Secrets to Stress-Free Weeknight Dinners

This post originally appeared Pockets Full of Wonder.

Listen.  Weeknights can be brutal.  Between homework, extra-curriculars, volunteering, dinner, and bath/bedtime routines, it’s easy to end the day feeling beaten.  And it’s easy to let dinner be the sacrificial lamb when take-out and convenience foods are right at your fingertips.  Homemade meals are the best, but man, it can be a lot to take on!  So I have a few tricks up my sleeve for de-stressing dinnertime.

My 5 Secrets to Stress-Free Weeknight Dinners

1.  I stick to the basics.

Busy weeknights are not the time for experimenting in the kitchen!  I make things I know how to make without a recipe and that I know my little kids will eat without too much of a fight.

Don’t get me wrong.  Our menu isn’t catered 100% to the kids.  Even if I wanted to do that, it would be an impossibility with three kids who all like and dislike different things.  But I’m a pick-my-battles type of mom.  And weeknight dinners are not a battle I choose to even step into, let alone fight.

2.  Cook once, serve twice.

My favorite thing to do is to cook up a bunch of shredded chicken in the Instant Pot and split it into two meals.  For one, I might toss half the chicken with some teriyaki and serve it over rice.  For the second, I might mix the chicken with salsa or seasonings and make tacos.  And for a super fast dinner, I might use some to make chicken salad for sandwiches and serve with salad.

3.  Salad kits.

Yep, I went there.  I used to be VERY anti-salad kit.  I saw them as a huge waste of money.  Well, back when they first started appearing, they were nothing more than some chopped iceberg, 3 strands of carrot, about a teaspoon of shredded cheese, and some barely-edible ranch dressing.  And all for like $6!  Plus, I felt like a salad is easy enough to make already.

Salad kits have come a long way!  Now you can find them with spring greens, cabbage, even kale and shredded Brussels Sprouts.  And they come in a variety of flavors.  At least 1 night per week, sometimes 2, I use a salad kit for an easy no-cook side dish.

4.  Frozen vegetables.

Same logic as the salad kit, but takes a little time to cook.  But literally ZERO prep time.  I get my frozen veggies at Costco (they even have LOTS of organic options).  I steam some in a pan while I’m cooking the rest of the meal and toss with a little butter, season with salt and pepper, and voila!  An easy side dish that takes very little effort.  Frozen veggies are also good for main dishes, like stir-fry and casseroles, to make cook time faster than with fresh, raw veggies.

5.  I *strategically* meal plan.

I’ve talked about meal planning before, and I still swear by it!  I even shared a meal planner printable that you can download for free.

But I don’t just write down a bunch of meals to make.  I am strategic.  I make sure to take into account what’s going on each night and I plan meals that work together (i.e. the cook once, serve twice trick).  If I had to pick just one thing to recommend to make dinnertime easier, it would be this!

I’m ALWAYS looking for new ways to make dinnertime easier!  What are YOU’RE secrets??