Tired of wondering what’s for dinner? This simple 7-step system helps busy families plan meals and feel in control all week!
Does dinner feel stressful every night? You’re not alone!
Every week, I used to sit at a blank screen trying to figure out what to cook for the next week.
- I’d come up with random meals and forget to add ingredients to the grocery list.
- The schedule would change one day, throwing off my plan to make a more complicated dinner.
- I’d try to plan out 7 whole dinners, a lunch or two, and then forget about breakfast.
Here’s what I’ve realized: Most families don’t actually struggle with cooking.
They struggle with knowing what to cook, when to cook it, and having the ingredients in the house and ready to use.
And that’s why I created my No-Stress Dinner System.
Because when I sat back and thought about it, I realized there were 7 core steps involved in my meal planning.
And once I honed in on them, my meal planning process got SO much easier.
- Meal planning now takes only 30 minutes, one day a week
- I have a list of easy-to-make dinner themes at my disposal
- I only plan 5 dinners and 1 breakfast per week
Let’s dig in and simplify your meal planning!
Who This System is For
- Busy moms trying to feed their family every night
- Families wanting to stick to a budget
- Anyone tired of figuring out dinner every night
The 7 Steps
-Pick Your Planning Day
-Check Your Calendar for the Week
-Choose Your Meal Themes
-Plan 5 Dinners
-Build Your Grocery List
-Prep What You Can
-Use Backup Meals
Step 1: Pick Your Planning Day
Everything starts here. Without a weekly planning habit, those dinner decisions pile up all week and you end up a frazzled mess.
Pick one day and stick with it every week!
Read: Why You Need a Weekly Planning Day
Step 2: Check Your Calendar For the Week
Plan around your life! If you have soccer practice one night, don’t cook a dinner that takes 60 minutes in the oven. Check your calendar and pick easy meals for the busy nights.
Read: How to Plan Dinners Around Busy Nights
Step 3: Choose Your Meal Themes
Stop staring at a blank meal plan! Meal themes get rid of decision fatigue and help you plan dinners faster.
It’s not always Taco Tuesday. But having themes like Pasta, Soup, Slow Cooker, and Mexican makes it easier to find a dinner.
Read: The Meal Theme Trick That Makes Planning Easier
Step 4: Plan 5 Dinners
Five dinners. One leftover night. One night for eating out or breakfast for dinner. That’s it!
Read: Why I Only Plan 5 Dinners Per Week
Step 5: Build a Smart Grocery List
Only buy what your plan requires. And use shortcuts like a grocery pickup or having a list of weekly staples you can copy and paste.
Read: How to Build a Grocery List that Works
Step 6: Prep What You Can
A little prep goes a long way. Whether you’re making a breakfast for the week, muffins for a snack, or hard-boiled eggs to go with lunch, just taking 30 minutes on a Sunday afternoon can set you up for success all week!
Read: The Simple Weekly Prep that Saves My Week
Step 7: Use Backup Meals
This is what keeps my system from falling apart. Having simple ingredients or even full meals in my pantry and freezer saves me from ordering pizza and spending money.
Read: My Backup Dinner System
What a Week Looks Like Using These Steps
Here’s what a typical week looks like in my house. Fridays and Saturdays rarely change, and the meal themes/dinners rotate. But each week looks pretty similar:
- Sunday: “Sheet Pan”- Dijon Parmesan Chicken
- Monday: “Pasta”- Chicken Sausage Broccoli Pasta
- Tuesday: “Sandwiches”- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- Wednesday: “Asian”- Curried Ground Turkey Bowls
- Thursday: “Mexican”- Mexican Pizzas
- Friday: Leftover Night
- Saturday: Pancakes
I use the meal themes as a base, and then find a dinner that matches. And with that, my decision-making time is nearly cut in half!
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t cook every night?
You don’t need to! This system builds in flexibility. That’s why I only plan 5 dinners.
What if my schedule changes?
Just swap meals, or even use a backup meal! If you planned a slow cooker dinner but forgot to start it before work, just pull out an emergency meal from the freezer and heat that up instead.
What if I forget to plan?
Just start fresh next week. No guilt! This is a muscle that needs to be built, and it takes time.
How long does this take?
Once you turn meal planning into a habit, you may be able to get it down to just 30 minutes a week!
Listen, you don’t need a perfect meal plan. You just need a simple system that works for your life.
And you don’t have to do all 7 steps at once. If all you can manage is just getting your meal planning shortened to one day a week, awesome! That’s progress!
Take your time, trust the process. And soon you’ll be planning your week easily: No stress involved!
Jaime is a Nutrition Coach through the ISSA and professional writer. She has 4 years experience coaching and 9 years experience in writing. She enjoys cooking easy meals, running, and learning more about food.
Jaime specializes in helping women with ADHD learn to meal plan and cook healthier meals without getting overwhelmed.