Check the grain and clean as you go

Free everyday life tip: Check the grain and clean as you go (step 6 of 13 from "Meal Prep Sunday: Five Lunches in One Hour").

At the 15-minute mark, your grain timer will go off. Remove the lid — the water should be fully absorbed and the surface should have small steam holes. If there is still visible water, replace the lid and give it 3 more minutes. Once done, fluff with a fork to separate the grains and slide the pot off the burner with the lid cracked.

You now have 5 minutes of dead time while the oven finishes. Use it. Wash the cutting board, the knife, and the mixing bowl. Wipe the counter. Lay out your five glass containers in a row with lids open. This clean-as-you-go habit is the difference between a relaxing prep session and a kitchen that looks like a crime scene.