I used to open up the refrigerator at five o’clock in the evening and hope that something would magically appear for me to make for dinner.
But it never did.
I would realize that I hadn’t thawed any meat, or I was missing ingredients for the meal I wanted to make.
I often felt like I never had everything I needed to make dinner. So I’d take multiple trips to the grocery store during the week to pick up random ingredients, and many nights we’d end up eating out.
Feeding my family was frustrating because I had never actually been taught how to do it. I didn’t realize there was a process I could follow to make it easier.
Over the past 18 years, I’ve learned how to plan simple meals, keep the ingredients I need on hand, and get dinner on the table without spending hours in the kitchen every day.
If you’re struggling with feeding your family, I want to share what’s helped me.
You don’t need to be an amazing cook or prepare elaborate meals. You just need a starting point and a few simple systems that work for your family.
1. Create a master list of meals your family enjoys
One of the first things that helped me was creating a master meal list.
I used to spend so much time flipping through cookbooks and scrolling through Pinterest, trying to come up with new dinner ideas every single week.
What I eventually realized was that I didn’t need to reinvent the wheel every week.
Instead, I could keep a list of meals I already knew my family enjoyed and that I could prepare without too much trouble.
To create your own master meal list, start by writing down:
- Meals you already make at home.
- Meals your family asks for regularly.
- Meals you enjoy ordering when you eat out.
- Simple recipes you’d like to try.
- Meals you can prepare when you’re short on time.
You don’t need a long list to get started. Even 5 or 10 reliable meals can make a difference.
At one point, I divided my list into categories based on protein: chicken, ground beef, and pork.
That helped me find meal ideas more easily. Now that our family rotates through about 20 meals, I keep things simpler.
Our meal list has changed over the years, too. As our preferences and eating habits have changed, I’ve adjusted the meals we make.
You don’t have to figure out your perfect meal rotation right away. Start with what works for your family now.
2. Plan your meals for the week
Once you have a list of meals to choose from, weekly meal planning becomes much easier.
Each week, I sit down with my paper planner and plan our meals. I choose about 5-7 dinners from my master list and write them in the meal-planning section of my planner.
Since we’re a homeschooling family, I also jot down a few lunch ideas for the week.
But I don’t plan side dishes or breakfast.
I plan the main dish, then choose sides from the ingredients I already have.
Your goal isn’t to create a perfect meal plan. It’s to make sure you have a reasonable idea of what your family will eat throughout the week.
3. Keep simple side dishes on hand
One thing that makes preparing dinner easier is having basic side dishes always at home.
I keep a variety of canned and frozen vegetables in our pantry and freezer. Some of our regular staples include:
- Canned peas and green beans
- Canned black beans
- Frozen broccoli and cauliflower
- Rice
- Frozen tater tots
- Potatoes
When I make dinner, I look at what I have and choose one or two simple sides to serve with our main dish.
For example, when I make chicken Parmesan, I might serve canned peas and roasted vegetables from the freezer.
Frozen vegetables are especially helpful because I don’t have to worry about using them before they spoil. I can keep them available for whenever I need them.
I also limit how much fresh produce I buy because I hate throwing away food that has gone bad.
I generally keep carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, apples, and some berries on hand, using them first so they don’t go to waste.
And if we run out of fresh produce before the next grocery trip? Frozen vegetables work just fine.
You don’t have to prepare elaborate sides or use fresh ingredients for every meal. Choose a few simple options your family enjoys and keep them available.
4. Simplify breakfast and lunch
Dinner often gets the most attention, but figuring out breakfast and lunch every day can be exhausting too.
One thing that has helped me is rotating through just a few breakfast options. That way, I know I have the ingredients on hand and don’t have to make a new decision every morning.
For breakfast, we often have Greek yogurt bowls or smoothies. I keep Greek yogurt in the refrigerator and frozen berries in the freezer so those options are always available.
Lunch is usually leftovers or one of a few simple meals: chicken quesadillas, Italian meatballs, or roasted chicken with fruit, vegetables, or cottage cheese on the side.
You might prefer different meals, but the principle is the same: find a few easy options that work for your family and repeat them regularly.
In a world that constantly encourages us to try something new, it’s easy to feel like we’re falling short if we serve the same meals every week.
Find a few breakfasts, lunches, and dinners your family enjoys. Then introduce something new whenever you want to.
5. Keep a running grocery list and stock your pantry
One of the most frustrating things is getting halfway through preparing dinner and discovering you’re out of an important ingredient.
I’ve simplified this by keeping a shopping list near the refrigerator. Whenever I notice we’re running low on something we regularly use, I write it down.
If it’s an item I usually buy through Walmart grocery pickup, I add it directly to my cart in the app.
I also like to keep at least one backup of frequently used pantry staples. If I finish a bottle of ketchup or use the last of my garlic powder, I can grab the backup from the pantry instead of making a special trip to the store.
You don’t need to build a perfectly stocked pantry overnight. Start by identifying the ingredients you use most often, then gradually build a supply that makes sense for your budget and your family.
6. Choose simple meals that don’t take all evening
When I first started trying to cook dinner regularly, I often attempted complicated meals every night. Eventually, I burned myself out.
Now, I look for meals I can put together in under an hour. Most of the time, I don’t want to spend more than an hour preparing food.
We usually have burgers, tacos, or burritos at least once a week. These meals are simple to prepare and are perfect for nights when I’m short on time or energy.
When you’re choosing recipes, pay attention to how much time and effort they require.
If a recipe has a long list of ingredients and complicated directions, save it for a day when you have more time or skip it altogether.
Not every dinner needs to be a special occasion.
The important thing is to find meals that fit your actual life.
This is one of the things I teach in my course The Motivated Homemaker Blueprint.
7. Prepare ahead so dinner doesn’t sneak up on you
I used to get to dinnertime only to discover that the meat I needed was still frozen solid.
One small habit that has made a difference is looking ahead at the next day’s dinner and making sure I have what I need.
If we’re having chicken the next day, I’ll move it from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw.
If I know I’ll need ground beef for two meals, I can plan ahead to thaw the amounts I’ll need.
If I have time earlier in the day, I’ll prepare what I can so that dinner is less hectic.
A little preparation ahead of time can prevent a lot of frustration later.
8. Have a few to-go meals you can always make
Even with a meal plan, life happens. You might have a busy day, forget to prepare something, or simply not feel like cooking.
That’s why I think it’s helpful to have a few go-to meals that you can put together with ingredients you usually have on hand.
Tacos are one of our family’s go-to meals. I try to keep taco seasoning and taco shells in the pantry, along with ground beef, sour cream, and cheese in the refrigerator or freezer.
When we have a busy evening and don’t want to go out to eat, I can put together tacos without much planning.
Chicken nuggets are another easy option for our family. I often buy them at Costco, and they’re helpful to have available for those days when I need something simple.
Your emergency meals might be sandwiches, quesadillas, breakfast for dinner, pasta, soup, or something else entirely.
There’s no single right answer. Choose meals that your family enjoys and that you can prepare with minimal effort.
Start small and take the next step
If no one ever taught you how to feed your family, I hope you realize that you aren’t supposed to know everything automatically.
It’s a skill you can learn.
You don’t have to change everything at once. Pick one or two things from this list and start there.
- Create a master list of meals your family enjoys.
- Plan 5-7 dinners for the coming week.
- Keep a few simple side dish option in your pantry and freezer.
- Choose a handful of easy breakfast and lunch options.
- Keep a running grocery list.
- Thaw meat ahead of time so it’s ready when you need it.
- Choose a few to-go meals you can always have on hand.
Over time, these small habits can make feeding your family feel much less overwhelming.
And remember, your goal isn’t to prepare perfect meals. Your goal is to develop a routine that helps you care for your family without feeling frustrated and exhausted every day.
If you’d like to see how I put these ideas into practice in my own kitchen, watch my video below.
Watch: How to Feed Your Family (Even If No One Ever Taught You
And if you’re looking for more practical help with homemaking, you can also get my free Homemaker’s Checklist when you sign up for my weekly emails.