The daily dinner struggle

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HontoRenata@reddit

And will the children eat it tonight? Even though they loved it the last time we had it? Even though one of them asked for it (at least the other one will eat it in this case)?

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Skunklvrs@reddit

Crockpots are great. Your food is ready when you get home.

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-Odi-Et-Amo-@reddit

What should we do for dinner tonight?? One of the five basic meals we eat all the time? Get carryout from somewhere for $50?? Some frozen crap?? Prepare an actually good recipe that takes 2-3 hours and won’t be ready until 9pm??

Am I you? Or are you me? Was just having this convo the other day with my spouse. After all these years together you’d think we would have dinner figured out. Nope.

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Ralliman320@reddit

Yeah, I feel like this was somehow extracted directly from my mind to someone else's Reddit.

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I mean, we have figured out in that we have a decent number of quick and healthy meals, we work well together, he cooks better and doesn't mind taking over 4 times a week, I am better at coming up with new ideas, we do the "who didn't cook washes the dishes" automatically by now.

The main problem is I hate cooking, even 2-3 times a week is a freaking chore. Hate it. I keep telling the family: if I won the lottery tomorrow, the fiest thing I'll do is hire a vegan chef to take over half of our meals.

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Useful_Menu_9863@reddit

Right?? Every dang night! And one of my household members has ARFID, so that's fun, too.

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wrldruler21@reddit

I and this conversation with myself the other day.

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contrarianaquarian@reddit

Same, especially because they worked weird shifts, different hours every day, sometimes overnights, and often only one was home for dinner. It was simple food but still always home cooked (with a few shortcuts here and there), and we almost NEVER had takeaway. I have no idea how they did it. It's just me and my partner with standard 9–6s and I am SO DONE.

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flash_match@reddit

Hey we have solved that problem by having kids SO PICKY (borderline ARFID) that one of them will only eat 5-6 of the same items (uncombined items) at dinner. Bread, fruit, yogurt, string cheese it is for you sir! The other one puts up with limited kid stuff like chicken nuggets, potatoes, pizza that we can air fry or microwave within 10 minutes. My husband and I just snack on what they don’t eat while playing cards at the table.

This wasn’t how I was raised but we have no idea how to fix it without all going to therapy which we have zero time for.

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An interesting suggestion. I could see it being useful for sharing what we have at home and getting ideas for what we could make.

Next week, husband is in charge and I eat whatever he cooks or buys. No discussion.

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denotsmai83@reddit

My wife and I found a meal planning system that REALLY works for us. Every night of the week has a theme: Mexican Mondays, Italian Tuesdays, Asian Wednesdays, etc. it makes menu planning SO much easier when you start every day with a known type of cuisine and just have to pick something your interested in from that cuisine.

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BlueGalangal@reddit

Blue apron.

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ama223@reddit

I hate having to make dinner every night. I love the results and I love to cook. I just hate the planning and purchasing of ingredients.

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meldiane81@reddit

WolfOne5293@reddit

My SO doesn't like "boiled meat" (as he calls it) from the crockpot. Super annoying.

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Caroline_Anne@reddit

Aside from pulled pork…I’m with your so. Crock pot meals tend to dry out. I feel like I should get an InstaPot and learn to use that. 🤷‍♀️

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SickOfNormal@reddit

Tell him it’s “American braised style” 🤣🤣…. It sure beats having to put a pork butt in a smoker for 24 hours or in the oven for 8 hours. However, those 24 hour smoked pork butts are amazing —- but it costs me like $10 in pellets to make one

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Figuring out that 1:1 long grain rice and water in the IP for 3 mins + natural release changed my life. We eat so much more rice now because I can just see it and forget it.

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VWBug5000@reddit

Only 3 minutes? I set it to 10 with no warming after and release the steam when it beeps. What makes 3 minutes and natural release better? Is this something I need to switch to?

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FormalDinner7@reddit

My neighbor sent me this website a while ago and it was a game changer. I refer to it all the time. They have the cook times for all kinds of rice. 3 mins high pressure natural release turns out perfect white rice for me.

https://greenhealthycooking.com/instant-pot-rice/

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lowfiswish@reddit

Ooh thanks for that resource. Adding it to my notion...

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My Neuro fuzzy rice cooker is probably the best kitchen purchase I've ever made. It's amazing.

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SickOfNormal@reddit

I’ve got a neuro fuzzy as well when I have company over for the 5.5 cups…. But Tiger also makes some cool ones too that rival the neuro fuzzy - I use the tiger more solely because it’s smaller and makes 3 cups of rice, perfect for 2-3 people with big appetites

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NostalgiaDad@reddit

You can also pre-prep things in bulk that can be frozen in individual portions and tossed in the crock pot b4 work for dinner later.

I prep tikka masala sauce with no meat right up until the last stage where you add the water and heavy cream. I portion it out into 1 cup portions in the freezer and then just pull the frozen sauce concentrate out and reheat (sometimes on the stove, sometimes in the crockpot). Just add Costco chicken and water and cream, and make rice in the rice cooker while you do something else and you have a pretty solid weeknight tikka masala.

But I do this for marinara, Bolognese, chicken with wild rice soup, Guinness beef stew, split pea soup, Spanish chorizo & lentils, and all sorts of stuff. I also buy chicken in bulk, weight it out into 1lb portions, and then season them with different seasonings for each and label them. You can get a stack of 10x 1lb portions of chicken in there for instance. Then I just put it in the fridge to defrost the night b4. You can basically prep just about anything and freeze to reheat with no real consequence to quality

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yardini@reddit

You can also use a bit of the pork + the fat/juice to make crockpot pinto (refried) beans. Just soak a bag of beans while the pork is cooking, drain beans, and then when you take the meat out, use the juice & a bit of pork to flavor the beans. Cook it for 8+ hours or until the beans are to your liking.

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daniellaroses1111@reddit

This is freaking brilliant!

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SickOfNormal@reddit

Pork possibilities are almost endless --- especially since they release so much juice. I just bought 11lbs of ribs over the weekend. i cut the rib racks out and dry brined them ...then took the remaining meat (riblets and end bones) and made a 1 hour pork stock with them... then transferred the pork into the crockpot and added a thai peanut sauce... added fish and oyster sauce to the broth and some jalapenos, onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and reduced for about another 45 min. Throw some rice in the rice cooker... throw some pho rice noodles into the pork broth with cilantro and sliced jalapeno and some bean sprouts..... for the $22 those 2 rib sides cost --- I end up getting 4-5 meals out them and they are FANTASTIC!

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yardini@reddit

That sounds yummy!! Now I want pho & banh mi.

My family has a lot of “fend for yourself” nights. I don’t get home from work until 5:30. My youngest has activities 3-6 days per week in the school year. It’s just not POSSIBLE to cook most nights. Now when we do cook, it’s a treat. 🫤

When I do cook it’s: Lots of pasta, home made pizza, grilled chicken breast with frozen veggies microwaved, and loaded nachos. Nothing that takes more than about 30 or so minutes. (Yes, even the pizza is that fast.)

I miss my stay at home mom days. 😢

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Blue_Eyed_Devi@reddit

Grilling seasoned chicken thighs and salad tonight

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Jonestown_Juice@reddit

Why would a good recipe take 2-3 hours?

Creamy Tuscan chicken alfredo takes like 45 minutes to make.

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Extra_Shirt5843@reddit

Almost everything I make is 45-60 minutes and I have a good number that are 30 or less.

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Extra_Shirt5843@reddit

I guess I'm the oddball. I have a whole binder full of recipes and a bunch of recipe books and I just sit down for about an hour weekly and make a plan. I actually usually like the planning and cooking, though.

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shinjuMishap@reddit

I hate this question so much. Especially when it’s 8PM and my partner has worked far too late and that’s the first thing they ask. Like, I have no idea, I’m exhausted and everything is now closed and if I ask before you’re done for the day I get snapped at or a non answer.

That-Jeweler-Girl@reddit

I hate the damn dinner conversation. What are going to do about dinner? And unfortunately, I'm typically the one that has to decide. I really don't care. If my not cooking it, I'll eat whatever you put in front of me. Just had my spouse and kids aren't picky, I just get decision fatigue.

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quietCherub@reddit

I can meal plan and make sure we have the ingredients, but it’s hard to make time to prep. Even simple meals end up taking too long (really, with my limited time in the evenings, 30 min feels like too long). My husband doesn’t cook and doesn’t help with food prep. If I could or he could prep on the weekends so everything was ready to go, it would be a lot better. Weekends are busy though since I don’t have time to do things during the week. It’s a struggle for sure! I don’t like eating processed premade food either, not all the time at least. Every now and then.

Infinitely more difficult with children, not to mention if one is picky.

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SnoozuRN@reddit

There is nothing like serving a meal and the first comment is "that looks disgusting and I'm not eating that". My 7 year old is picky 😕

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coyote_of_the_month@reddit

I also resent that having a spouse stay home and take care of household things is simply no longer a option for the vast majority of couples.

My spouse stays home all day taking care of the household, but dinner is still my responsibility. I feel ya.

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flyfisher1970@reddit

This started 25 years ago as a budgeting strategy for us.

We have a weekly planner printed with everyone's schedule each day so that we know who'll be home for dinner. Every Saturday or Sunday, we sit and plan the week's meals together. The majority of the meals come from what is in the chest freezer and the pantry. We have a detailed list of what's in the freezer which is updated monthly. That way, we can buy meats & ingredients on sale or in bulk. We plan 1 night per week for take out or a date night. (This part started during covid to support our local restaurants.) The majority of our shopping list is perishables & produce unless there is a good sale on something we need to replenish. This also provides leftovers for lunches during the week.

To be fair, my wife and I both enjoy cooking. We also have a 4" binder of family recipes that we use regularly. I have most of the family favorites memorized at this point.

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Pristine-Buy-436@reddit

Sometimes the answer is breakfast for dinner - cereal, pancakes, eggs & toast. That's one of our easy buttons to push.

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Various-Comparison-3@reddit

This is every night at my house. Down to a t with the times and everything. I work two jobs and my husband is unemployed and my father in law is elderly - but they both stay home all day. When I get home at 7 or 8 and they haven’t even started figuring it out I feel so furious and defeated. On my days “off” (meaning working just one 8-5 job lol) I usually cook. And it’s exhausting!!!! But I do it because I like eating something good and not freezer crap. Bc we have six people in one house there’s NEVER leftovers when I cook. When school starts again I am going to have every adult in the house pick a day to cook. I have one adult child and one almost eighteen year old, and a 14 year old. I feel like we can all take turns, right? 🥲

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maskwearingbitch2020@reddit

I'm a weirdo....I've had, what I call, 3 sets of kids. 2 in my first marriage, another 15 years later with husband #2 then adopted 3 special needs boys at 48. What was I thinking??? Surprise...I wasn't thinking at all. I raised all my kids mostly by myself. I had the system down to a science. Make a list Thursday night for the next week. This included the weather forecast (our weather can change every 5 minutes), what foods we haven't had in a while. I keep a small yellow Jr legal pad and that is where I hang the next week's menu (after I made a shopping list) I would take the kids with me Friday night. We would go out to eat them to shop for our groceries then head home & go nowhere during the weekend. Just clean & relax & get ready for the next week.

Well, I took advantage of the Covid down time & taught the boys to cook. Now everyone takes a day. They are responsible for one day. They must check to see what we have on hand and what we will need to make that dish, they add it to our white board so mom knows to get it. Then I shop based on the white board list. I wish they would each take a second cooking day but first I'll have to have them wash the dishes first. Right now I do all the hand washed dishes (which is about 1/3 of them.

2 "yes I'll be home for dinner", and

1 "maybe" they'll eat depending on they feel after basketball practice,

1 "maybe" they'll still be around for dinner depending on when they leave for work.

1 "maybe" they'll join us depending on traffic on campus, unless they decide to hit the bar with their friends

1 "oh yeah, the one who loved this meal so much I had to double the recipe moved out so i don't need to make as much"

....Was near impossible.

I'd take 2 picnic tables full of toddlers and young kids over a handful of older teens and young adults, pulled in 30 different directions, when it comes to meal planning and making.

The "end is near" and I kinda feel bad for the "babies" because I'm sure the minute they hit legal adulthood the answer to "what's for dinner?" will be "whatever you find"

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LaRoseDuRoi@reddit

Hey, this is my life! Anywhere from 3-8 people here for dinner on any given night, and they'll all be home at different times, and there's food allergies to work around and... it's a real pain sometimes!

Generally, I make what I feel like having and they're all welcome to eat it or not. Which is not to say that I make stuff they can't or won't eat, just that if I want, say, pulled pork, that's what I'm making. They can throw it on a rice bowl or a sandwich bun or whatever. I make enough for everyone to have at least 1 serving, and and if they don't like it or want more, they're all pretty much on their own.

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habitualtroller@reddit

At any point do they actually eat what you make? We have three and there’s yet to be a meal that all 5 of us would eat.

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reuben-on-rye@reddit

You know what that has made all the difference in that daily struggle? Signed up for a meal kit service for a few months.

A few years ago, we had just gotten into an extended funk about the daily dinner struggle. We were ordering out way too many times per week or eating way too late because I forgot to get meat out of the freezer in time for it too thaw correctly.

In a moment of desperation I looked at one of of the meal kit coupons we got in the mail that day and thought, why not.

I had low expectations but 17 free meals sounded nice so I signed up. Lo and behold the family ended up really enjoying the recipes! I stayed on the plan for 3 months and kept all the recipe cards and put them in a binder.

Did that for 3 years in a row for 3 different meal kit services. Now we have a 3 inch binder with a bunch of dinner options.

Every week when I make the shopping list I bring out the binder and have everyone pick their dinner for the week.

Express-Studio-8302@reddit

Yeah, so my youngest is leaving for college in the fall. Im so burnt out from the years of chicken nuggets and fish sticks.

One of the solutions that works some weeks, make something reheatable on Sunday. Make a lot of it. And then eat it all the rest of the week, or most of the week. Then there's a ready solution for most days when youre simply just worn out.

Between caring for the lids, caring for the parents and a full time job and my own recent health issues, life has been too much.

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Bubbly_Excitement_71@reddit

I am really into the substack “what to cook when you don’t feel like cooking” (which is basically every night) https://whattocook.substack.com/

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drogonsjealouseyes@reddit

I know it's overwhelming, but there are lots of great meals you can cook in 30 minutes. I'm a single dad and I am proud to say my kids love my cooking.

I'm a fan of oven baked sheet pan recipes, like chicken and potatoes, since it takes the same time to cook two things. I also use my air fryer a lot for pork chops, salmon, and chicken breast in 10-12 minutes.

Don't give up, you can do it!

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CarmenxXxWaldo@reddit

Theres basically two camps in this. People that eat left overs and people that wont. The people that wont arent gonna say so because they know they will get shit on. But the crock pot people saying cook 10 pounds of pork arent gonna be much help.

I’ve started making super simple stuff. Like sticking two pieces of bread in the toaster with a slice of cheese on them, and smooshing some avocado on top when it’s done. The kids eat pasta with olive oil and salt. Cut up an apple.

Brown rice, black beans, and cheese.

Scrambled eggs and toast with cheese - egg sandwich. And some grapes.

Dinner is served.

mytextgoeshere@reddit

One thing that helps my meal planning is to plan for two weeks. And it is totally ok to switch around the meals. Some are easy to make (think grilled cheese with tomato soup), others are more complex. And I have frozen pizza/lasagna/ravioli as backups for when I’m really worn out.

Another thing that helps is partial meal prep on Sundays. I cut up all the veggies and meat I need for the week so it is all ready to just throw together on the weeknight.

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fidgety_sloth@reddit

We have a celiac kid with other food allergies. There are like two restaurants we trust, and one of them is absolutely $60+ even for takeout. The other is Chipotle which my husband hates. Aside from those, pretty much everything has to be made from scratch and I am 100% over it. The planning, the shopping, the prep… it never ends!!

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MetalEnthusiast83@reddit

I don't understand this.

I never heard anyone complain about chosing dinner until like 6 months ago I saw someone tweet about it, now the internet is just full of adults who think it's difficult to plan a simple dinner, which is something humans have done quite literally forever.

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fishboy3339@reddit

I’ve never spent more that 40 min cooking a meal. I’m confused what could possibly take 3 hours? Are you roasting a turkey for dinner?

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volarion@reddit

We have some weekly staples (cast iron pizza, stir fry, random pasta dish) and then either do a soup/stew or other big batch thing on the weekend to have some leftover-flexibility.

It means we're really only needing to add in things as we want to and can experiment on a weekend day to see if we can come up with anything else that deserves a spot in the rotation.

Sometimes though, we say screw it and end up with a rotisserie chicken.

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element-2012@reddit

I wish I possessed the setting that made people organized, because there is surely an intelligent way to organize the dozen or 2 dinners we like, with their ingredients, and just pop them in your walmart pickup order lol.

Only here to commiserate, internet friend. It is a constant, constant source of existential dread in my house too.

I do generally sit in front of the computer and plan out about 4-5 meals at a time, and then add the ingredients to a walmart pickup order. Then at least I don't really have to think about it for a few days, then the dread again, lol.

Are you looking for actual suggestions of some new meals to try? I can pop a couple of links to things we've liked recently if you'd like!

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beatlefreak_1981@reddit

I started doing Hello Fresh because I just cannot be bothered to come up with meals, make an ingredient list, go buy all the things and then cook. Now it shows up and I just cook (which is another battle by itself).

I plan my meals for the entire week on Saturday morning and then do my grocery shopping for the week. I ask my husband for his input, if he doesn’t come up with anything, we’ll eat 7 meals that I like. It‘s usually soup at least once, big salad 1-2 times and I try to only eat meat 2-3 times per week.

Tonight you could make chicken Ceasar salad with the AirFryer, if you have one: make croutons from onion baguette (mix stale baguette with a little olive oil, salt, and fresh garlic, 5-7 minutes in the AirFryer), the chicken breast with a bit of oil and seasoning to your taste for appr. 20 minutes in the AirFryer. For a healthier Caesar dressing mix: 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt, 1-2 T mayo, mustard, fresh garlic, lemon juice, Worstershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix with romaine lettuce and freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with chicken and croutons. It’s been my go-to for the last 6 months at least.

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heaven_and_hell_80@reddit

Incredibly relatable. Heaven forbid one of us doesn't have time to run to Aldi on Monday, otherwise we scrounge all week

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Tmcs123@reddit

Have you’ve heard of those people that have the same meals on the same days all the time. For example, Mondays is hamburgers, Tuesdays is tacos, Wednesdays is pasta, etc. when I used to hear that I thought these people were crazy. now I get it.

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mtbguy1981@reddit

The eternal struggle, beef, pork, or chicken?????

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sobeitharry@reddit

There's sandwich stuff in the fridge.

Only times I don’t do a bunch of sides is when I do pastas or hot dish. Casseroles? Wtv y’all call it.

I only cook breakfast and dinner. I don’t cook anything “special” or fancy. Breakfast is strictly eggs, toast and sausage or bacon. I also rarely clean my own kitchen. I have a hoard of men who know my only rule is that my kitchen must be clean before the next meal or they can starve.

I cycle through roughly 15 “meals” plus the seasonal meals. We do bbq way more often in the summer.

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Important_Chef_4717@reddit

Here’s yesterday’s meal. Yes, I’m fully aware that I’m manipulating my boys with food. It’s how I get them home 💔

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ReiperXHC@reddit

Sounds like some first world problems to me.

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No_Ratio1493@reddit (OP)

Obviously.

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Purple_Wave_314@reddit

It’s exhausting!!!

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VeniVidiVici_19@reddit

I used to love gourmet cooking and entertaining. But back then (before husband and kids) it was my choice when it happened and who was being fed.

Now I hate everything about feeding my family. I hate planning meals for a week, putting together the grocery list, and cooking it. I’ve recently added my mom to our dinners at least 3 days a week (it was a necessary add, long story) it adds more complexity to planning due to her dietary needs.

My husband grocery shops and occasionally handles a meal (usually not dinner) or my teenage son might fix a dinner if we have something easy he’s comfortable with and I’m having a rough day.

But I feel like it is eating my soul. I don’t want to do it anymore. I would totally have different eating habits if I didn’t have to feed the hoards. I might not eat dinner at all. Or it might be a light snack like cheese/cracks/meat/fruit. Or a glass of wine. I dunno but I wouldn’t be fixing full meals at the pace I am now.

Of course maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I was retired and the kids were out of the house. Who knows?

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YT people taco night is good for at least 5 days of the week

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Dancinfool830@reddit

I have an affinity for making breakfast, so I always make sure we have eggs and heavy whipping cream(because it is superior to milk in every way), so if need be I can bust out omelets, French toast, we usually have English muffins and always have butter so I can rock out eggs benedict, Monte Christo sandwiches, the list goes on, and they dont take super long to make. Never an hour.

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twirlerina024@reddit

We have breakfast for dinner a lot. Tonight we're using our leftover hot dog buns from Memorial Day and putting in scrambled eggs and cheese, plus a bagged salad on the side with some roasted sweet potato added. Might try to make the eggs like a Japanese rolled omelette if I'm feeling ambitious.

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Sassy_Velvet2@reddit

This specifically is why my husband and I turned to a meal kit (we currently use Blue Apron) subscription to cook 3 nights a week and we get carryout or go out 2-3 nights a week and 1-2 nights we just throw something like a lasagna from the freezer into the oven. The BA meals are properly portioned, no waste and no planning required other than "which of the 3 meals we got this week do we want to make tonight?"

I’ve never been one to like cooking of any kind, don’t even like making pasta but it gets done quick so when my kids were little we ate a lot of pasta. Also ate a lot of tacos because it really only requires making the meat. The rest comes together quickly.

Been in 2 serious LTRs after my divorce in 2009 & thankfully they both liked to cook. I learned how to make a steak indoors in a pan. I can bake & have used my crockpot but the older I get the more exhausted I am & now I work early mornings and am even more tired.

Kids are grown now, & can go back & forth between mine & their dads 2 hours away as they please. My daughter just graduated high school in her dad’s district and is spending the summer with me full time so again I’m feeling pressure to cook but also she’s 18 & while she’d rather bake than cook, she can assemble her own meals. When I’m on my own I can exist entirely on cereal, ramen, snacks, etc. I don’t eat a lot when it’s just me mostly cause I just cannot be fussed enough to cook. Meal prep never stuck for me cause I hate doing it and also I get tired of leftovers after the 2nd day.

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xWaterNerdx@reddit

we use predictable meals, with a twist:
Mon - fish (but different recipes/variations)
Tue - tacos
Wed - Italian (Gnocchi sheet pan with sausage has been an easy hit lately)
Thr - Chicken (lately its BBQ with a Caesar salad, or terriyaki with rice and broccoli)
Fri - take out/leftovers
Sat - take out
Sun - I pick a new recipe....

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BobbyGuano@reddit

My birthday card from my wife a few weeks ago just said “Can’t wait to figure out what’s for dinner with you for the next 365 days.”

So that’s where we are at.

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formerretailwhore@reddit

Probably rice bowls for us

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acatwithnoname@reddit

We don't bother with complicated meals on weeknights. If one of us wants to cook something then we do, but there is no obligation. Just assemble a few things on a plate. Steam in the bag veggies, raw veggies, fruit, a hardboiled egg, olives, a pouch of tuna or pink salmon on a bed of lettuce with tomatoes. Bowl of greek yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit. 3 bean salads, hummus, lentils. I don't have the want to cook and clean up after a long day at work. If kids are a factor it's difficult though, I get it.

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A_Humble_Masterpiece@reddit

The NYT cooking app has changed that for us.

I had the ick until the end... Love a family that realizes feminism is choosing what's the best path for you and not being told you much because you were born a certain way..

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Paddlesons@reddit

No, not the....ICK!

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Mon-ke@reddit

We’re the opposite - he’s the SAHH and does literally everything around here, including keeping us eating well each day. No kids and so very lucky to have this setup - I could never be a SAHW, so this works perfectly!

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dreamingwindows@reddit

We are similar.

I'm now a grandma. My wife was in the military until the first Orange regime. 26 years total. We have 4 boys (I was a teen mom and married super young to a man. It was horrible and ended when I was 23) I have worked since I was 14 while going to school. When my wife and I married she was deployed for most of our first few years. I tried being a SAHM. I crashed and burned in 2 months lol.

I was still in grad school and my boys were in elementary and middle school. I still couldn't handle it. I was so bored but also overwhelmed. My wife is now retired from the military but works full-time for the city. She got a job that allowed her to work around our grandkids' schedule. She is thriving.

She would have been an amazing SHAM. She enjoys every single moment of it. She plans and enjoys educational field trips and activities. She even has kids from our neighborhood who tag along often. I think her years in the military and her organizational skills help. She also has the temperament and patience of an angel.

Our grandbabies could read entire kids' books, knew their colors, numbers ect by 3. She taught them to swim, ride bikes, take them on bug hunts, and all kinds of cool stuff. 4 of the 6 are in school now. She's had their summer activities planned out since January.

She is a pro at grandparenting where I wanted to jump off a cliff even with them being at school all day. Some people thrive and some crash and burn (me). That's why being a choice is so important for everyone. I'd rather work 5 jobs than be a SHAM and she does it with such ease. I'm not even jealous, just in awe.

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I just did my 28 day dinner plan but we are omnivores so.

Breakfast rotates: pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, or grits. Bacon or sausage. Eggs. Fresh fruit or blended frozen fruit.

Lunch: dinner leftovers

I don't want any of this shit: cheese, crackers, ginger ale, and Valium

Meat-Light Monday (we couldn't commit to meatless so these all have a 3 to 1 proportion of beans to meat): red beans and rice, Chipotle style bowls, grilled sausage and baked beans, beef and bean chili

Taco Tuesday: beef tacos, chicken enchiladas, steak or shrimp quesadillas, birria tacos

Wilbur Wednesday: pork chops, ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, Cincinnati Chili cheese coneys

Thick Thighs Thursday: chicken piccata, barbecue chicken, baked chicken and enchilada rice, fried chicken

Fish on Friday: honey lemon baked salmon, fried catfish, shrimp scampi, Miso baked salmon

Somewhere else Saturday: most commonly sushi, pho, or pizza

Terrible_Feeling_925@reddit

I’ve been crock potting a lot lately lol… I’m just burned out. Burned out from coming up with food ideas for the family (I get no help in this dept!), burned out from cooking said recipes…. Now? I just throw that sh*# in the crock pot. Everyone serve yourselves in 8hrs lol. Byeeeeee! ✌🏼😂

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LeftHandedGuitarist@reddit

I've not heard the term "carryout" before.

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VWBug5000@reddit

I have a big 36 inch outdoor griddle and just about once a week I cook up a flat or two of skin-on but deboned chicken thighs. They are great for dinners and keep really well as leftovers. Whenever I’m hungry and can’t decide, I’ll just grab a cold chicken thigh from the fridge and eat it as a snack.

A big griddle is great for meal prep for the week. I regularly make tacos durangos with leftover pulled pork or chicken and those become great leftovers too. Fried rice is another go-to meal that works well too.

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goddam_kale@reddit

We have several go to “midweek meals” that are quick and easy after our initial meal prep supply has diminished. Rotisserie chicken or hamburger tacos, spagetti and simple salad, keep frozen meatballs around for meatball stroganoff, Big Mac sloppy Joe sandwiches.

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Infamous_Tie5605@reddit

we make a weekly menu in our house.

we're pretty consistent.

problem... i can eat the same thing day in and day out. she cant, or claims to get bored too quickly

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Hlsclh@reddit

I started Hello Fresh because of this. The decision fatigue is real.

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Hoppers-Body-Double@reddit

Hire me, I'll be a food dom for you two. I'll decide what you eat and when. Hahaha, on a serious note, check out Brian Lagerstrom's weeknight series where he tries to spend a half hour or less making delicious dinners. I've done a few of the beef ones and they were both delicious & quick to prepare.

https://youtu.be/RS8yo3JEkoA?si=GOXoq6XjUwthhMIT

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Ok_Island_1306@reddit

Where are you getting carry out for $50? I feel like it’s always $65+ for 2 people (cries in big city prices)

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Feanor23@reddit

We did hello fresh for a couple of months. Accumulated a few dozen recipes, learned how to cook, then canceled it but use the recipes each week. Wish I had done it 10+ years ago.

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pickleranger@reddit

Food and everything that goes with it, is 100% the worst part of adulthood. I’ve been saying this for years!

But hey- hot dogs, baked beans, and potato chips can be hot and on a plate in under 5 minutes!

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Thoughtful-Pig@reddit

I also hate it. The biggest effort reducer for me was the air fryer and sometimes pressure cooker. I just throw things in and press buttons. Both are pretty quick. This week, I made chili on the weekend in my instant pot--just thew in ground beef, a couple cans of beans, a can of tomatoes, garlic powder, some water, and pressed the buttons. It was a huge pot that will last me several meals with enough to freeze for next week. I also have sausages I put in the air fryer. 10-15 min and they're done. I also like carrots, green beans, and bell peppers in the air fryer. My rice cooker is also super easy. Make some for a few days.

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DarthBster@reddit

I feel that. My wife and I go through periods where we have great ideas and get in a groove with preparing meals and then we just hit a brick wall.

Crock pots and pressure cookers are lifesavers. And you know, it's not a big deal to grab some takeout or pop a pizza in the oven when you're just too tired.

There's lots of good subs on reddit that can give you easy ideas, and lots of times cheap to boot.

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No_Ratio1493@reddit (OP)

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sigm45@reddit

It didn't used to be like this either. I love to cook and have forever, even the more complicated or involved recipes were something to look forward to. Now planning just seems like such a waste. If I spend more than 20-30 mins on dinner I feel like I'm wasting time that could be used to do laundry/walk the dog/clean the house/etc.

It probably doesn't help that being a single parent now means that my budget is much more constrained. I'm amazed at the amount of food we used to waste. Now I'm much more deliberate and also much less likely to over-fix for fear of it not being eaten.

We do a once a week grocery run and do a big meal on Sundays but like you it doesn't last all week. Plus I get tired of the same leftovers everyday. We have a series of easy meals that we do that take about half an hour to make. Omelets and potatoes, Costco, ravioli, Jarred sauce and a salad etc.

It's not perfect, but planning It out ahead takes some of the stress out of it even if you don't make everything on Sunday.

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Puglet_7@reddit

I meal plan, have for over 20 years.

I also have become pro home cook. We didn’t have a lot of money when we had a kid.

I’m obsessed with cooking. I even grow most of my own food now.

My quick 30 min meals I do have are

Pizza Sliders-Hawaiian rolls, sauce, cheese, pepperoni Brush tops with oil, parm, Italian spices You can also make into meatball ones

Dutch Baby pancakes-savory or sweet

Bowls-any protein, veg and rices Southwest, Mediterranean, Gyro

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Ok_Percentage5157@reddit

Hell yeah. I'm not kidding when I say our InstaPot totally changed our cooking habits, and everything tastes great out of that thing.

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skeetpea@reddit

My partner and I sit down and plan out our meals for the week before we go grocery shopping. We have a list of about 15 go to meals that are tasty but easy enough to cook after a long day reading spreadsheets. We keep the weekly "menu" on a whiteboard in our kitchen. We also rotate who's cooking so not one person is stuck with always being the cook (but honestly he cooks every 2 to my 1 meals). We're flexible too and will rotate if one of us isn't feeling it.

It works for us. About 30 minutes of planning once a week completely eliminates the burden of having to decide on dinner every single day. The meals are tried and true so we know we're going to enjoy them.

Give something like this a try!

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TheObviousChild@reddit

I’ve been doing Hello Fresh for a few meals a week and it’s nice. Good selection and quality. Prep time is usually longer than they say though so if it says ready in 40 minutes, it’s more like an hour.

That said, for me cooking is a necessity. I’m not one of these people that gets pleasure from cooking.

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EducationalFerret849@reddit

Try emeals app. Game changer

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SwissCheese4Collagen@reddit

A couple options have worked at various points of my life.

Planning a menu when you do the groceries. Stick to it, set the stuff out to thaw in the fridge the night before or pre-prep it and leave it in the fridge.

The greatest thing my wife and I found was a caterer nearby. Each week, we order a meal meant for 8-10 people and just have it each night of the week. That order is usually under $120.

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EidolonRook@reddit

Look for one new recipe to try each week. Just one. Make sure it’s easy and the ingredients aren’t too much. Don’t make a ton. If you score a winner, you can make that part of your rotation.

Dinner is a marathon, not a race.

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Workamania@reddit

Maybe get a rice cooker and search YT for "Lazy Rice Cooker Meals"? I did that recently, but haven't gotten around to making my own gyudon or fried rice dish. I do have a Staub dutch oven. It's great for one pot recipies. Investing in good knives or a mandolin helps speed up the prep. I tend to make stuff on the weekend when I have the time to do my mise en place prep and can just dump stuff into a pot, dish, or whatever. I usually have enough for 3-4 days.

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drainbamage1011@reddit

We've got a decent list of rotating recipes, or adaptable meal ideas (jarred pasta/curry sauce, with whatever spare meat and veggies we have on hand), and then some nights I'm just burnt out and we scrounge leftovers or whatever is in the freezer.

You don't need to go full meal prep and fill dozens of little containers with portioned meals for the week, but with a bit of prep, you can give yourself a few easy options to quickly put together in a pinch.

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janellthegreat@reddit

For a year I wrote down everything we ate each night, and now I just endlessly loop through that list. Here is this week. Only five days as there is usually 1 night of leftovers and 1 night of whatever meal deal the grocery store is offering.

rotisserie chicken quesadillas watermelon fire roasted corn, black beans tortillas chips and bean dip

Double Decker Hamburgers Onion Rings Corn on the Cob

Cajun Chicken Pasta Side Salad

oven baked salmon apple slices house salad brown rice

Herb Grilled London Broil Grilled potato planks Cucumber salad Texas Toast

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Carnephex@reddit

My kiddo discovered "pizza beans" from some place online.

Drain and lay out a can of beans(baked or plain) in an oven safe dish and cover with jarred red sauce, pizza cheese and pepperoni. Or whatever pizza toppings you like.

I cooked up gbround turkey and sweat potatoes with shawarma seasoning (sperately)

And then I made a green goddess dressing, a carrot ginger dressing and tzatziki sauce

Lunches were turkey, sweet potatoes, lentils and tzatziki

Dinners were everything except turkey+ premade salad blend+ a salad dressing because it was hot and salad was a good choice

Took like an hour and a half to prep and then clean up on Saturday. Takes two minutes to make the salad and there's no cleanup

Oh and breakfast is 10 cereal grain hot cereal made in the rice cooker. Just wake up, throw the shit in the pot and turn it on, get ready for work and then breakfast is ready. Add yogurt and fruit for sweet or cheese & sun dried tomatoes if you want it savory

Next week it'll be similar but different. Probably the same vegetables chopped up because it keeps well, ground pork and roasted sweet potatoes but I'll go for an Asian flair and use five spice. I'll make a tomato dressing and the ginger carrot dressing to go with the five spice flavor

I'll use different whole grains, farrow and wheat berries maybe. Maybe quinoa and black rice, idk I'll figure it out.

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Kyogsa@reddit

My husband, daughter, and I have very different tastes and dietary needs so most of the time we end up making whatever we want and then something for her.

Like last night he had a salad with ham, I had chicken (orange pepper, garlic and paprika seasoning), beans, and rice because I have a hard time digesting certain foods early in the week due to my medication, and our daughter had a sub roll with cheese and strawberries.

Darth_Twinge@reddit

Inflation happened. I remember going to the grocery store with my Mom in the 90s and she'd get a weeks worth of groceries for like $100. Now I go and buy a bag of dog treats, paper towels, and toilet paper and it's $50. Making meals at home doesnt save money any more really. Especially with the added time it takes. I guess home food is potentially healthier depending on what restaurants are near you. But by the time I get home from work, both my spouse and I are too tired to make anything and then we go back and forth with "where do you want to eat?" "Place X?" "Nah, had that last week" "Place Y?" "Nah, tried of Mexican food" "Place Z??" "No, don't feel like Indian food". Then its yeah, 8pm and things are closing so we get Red Robin or some nonsense like that.

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Witty-Stock-4913@reddit

This is why we don't do family meals. We spend time as a family doing things we enjoy and talking, and don't make food the center because of the stress surrounding it. Eating when we want, what we want, has significantly decreased family stress.

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denali1@reddit

I feel you. I'm a stay at home (my wife works) and we don't have kids and I still get bogged down with this. It's tough! Was impossible when we were both working, lot of doordash happened then!

There's a lot of quick recepies out there that can be made from scratch and only take about 30 minutes to do.

I will admit those steam in bag microwave Vegetables are such a timesaver for sides, and 5 minute rice is great too for a side as well. I don't recall my parents having that growing up. Most vegetables and sides we had came from a can or were frozen. They worked long hours too so quick and easy was their thing as well. No one in my family has ever been a stay at home spouse as far back as I can trace.

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invuvn@reddit

Too true. I like to fall back on one thing when I can’t think and really don’t want to eat crap: INSTANT POT shoutout! Some chicken or beef broth, meat or your choice (drumsticks or beef shank or whatever really), carrots/potatoes/onions/whatever veggies you have lying around, and whatever umami-type seasoning tickles your fancy (soy sauce, fish sauce, salt n pepper). 30min high pressure usually amounts to 45min of cooking time. You can pair it with either rice or bread, and you’ve got yourself a few meals.

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Oat groats with cinnamon and blueberries and apples, with cacao powder on top Super good

Sukuma Wiki - super good & pretty simple