It’s the end of the day and it’s time to start thinking about dinner. You’re staring into the depths of your fridge, just hoping that it might have some answers for you. After making decisions all day long, your brain is tired. Your executive function is worn out. And now, you need to figure out what you can make with the ingredients on hand. Bonus: Make something that everyone loves (when everyone else is feeling very similar to you after a long day).
We’ve all been there – and it makes dinner so stressful. Sure, you think it’ll be fine – after all, you just went grocery shopping so it’ll be easy to put a meal together that works for everyone. The reality? Life takes over and suddenly the idea of trying to piece together why you bought the various meats and vegetables just doesn’t make sense.
The latest data I found shows that nearly 30 percent of Americans do weekly menu meal planning. The art of meal planning lives between being flexible to adapt to whatever may happen with life that week, and sticking with a list of recipes that you have ingredients for. There are a few elements that can help make this easier than ever, giving you the relief of having to figure out what’s for dinner after a long decision-filled day.
Start with Real Life
There is this recipe I dream of making. I made it once upon a time ago when I had fewer responsibilities and more energy after the work day. It is for a homemade chicken pot pie, where you make the crust and the filling from scratch. The time I made it, I believe it took a good three hours overall. But oh my deliciousness, the result! It was absolutely amazing.
In my life today, this recipe is nothing more than a dream. A dream of a meal that someday I’ll have the interest, energy, and time to make again.
I share this because the art of meal planning starts with being realistic with your current life and schedule. When you have a night full of sports practices or need to scarf down dinner between some late-night meetings, you don’t have the option to cook that gourmet recipe you found on Pinterest.
Set yourself up for success by looking at what’s on the calendar. In doing so, take some time to think about what that means for what you can put on the menu. In our house, we love doing what I call “Smorgasboard Sundays” – or where we pull the leftovers out of the fridge, heat them all up, and you get to pick what you want on your plate. It’s a great way to clear out the fridge, and I love not closing down the weekend with a big stressful meal.
Build a System You Can Rely On
One of the things I’ve heard in recent years is that it comes down to the system that you use – and how that makes things easier for your brain. There’s less cognitive load, there’s more predictability, and in the end – it means you can use the system to help you get it done when you might be too exhausted to think aout it.
A few ways you can build your system:
- Leverage a digital meal planning tool to build your weekly menu. Weekly Table, for instance, takes your favorite recipes. In one click, you can build your weekly menu around your dietary preferences and your life.
- Set theme nights. Skip the blank sheet of paper, and create some theme nights – like Taco Tuesday, Breakfast-for-Dinner (or Brinner) Thursday, and Smorgasboard Sunday.
- Focus on ingredients. Maybe you have the same meat two nights in a week, or do a stir fry late in the week to use up extra vegetables.
The system becomes the backbone of your weekly menu planning. For many, it becomes a feedback loop where they can continuously improve it week over week so that the system works for them and their lives.
Shop Smarter at the Grocery Store
We’ve all been there – heading to the grocery store to “grab a few things” to make dinner that night. But then, you get home and have the most random array of items that called out to you as you were perusing the aisles.
This gets costly and can also lead to higher food waste – which is basically the same as throwing your money in the trash. When you go to the grocery store, having a list ready can transform your entire experience.
In fact, building a grocery list off your weekly menu can save as much as 30% off your grocery bill. Digital tools like Weekly Table mean that you can generate a grocery list and have it automatically organized to the grocery store layout.
Prep Like a Boss
Food prep is one of those things that you may grumble about as you do it, but in the end, it pays off so much!
I used to spend a few hours on Sundays prepping my food for the week. And while it was great – I got it done in one shot – any time something would come up on Sunday, my entire week would be thrown out of whack.
I’ve shifted this a bit in recent years, where I try to prep as I cook. Let’s say I have several recipes that require rice. The first time I cook a meal that needs it that week, I just double the recipe so it’s ready later in the week. I also love to throw some chicken thighs in the crockpot at the beginning of the week, and use it as a base for the rest of the week – whether I’m making tacos, a Mediterranean dish, or just a power bowl.
Mastering the Art of the Weekly Menu
When it comes to the weekly menu, it’s not about being perfect (like most things in life). It’s about building in flexibility so that you can adapt to whatever life may throw your way. It’s using systems and processes that help reduce the cognitive load on your brain, so that it feels realistic to achieve.
And, most importantly, it’s about finding a way to get the planning and prep part done so you can focus on what matters most – spending time at the kitchen table with the people you love most in your life.
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