your food as you prepare it. Be careful when seasoning with salt that you don’t add too much, as you can’t account for everyone’s salt preference. It’s better for a dish to be under-seasoned than over-seasoned. Family dinners are a perfect opportunity to catch up on what everyone in your family has been up to. Try and eat dinner at the table to encourage conversation, instead of eating in front of the television.