What's For Dinner?

 Jena Muhr answers the most frustrating of all questions with 5 useful tips and a family-favorite recipe.

What’s for dinner? It's the most dreaded of all questions. The decision that can break the mama’s back each day. The decision that comes back around and around, never being fully done or decided.

I have had many days of throwing my hands up, ordering takeout or whatever comes through a drive-thru window out of frustration with this decision. And oh boy, it never seems to get 100% figured out. Because once you feel like you have things down, something throws a wrench into the system. Practice times change, a kid decides that he doesn’t like something anymore, or you get bored with the same thing each night or each week.

The list goes on. But the decision remains.

Here are a few things I’ve been doing, and some that I aspire to do, to make this eternal decision a little bit easier.

Plan Ahead

Weeks that go more smoothly for me on the dinner front are those I plan ahead for, preferably before I go to the market. Rather than trying to make the decision each day, knowing what comes next is helpful. You can plan further out if that’s what helps you, but a week is usually a good amount for me.

Look ahead at any events you have coming up and what you’ll have time for. I like to look at the weather forecast and plan for warmer meals on cooler days and days with less heat-based cooking for warmer ones.

You can also plan to use the same ingredients each day of the week. I find this taxing to plan and get overwhelmed. But I do find it helpful to cook proteins for the week if we’re going to be bbqing or smoking on the weekend, and plan meals using those already-prepped ingredients.

From here, changes are to be expected, and that’s OK. You can always bob and weave with the zig-zags of life.

Make Theme Nights a Routine

One thing that my family loves is a routine, particularly one that has a name to go along with it. Our current favorite is pizza and movie night. Almost every Friday we have pizza and watch a movie that is new for the kids while we eat. This is a treat for us because we have a “no TV during the school week” rule. It also allows us to have a firm plan for one night of the week, something we can count on.

You might have a meatless Monday or taco Tuesday. My personal favorite is thirsty Thursday, but that hasn’t happened since my college days.

Taking one night out relieves decision fatigue, making it one to look forward to because there is already a plan.

Make a Crowd-Pleasing Meal When Flying Solo

This idea is newer to us. When my husband is out of town I need a crowd-pleaser that the kids love, is easy for me, and maybe isn’t my husband’s favorite. Enter pancakes for dinner. The kids love it. I can make enough to have for breakfast the next morning, and the decision is made.

Use your Crockpot

Dump-and-go crockpot dinners are the absolute best. I have worn my family out on a few of these, but I enjoy them because they’re easy and done. So we keep eating them sometimes. The hardest part is making time for setup in the morning.

Here is my favorite Italian Beef recipe:

1-2 pounds stew meat (defrosted is best but semi-frozen is ok for this recipe)
Drizzle of olive oil
1-2 bell peppers (any color) sliced thin
1 yellow onion sliced thin
1-2 tablespoons Italian herbs
~1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 3 minced garlic cloves)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup (or so) of chicken broth or water

Add all ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Serve in sandwiches or on top of rice.

Enjoy Takeout or Dinner Out

There is nothing wrong with getting a night off (or two) from making dinner. Decide on what night is best for you to schedule it, and look forward to it!

Feel free to mix things up. I’ve tried to test out a new recipe a week but usually run out of mental energy after a week or two. And that’s OK. There’s a season for everything, and right now it’s my season to make dishes that are tried and true.

The most important takeaway: Whatever is for dinner, eat it as a family.

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Copyright 2026 Jena Muhr
Images: Canva