Make Dinnertime Easier Without A Meal Plan
Do you wish it was easier to come up with meal ideas even on the busiest nights? If so, this article will help. How to make dinnertime easier without a meal plan is the shortcut you’ve been looking for.
How to live a simple life with a game plan instead of a strict meal plan that will help you stop dinner time chaos for good.
Having a weekly menu all mapped out is one of the secrets to relaxing meals in many families. There is something about knowing what’s for dinner days in advance that takes away that 5 o’clock rush that tends to show up like clock work every day.
Making that plan, however, is a different story and that might be the part you struggle with.
The downside of Meal Plans
Meal plans can make you feel like you are back into a corner stuck to a plan that may have sounded good when you made it on Sunday, but now that the day is here…not so much.
Maybe you’re not in the mood for spaghetti tonight, or maybe a late meeting means the pot roast you planned to make is now out of the question. Having a plan is good but being tied to that plan may not be the best solution for you or your family.
Today’s approach is for folks that want just enough of a plan to keep things calm in the kitchen but not so much that they are tied to a strict menu every day.
These are my tried and true tips that I have resorted to every now and then when I just don’t have time to set up a weekly menu.
My goal with all of my planning is to make my life easier and less stressful, and let’s face it, chaos of any kind is about as stressful as you can get.
On those days, it’s always good to have a plan B to fall back on.
This is your go-to list of plan B’s that you can keep close by when you need a bit of help at dinnertime.
How To Make Dinnertime Easier without a Meal Plan
Let’s look at a few of my favorite easy tips that can help remove the stress that comes around every day at 5 o’clock.
Tip #1 Assign daily themes
A daily theme is a category of food that your family typically routinely eats. This can be pasta, fish, ethnic foods, veggie meals, meaty meals, or pizza. The categories are yours to make and that is what helps this tip become my favorite fall back.
By assigning a meal theme to each day, you will narrow down your choice of what to cook removing some of the dinner making pressure many of us feel every day.
I cannot tell you how much easier it is to choose a meal knowing it is chicken Tuesday because this takes a long and overwhelming list and turns it into a much shorter one.
How to Make it:
To make a weekly themed menu, you will want to write down each day of the week assigning a theme to each day. Be sure to keep in mind routinely busy nights and partner up themes that are quick and easy.
For example, nights when your kids have practice or games may be a good time for a crock pot meal.
Our Weekly Mean Plan:
- Monday – Leftovers from Sunday
- Tuesday – Chicken or Fish
- Wednesday – Pasta
- Thursday – Stirfry
- Friday – Fast food (homemade)
- Saturdays in the winter – Soup in the summer – Grill
- Sunday – Family Dinner
By setting up a theme day in your own home, you will make getting a meal on the table a lot less chaotic, making dinnertime more enjoyable for you as well.
Tip #2 Make a favorite meals list
Every family has their favorites, and our family is no different. When I’m pressed for time and out of ideas, a quick peek at my go-to meal list is usually all I need to get dinner on the table. If you do not have a go-to meal list, now is the time to get your family’s input.
How to Make It:
- Ask each family member to list their three favorite meals.
- Write everything down next to their name so you know who picked what.
- Round your list out by adding a few of your own meals along with some quick last-minute options.
- Be sure to have the ingredients for each meal so you can make it without having to run to the store.
Next time you are lost as to what to make for dinner, just refer to your go-to meal list for quick solutions. This list is also great on Birthdays because there is nothing more enjoyable than making a favorite meal for the guest of honor.
Tip #3 Stock your freezer
Another helpful tip, if you hate to meal plan, is to be sure your freezer has a few ingredients that are cooked and ready to use. This can be a helpful way to cut meal prep time down to minutes when time is short on busy days.
How to Make It:
The trick here is to stock your freezer with ready to go ingredients. This tip can save you 10-20 minutes of cooking time.
- Burger – Cook burger and then freeze it in one pound portions. You can also add in cooked onion and garlic. This is great for pasta dishes.
- Chicken – Cook breasts and cutlets and cut into 1 inch squares.
- Veggies – Wash and dice them before freezing. Use them in soups, stews, sauces, or omelets. If you plan to use them in the next 3-5 days you can store them in the fridge instead of freezing.
This time-saving tip will really make dinner time a snap!
Remember, the more you can do when life is peaceful, the more you can avoid a stressful situation, especially when cooking time is short and hunger pains in your family are at an all-time high.
Tip #4 Stock your pantry
On the same note, you also want to make sure you have all you need in your pantry. Make a list of common ingredients you tend to use often and be sure you have more than one in your pantry ready to go.
Sides are another item to have stocked in your pantry and freezer. Once you choose your main dish the sides should also be easy. To really make this part fast and simple, try to keep a nice variety of ready-to-go side dishes on hand.
A few sides to always have in your pantry
- Noodles
- Soup
- Potatoes
- Mac and Cheese
- Pasta
- Rice
- Fruit
- Roll mix
- Veggies
- Season packets
Tip #5 Dust off your appliances
crockpots
I LOVE my crockpot and use it year-round. Nothing solves dinner time madness than a meal you prepared in the morning. Not only will your house smell amazing, but clean up is a snap since most crockpot dishes are one-dish meals.
No crockpot? No worries, they are cheaper than you think and a great investment for your kitchen.
Crock-Pot 7 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker with Digital Timer, Food Warmer, Polished Platinum, Perfect for Everyday Meals and Entertaining
Crock-Pot Large 8 Quart Slow Cooker Bundle with Small Mini 16 Ounce Portable Food Warmer, Stainless Steel Kitchen AppliancesCrock-Pot Small 2 Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker, Black (SCR200-B)
Instant pots and air fryers
Other helpful tools are instant pots and air fryers. Both can be quite helpful saving time when cooking.
SLCG Pro Tip: If you are new to using an instant pot, here is something to keep in mind. Yes the cooking time is quicker than a crock pot, but the pressure buildup time does take time you will need to factor in.
The first time I used an instant pot, I was unaware that building up pressure before the food cooks can take quite a while and our first meal was much later than I had intended.
New to our time saving arsenal is our air fryer. This is another appliance that will help cut back on cooking time. You can air fry chicken breast in one basket, fries in another, and green beans in another giving you a fully prepped meal in a fraction of the time.
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Tip #6 Leftovers at the ready
Whenever I am making a family favorite, I like to double the recipe. Once cooled I freeze the extra portions for fast meals in a pinch.
It takes the same amount of time and effort to whip up a double batch of Crockpot Chicken Fajitas. When you are done cooking, freeze up enough for a future dinner, and you are all set!
Meals that are easy to double up
- Sloppy Joes
- Fajitas
- Meatballs
- Chicken nuggets
- Lasagna
- Any casserole
- Soups
- Stews
- Grilled chicken
- Meatloaf
- Ribs
Bonus Tip: Homemade fast food meals.
Most families love fast food meals. So fast food Friday’s are a big hit in our home.
Pizza, hotdogs, mac-n-cheese, chicken strips, fish sandwiches, hamburgers, garbage fries. I could go on and on. Have a few of these goodies ready to go, and you have yourself a super quick and fun meal in just minutes.
Worried about processed foods? Make as much as you can from scratch and freeze. Just a little more work and you have the same yummy foods that are delicious and good for you too! Sometimes having a few tricks up your sleeve is all you need to make dinnertime easier.
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