Aren’t You Tired of the Question “What’s for Dinner?”
It’s the question that lingers over every busy family dinner time: What’s for dinner? If you’re like me, it’s the one thought that plagues my mind throughout the day.
When I first became an adult, I fantasized about being the perfect gourmet cook. I imagined elaborate meals with hard-to-find ingredients, intricate recipes that would take hours to prepare—and of course, my husband would be endlessly appreciative of my skills. Fast forward a few decades, and my Pinterest searches are more along the lines of "easy family meals" or "quick recipes" with whatever ingredients I have in the fridge.
You know what? I’m not ashamed. The truth is, I cook most of my family meals now for a few simple reasons, and they all tie back to the tiredness we all feel. Because let’s face it—aren’t you tired of trying to make dinner work while managing a million other responsibilities?
Saving Money
One of the main reasons I cook at home is because it saves us money—and honestly, who doesn’t want to save a little more these days? In 2023, a survey by US Foods found that the average person spends $166 a month dining out. For a family of four, that’s $664! Now, this is probably less for children, but you get the idea.
I’m not saying I don’t enjoy a night out or a little takeout now and then, but I’ve definitely learned that cooking at home is a smarter choice for my budget—and my sanity. Plus, with all the other things I have to manage, who wants to keep budgeting for dining out when I could be putting that money toward other priorities, like a spa day?
Convenience
Many people think dining out or ordering takeout is the easy option. But after years of juggling work, school pick-ups, extracurricular activities, and a dozen other responsibilities, I’ve realized that eating at home is actually faster and more convenient. Cooking at home can be less tiring than spending hours at a restaurant or waiting for delivery.
Let me break it down. When you go out and drive to the restaurant (15-25 minutes), wait to be seated (15-20 minutes), wait for your food (15-20 minutes), eat (15-20 minutes), and then deal with the check and leftovers (15-20 minutes). Add that all up, and you’re looking at close to 95 minutes of your day spent on one meal.
On the flip side, cooking a simple meal at home usually takes 30 minutes (or less!), followed by 15-20 minutes to eat, and maybe 20 minutes to clean up. That’s a total of 65 minutes—and with the added bonus of saving money.
When you’re running on empty, every minute counts. Cooking at home isn’t just cheaper; it’s a lot less exhausting than you might think—and you don’t have to change out of your comfy sweats.
Healthier Meals
Another reason I choose to cook at home is because I want to provide healthier meals for my family. I’ll be honest—I’m not a nutritionist, and I don’t always hit the mark, but I try my best to put together meals that are balanced and nutritious.
When you cook at home, you control what goes into your meals. You can limit the sugar, preservatives, and unhealthy fats that tend to sneak into takeout and processed foods. And while it may feel like there’s no time to plan a healthy meal, I’ve found that having a few quick, go-to recipes on hand can make all the difference.
It’s not just about saving time or money—it’s about feeding my family something that I feel good about, knowing that I’m doing my best to keep them healthy. That’s a win in my book, especially when I'm already feeling so tired from everything else.
Quality Time Without the Distractions
I get it—when you’re exhausted, the easiest option is to just grab takeout or hit the drive-thru. But here’s the thing: when you cook at home and share a meal with the family, you’re doing more than just feeding everyone. You’re creating a rare opportunity to actually connect without all the noise and distractions. Phones go away (or at least I try to make them go away), and suddenly the focus is on us—the people in the room. It’s like hitting a reset button on the chaos of the day.
There’s something kind of magical about sitting down together, no screens in sight, and talking about the little things that made up our day—stuff that usually gets buried under work emails, endless group chats, and scrolling through memes. It’s the perfect time to share those funny stories that make you laugh so hard you snort or share what happened at school or work. It’s these moments that make family dinners something worth looking forward to—not just the food, but the real connections we make while we’re eating.
We’re still tired, but at least we’re full
So, the next time I hear that dreaded "What’s for dinner?" question, I’ll remind myself that cooking at home is one of the few things I can actually control in this busy, overwhelming world. It saves me money, is more convenient than dining out, and lets me feed my family healthier meals. Plus, it gives us that valuable quality time together—no distractions, no rushing, just us, the table, and some good conversation. Sure, there are still days when takeout or the drive-thru wins (we all have those days), but I’ve realized that cooking at home is usually the best choice for our time, budget, and well-being.
Speaking of which, I’ve got a few of my favorite recipes that you can try—and they’ve even earned 5 stars from my daughter.
Recipes:
https://damndelicious.net/2013/07/07/korean-beef-bowl/ (so much flavor and in 15 minutes!)
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12965-spaghetti-carbonara (Less than 5 ingredients!)
https://www.spendwithpennies.c=om/easy-quiche-recipe/#wprm-recipe-container-134487 (Breakfast for dinner is always a great option)
https://lemonsandzest.com/parmesan-crusted-chicken-sheet-pan-dinner/ (absolutely love one sheet pan recipes, quick, easy, and less dishes to wash)
Reference:
US Foods. (2023, November 2). American dining-out habits 2023. US Foods. https://www.usfoods.com/our-services/business-trends/american-dining-out-habits-2023.html