7 Tips for Getting Dinner on the Table

At the end of the day when energy is low, the last thing I want to do is cook. Here are some tips for getting dinner on the table in your home.

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As manager of our home (I like to call myself the COO), an area where I struggle is dinner time.  I love to eat (ha!), but the cooking part has never come easy for me.  Add in the fact that all of us typically start melting down around 4pm and getting dinner on the table each night can be…well…interesting. 😉

Just last week, we ate out 2 nights in a row because I couldn’t get dinner pulled together in time.  We all love eating out, so no one was upset, but I was frustrated with myself.  

I know that eating in is much better on our budget and our waist lines.  After taking a moment to regroup, I decided that it was time to pull myself out of my dinner prep rut.  The next day, I got dinner on the table and even managed to get an extra batch in the freezer.  It felt good to be back!

Since I imagine I’m not alone in this struggle to get dinner on the table each night, I wanted to share some tips that might help.

1. Create a menu plan each week

This is a necessity.  By creating a menu plan, you eliminate the guess work when it comes time to actually prepare your meal.  You can grocery shop based on your plan, so you know you’ll have everything you need when you need it.  I’m a list maker by nature, so this one comes a little easier for me.

eMeals* is a great meal planning service, if the price fits within your budget.

2.  Keep your meals simple

When creating a menu for the week, I aim to keep meals simple.  I try to use up items that I already have in my fridge/freezer and pantry, but I also tend to cook meals with few ingredients.  I hope to get more adventurous in the kitchen down the road, but I just don’t have the time during this season of life.

Two of our favorite recipes are:  Crockpot Mexican Chicken and Creamy Beans & Rice.

3.  Prepare some freezer meals in advance

I started reading about freezer cooking a few years ago and it has really transformed the way I think about getting dinner ready.  I don’t do it as often as I’d like, but I love to do freezer cooking sessions periodically.  If I can’t do that, I try doubling recipes when I do cook or prepping ingredients and freezing them for later.

Once you have meals in your freezer, it’s just a matter of thawing them out and cooking them.

4.  Utilize your slow cooker

In my opinion, one of the best kitchen gadgets on the planet is the slow cooker.  I don’t know what women did without them!  Since the late afternoon hours are usually the most chaotic in our home, I love being able to turn on my slow cooker in the morning and then know it will be ready by dinner.

My slow cooker is on its last leg, but I have my eye on THIS* one.

If you need some slow cooker recipe ideas, then check out this post. These are the slow cooker recipes that I use over and over.

5.  Think about dinner in the morning

It might sound crazy to think about dinner right after breakfast (or mid-morning), but it helps so much!  Take a look at your meal plan in the morning and prep as early in the day as possible.  Your prep doesn’t have to be much.  

Whether its chopping up veggies, throwing your ingredients in your slow cooker, or just mentally preparing yourself, take a moment to think about dinner earlier in the day.  Any sort of head start you give yourself will pay off!

6.  Keep basic ingredients on hand

If everything goes wrong and your original plan falls through completely, a well stocked pantry and fridge/freezer can be a lifesaver.  There have been times when I totally forgot to thaw out my meat or I simply forgot to throw my freezer meal into the slow cooker.  In those cases, having basic ingredients on hand will allow you to throw something easy together at the last second.

We’ve resorted to Oatmeal Bake or “Breakfast for dinner” if we are desperate.

7.  Recruit help 

No offense to June Cleaver, but there is no reason why women can’t recruit help when it comes to dinner.  If your kids are too little to help with the prep themselves, maybe they can help set the table and get drinks ready.  My husband isn’t much of a cook (sorry, babe!), but he’s willing to do what he can when I ask.  There is no shame in asking for help!

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working woman, getting dinner on the table can be a challenge for all of us.  The good thing is that it is possible with a little planning.  And if all else fails, there’s always a bowl of cereal, right?  🙂

What helps you get dinner on the table?