How Cooking Less Helped Me Love Motherhood More

Sarah Appleton shares how her 3-day-a-week cooking rhythm has brought more peace, joy, and prayer into her home. Download a printable recipe!

Motherhood is beautiful, but it’s also a season of deep learning and adjustment. First-time moms especially are thrown into a whole new life, schedule, and routine with the arrival of their new blessing. Figuring out the ins and outs of parenting, routines, cooking, and practical daily life while regaining balance is no easy task! The days are long, the nights are short, and sometimes even making dinner feels like climbing a mountain. What if there were a way to regain some normalcy and rhythm that could bring back peace and joy into your home?  

The Dinner-Hour Struggle 

For me, the hardest part of adjusting to being a mom was dinner time — those seemingly endless hours between 4–6 PM. Juggling cutting chicken and chasing my precious 1-year-old who loves to explore was daunting, to say the least. It’s the time of day when everyone’s hungry, the kitchen is a mess, and your patience feels paper-thin. So, as a busy mom, I’ve found it truly life changing to simplify our family’s meals by only cooking three times a week, intentionally making enough to eat leftovers the next day. This small shift has helped me reclaim time, reduce stress around dinner, and be more present with my child.   

Cooking every night became harder as my baby grew into a curious, independent toddler. Giving my child pots and pans to play with while I cooked was not cutting it anymore, and my toddler would prance all about the house exploring, usually ending up with something he should not have. Dinner became a game of cat and mouse that started to wear down on me physically. 

Discovering the Three-Night Cooking Routine 

When one of my friends told me that she only cooks three nights a week, I was shocked! Why had I never thought of this before? It sounded almost too simple, but I figured I had nothing to lose. I jumped in to try this new rhythm for myself, and what I discovered was that I became more present with my child and more attentive to the needs of my family overall. I also found my stress level dropped dramatically: fewer dishes to wash, less mess to clean, and more evening time for prayer, connection with my husband, or even a favorite hobby. 

How Cooking Less Taught Me More 

Experiencing the positive effects from this new routine also reminded me that God calls us to live with intentionality, even in the most ordinary and smallest parts of our day. When I stopped rushing to make dinner every night, I had more room to breathe, to pray, and to notice the little blessings like my child’s laughter or an unhurried conversation with my husband. In a way, simplifying dinner taught me that peace in the home often begins with peace in the heart.  

It’s amazing how something as small as changing your cooking schedule can ripple into every corner of your life. This approach could be helpful for other Catholic moms trying to balance faith, family, and practical daily life. This routine isn’t about perfection; it’s about creating space for what truly matters. To get you started, I’d love to share one of our go-to recipes that is not only delicious, but also quick and easy to make in large batches.  

Family Favorite Recipe: Lemon Chicken Orzo 

Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins 

Ingredients: 

2 cups orzo, uncooked
2 tbsp olive oil 
4 tbsp butter
1 chopped onion
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp Italian seasoning
4 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
3 cans shredded chicken breast (or meat from 1-2 rotisserie chickens)
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 cups baby spinach  

Directions: 

Add olive oil, butter, and onion to a large pot over medium-high heat; sauté onion 3-4 mins 

Add garlic, seasoning, and orzo. Cook 2-3 mins, stirring often 

Stir in chicken broth, lemon juice, and heavy cream. Once it starts to bubble, cook for 10 mins uncovered and stir often. Stir in chicken. 

Take pot off heat, stir in Parmesan and spinach, and cover for 5 mins to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

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Copyright 2025 Sarah Appleton
Images: Canva