You know that feeling—you sit down on Sunday with all the best intentions. You write out a full meal plan, make your grocery list, and head to the store full of hope. But by Wednesday, the whole plan’s fallen apart.
Maybe you forgot to thaw the meat. Maybe the meal takes too long. Or maybe the kids ate the one thing you were saving for Thursday night.
That’s exactly why I let go of traditional meal planning.
It just wasn’t working for me.
This post is all about simple meal planning.
Parts of this post were drafted with the help of AI, then reviewed, updated, and edited by me to reflect my personal experience and voice. I always aim to share real-life content that’s helpful, honest, and rooted in my day-to-day rhythms.
This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you choose to purchase through my links. I only share products I use and love in my own home.
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- How I Finally Made Peace with Simple Meal Planning
Why I Ditched Traditional Meal Planning
For a while, I thought the problem was me. I’d start the week with a detailed plan—every dinner accounted for, every ingredient prepped. But after making one or two meals, life would happen.
Something would throw off the plan.
We’d get home late. I’d forget to prep something. One of the kids would eat a key ingredient. Or I’d just be too tired to pull off what I had written down.
Instead of helping, meal planning became just one more thing I felt like I was failing at.
And that’s when I realized: It wasn’t me. It was the system.
So I stopped trying to force something that didn’t work for my real life.
What I Do Instead: Simple Meal Planning
My approach now is rooted in rhythm, not a rigid system. I still feed my family. I still plan a little. But I keep it flexible and simple.
The biggest change started with how I grocery shop.
Now, most of my weekly grocery budget goes toward:
- Meat that’s on sale
- Pantry staples we use often
- A little room for fresh produce
Instead of planning dinners and then shopping for those meals, I flipped it. I buy what’s on sale or what we already use a lot of—and then I build my week’s meals around that.
Each week I look in the freezer and choose a few simple meals I can make from what’s already there. That’s it.
This rhythm helps me avoid the all-or-nothing pressure of traditional meal planning. I’m still being intentional, just without the burnout.
The Dinner That Always Works
Most nights, I make a roasted meat with potatoes and a vegetable. It’s not fancy, but it’s real food. And it works.
Here’s why I love it:
- It’s easy to prep
- It can be made with almost any protein
- I can switch up seasonings and sides to avoid boredom
- It leaves fewer dishes than most meals
Sometimes we swap potatoes for rice or a salad. Sometimes I cook extra and use the leftovers the next day.
Keeping dinner this simple has been the biggest gift in this season of motherhood.
Smorgasbord Dinners Are Real Dinners Too
Last week, I had one of those nights. I hadn’t planned anything, and I didn’t have enough of one thing to feed everyone.
So I got creative and made a smorgasbord dinner:
- A few leftover chicken strips
- Some fish sticks
- The last of the tater tots
- Grapes
- Carrots
- Green beans
- A slice or two of pizza from the fridge
I laid it all out and let everyone pick what they wanted.
No one complained. We were full.
And we used up food that would’ve gone bad otherwise.
It wasn’t Pinterest-worthy, but it was dinner.
And that’s all it needed to be.
My Go-To Backup Dinners
These are the dinners I always fall back on when I’m tired, sick, or the day just doesn’t go as planned. I keep the ingredients for them stocked in my pantry or freezer so I can make them anytime.
- Quesadillas – with leftover meat, beans, or even just cheese
- Chunk chicken sandwiches – canned chicken mixed with mayo inside grilled bread
- Rope sausage pasta – sausage, noodles, and whatever frozen veg I have
- Breakfast for dinner – eggs, toast, pancakes, fruit
These meals take 15–20 minutes tops and don’t make a giant mess.
They’ve saved dinner more times than I can count.
The Power of Leftovers
Whenever I don’t know what to make for dinner, I check the fridge first.
We almost always have something leftover: a piece of meat, roasted veggies, rice from the night before. Even if it’s not enough of one thing, I can usually turn it into a meal with a few additions from the pantry or freezer.
Using leftovers is one of the most underrated forms of simple meal planning.
It saves time. It reduces waste. And it takes the pressure off.
Fresh Milled Flour—The Simple Way
I love using fresh milled flour, but I keep it simple.
I don’t bake bread every day. I’m not always trying new recipes. Most of the time, I make muffins, pancakes, or biscuits at the start of the week.
That gives us:
- Quick breakfasts
- A side for dinner
- Something to build a quick meal around
Sometimes we’ll even have pancakes for dinner. Yes, really.
And no one complains.
What I’d Say to Another Mom Feeling Burned Out
If you’re in a season where meal planning burnout is real, here’s what I want you to hear:
You’re not behind.
You’re not failing.
You’re just tired.
You don’t need a new binder or a new system. You don’t need to plan 30 meals or batch cook every Sunday.
You just need a few simple tools, a stocked pantry, and permission to make dinner easy.
Start with what you have.
Cook what you know.
And know that feeding your family doesn’t have to feel hard.
What Simple Meal Planning Looks Like In Real Life
At my house, it looks like:
- A toddler crying
- Dishes in the sink
- A frozen chicken breast being thawed at 4:45
- Noise, crumbs, and someone asking for a snack while I’m cooking
But it also looks like:
- Food on the table
- Everyone eating together
- A deep breath, because we made it through another day
That’s what dinner looks like here.
Not perfect. Not planned out in full. Just real food, on real plates, in a real home.
This article is all about simple meal planning
Want Help Getting Started?
If you’re ready to try simple meal planning without pressure, I’ve got a free starter pack just for you.
Inside you’ll find:
- A flexible dinner rhythm template
- 3 real-life meal ideas
- My go-to fresh flour win
- A reminder that dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to count
👉 Click here to download the From-Scratch, Not Stressed Starter Pack
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