A recent survey conducted by Uncle Ben’s shows that more than half of parents do not cook meals with their children. The main reason for this is due to a lack of space in their kitchens, which can make the process of cooking difficult and frustrating when more than one person is involved.

Here are a few space saving techniques that will encourage you to cook more meals together as a family.

Clean As You Cook

Clutter is one of the main reasons why kitchens suffer from a lack of space, and there is one easy solution to this issue. Cleaning while you cook ensures that you always have free space in your kitchen when preparing meals. It sounds like a simple solution but many people tend to forget the importance of this step. This is especially effective when cooking as a family, because each member can take turns clearing off the counters.

Use Drawers As Surfaces

If your kitchen suffers from a lack of counter space, you can make your own surfaces. A clever kitchen hack presents the idea of placing a cutting board in a drawer to create a new counter space. You can use these boards for cutting, rolling dough and all other types of prep for your meals. Another useful space saving tool is an over-the-sink cutting board, which frees up space along the rest of your counter to make room for more cooks in the kitchen.

Use The Space Above Your Cabinets.

In many kitchens, there is extra space above the cabinets. While you might think it is just useless space it can be used as an area to store items that you do not regularly use. If you bake once a month, your mixer, baking trays and scales can be placed above your counters. If you like to buy in bulk, keep the items that you will not use immediately up there.