The Husband’s Guide to Meal Planning

This is what dinners look like these days, as a Mom of a toddler and an infant. Please note that this is dripping with sarcasm, and I DO cook for my family and I love doing so. But sometimes, I wish this would be more of the accepted mealtime reality. So, dear husband, here is my concise guide to meal planning for the week. I do hope you approve.

1. “Make Your Own” Monday

I take no part in making dinner on Monday nights. “Make Your Own” Monday is what it sounds like: Make your own dinner. Mac & cheese, PB&J, a bowl of Cheerios sound like perfect options to me! Remember those “Create Your Own Adventure” books? Yes. Those. Think of all the culinary combinations you could employ! The possibilities are endless!

2. “Take Out” Tuesday

What’s it gonna be? Chinese? Pizza? KFC? Maybe some exotic Indian food or Mediterranean carry-out. All of these are completely valid options. By “Take Out Tuesday” I mean, dear husband, you’d better be bringing back some carry-out. Another option for “Take Out Tuesday?” You bring home a babysitter and take ME out to dinner!

3. “What’s for Dinner” Wednesday

If you come in the door and ask “what’s for dinner?”, I may just hand you the baby, tell the toddler to go see you, and I will run quick like a cheetah, back to the bedroom. If I don’t come out for 3 hours, no worries. I took a nap that maybe will give me energy to cook some dinner. Cooking dinner includes warming up a Lean Cuisine, right?

4. “Throw it Together” Thursday

Looking at our eclectic meal plan for the week thus far, “Throw it Together” Thursday is bound to be a success! What part of PB&J dipped in palak paneer doesn’t sound good? I knew you could throw something delectable together from those amazing leftovers!

5. “Free for All” Friday

Anything goes today. I mean anything. You want brownies for dinner? Sure. You want to go out for ice cream? Perfect. You want to binge on those delicious packets of Ramen like you did in college? I knew you did. Best case scenario, you take the kids out to eat and leave me home with the dogs. I’ll drink wine for dinner. I think I am really starting to like “Free for All” Fridays!  Cheers!




6. “See Where We Go” Saturdays

We are a family with young kids and we always have something happening on Saturdays. Our dinner depends on where we end up! If you’re lucky, we will have a wedding to attend. BONUS. Your first healthy and delicious meal of the week! Let’s “See Where We Go!” Bringing back those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books again. Choose your family weekend events wisely, if you intend on a delicious dinner at said family event. There are so many adventures to be had! Birthdays, and Weddings and Baptisms…oh my!

7. “Someday” Sunday

Oh dear husband. This surely has been a rough week, wouldn’t you agree? I do hope to “someday” get back to cooking beautiful meals for you like I did for all those years before children. It was easy then, during those kid-free days of only worrying about ourselves. Candlelit dinners, beautifully set tables, fine china for those planned romantic dinners on a peaceful Saturday evening. Until those days return to us, many years from now,  just hang on to “Someday” Sunday.

I do hope you have found this guide to meal planning helpful. I knew you wondered what it was that I did all day; I was busily preparing for all of these meals, of course!