Organized for Dinnertime

For busy two-income couples and families, getting dinner on the table every night can be a real challenge. A little organization and planning can go a long way in making mealtimes easier on everyone.

This is something I have practical, personal experience with. My husband and I often have unpredictable schedules and erratic commute times. I would arrive home, cook a nice meal, and then he might get stuck having to grab a bite at the office. It was frustrating to spend time cooking to wind up having the food go to waste.

I got sick of throwing uneaten food away, try as we might to make meals out of leftovers. We then went to the opposite extreme, where I did not want to even do much grocery shopping, in order to avoid the waste. Of course, when we arrived home from work hungry and tired, the cupboard was bare and we had to go out to grab a bite to eat.

What we finally came up with was a rough listing of meals that we rotate during the week based on our schedules. One night we might have a big chef salad, another night is a grocery store rotisserie chicken picked up on the way home from work. For nights where our schedule may be unpredictable, we might have frozen meals like Lean Cuisines on hand to have with a small salad. Soup and sandwiches is another time-saving option. We typically also work in a trip to a nearby, inexpensive local restaurant or two.

This makes it a great deal easier to grocery shop, but still gives some measure of flexibility as there is no set-in-stone, specific menu. As well, it helps with grocery budgeting as well as controlling dining out expenses, since we generally know beforehand both where and what we will be eating. This mealtime organizing tip should save you both money and time.