Since moving out on my own, I’ve had to rethink how I cook and meal plan. Here’s what I’ve been doing for easy weeknight dinners as a single mom, plus the kid-friendly meals we rotate.
Over the past year, my approach to dinner has changed quite a bit. Since moving out on my own, I’ve had to completely rethink how I meal plan and cook.
For most of my adult life, I co-cooked for a household. Cooking for 4-6 servings (for leftovers) was the norm. But now my weeks look different depending on whether the boys are with me or I’m on my own, and that means my dinners are a bit all over the place! It took me a while to even get in the groove of my new schedule.
When the kids are here, they want my attention (and honestly, I want to give it to them). I’m not interested in cooking a meal totally from scratch while they’re telling me about their day or showing me a Lego creation. And when I’m alone? Sometimes I just don’t feel like making a whole production for one person. Now I would give myself the advice to prep a lot of the meal in advance so cooking is easier (or use Blue Apron) but sometimes I’m just not that organized!
So I’ve landed on some good tips that works really well for this season of life: a combination of frozen proteins, simple pantry meals, the occasional meal kit, and a few kid-favorite dinners that we rotate through when we’re together. It’s not complicated. It’s flexible. And it keeps dinner feeling manageable instead of stressful.
You might also like this Lazy Guy Dinners post I did over a decade ago!
My Current Approach to Weeknight Dinners
Tip 1: Never Cook Just for One
Even when I’m eating solo, I almost never cook a single portion. If I’m making something, I make extra. That way I have leftovers for lunch the next day—or dinner another night. Sometimes it even turns into an excuse to invite a friend over. Cooking once and eating twice (or thrice!) is one of the easiest ways to simplify your week. And when I make quiche, I make two and freeze one! Check out this recipe for a double quiche batch.
Tip 2: The Freezer Is Your Pantry
Before my Blue Apron subscription days, I always had meat in the freezer to “shop” from. My freezer has once again become one of my most important kitchen tools. I keep it stocked with proteins that I buy in bulk so my weekly grocery runs are focused on veggies and the meal angle.
When I’m using True Nature Meats, dinner practically plans itself. These are already cooked (sous vide) and seasoned (so many options) so you can thaw the day before and heat them up for tacos, bowls, salad toppers and more. I LOVE that I don’t have to buy and use raw meat on the regular, and they save me so much time! They are a reasonable price too ($12-ish for 4 servings), and the time saved is very much worth it to me. Use the code KATHEATS and my link to get a great discount.
I almost always have on hand:
- Frozen salmon
- Shrimp
- Chicken tenders (sometimes I eat them too!)
- Grass-fed meats from True Nature Meats
- A couple of freezer meals (see the Fit Foodie Finds link below)
- Frozen burritos (great for lunches)
- Quiche (when I make two and freeze one)
Tip 3: Think in Protein, Carbs, and Veggies
Instead of planning elaborate recipes, I now think in simple components:
Protein + Carb + Vegetable
For example:
- Salmon + rice + roasted broccoli + yogurt sauce
- Shrimp + pasta + spinach + lemon
- Chicken + quinoa + veggie salad
When you keep those three building blocks in mind, meals come together quickly and you can be creative.
Here’s an example of a meal I made on a whim with True Nature chicken, pasta, fresh peppers and herbs, and an herb-yogurt sauce I blended together with lemons and olive oil. It turned out really good! Herbs make anything better.
Tip 4: Have a Salad a Day
One habit that keeps my meals balanced is having a salad either for lunch or dinner most days.
My favorite lately has been a big arugula salad topped with whatever I have on hand:
- Tuna or salmon
- Leftover chicken
- Avocado
- Seeds or nuts
- Roasted vegetables
And I know we all know that getting takeout is pricier than cooking at home. But sometimes I feel the nutrition I get from a Chopt salad is fairly equal to the time and money it would cost to make something at home! More Hugh Jass salads is never a bad idea 🙂
Tip 5: Keep the Basics Stocked
I told to do a larger grocery pickup once a month and stock up and then the following weeks I’m just getting veggies and fresh staples.
Freezer:
- Salmon
- Chicken
- Shrimp
- Frozen pizzas
Pantry:
- Rice or quinoa packets (so much faster and easier for one than cooking a whole pot)
- Tinned fish like Fishwife (a huge staple for my lunches!)
- Pasta
- Sauces
My Go-To Lunch Staples
Lunch is a wild care depending on what I have and what I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I eat hummus and pretzels standing at the counter, and other times I make a nice salad.
Some of my regulars:
- Arugula salads with lots of toppings
- Wild Planet tuna bowls
- Fishwife tinned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines)
- Frozen burritos (I like Red’s brand!)
- Smoothies with protein powder
- Hummus with veggies and a snack plate
- Eggs / omelets
Nothing fancy—just easy foods that come together quickly.
Kid-Friendly Dinners We Rotate
When the boys are here, dinner is all about keeping it simple and familiar. These are the meals we rotate through most often:
- Tacos and quesadillas
- Shrimp pasta (for Mazen; plain noodles for Birch!)
- Spaghetti with red sauce
- Mac and cheese with chicken and a veggie
- Pizza night
And honestly one of our favorite traditions lately has been Taco Tuesday at Brazos. Everyone loves it, and their cheese dip alone is worth the outing. It’s an easy night off cooking that still feels fun and special.
Mom Dinners When I’m Solo
When it’s just me, dinners are usually very low effort.
Here’s what’s been working lately:
- True Nature Meats — I pull something out of the freezer the day before
- Frozen salmon once a week with sides
- Fit Foodie Finds freezer meals (I’ve made two so far and love having them ready to go)
- Rice or quinoa packets for quick carbs
- Blue Apron meals when I want something new but don’t want to think about it
- Quiche – either freshly made or thawed from the freezer
- Fly By Jing Noodle Kits and sauces
I especially love that Blue Apron lets me order a la carte on weeks when I need more food because I’m not in a place to commit to a subscription right now. Their Blue Apron Dish options are also great—they’re fresh but not frozen and perfect for busy weeks. Just heat and enjoy! I used my own promo code to get 4 meals for under $30. You can use the code KATHEATS to get 50% off your first two orders so you can try Dish out!
Instead of elaborate meal plans, I’m focusing on:
- flexibility
- simple ingredients
- repeatable meals
- freezer shortcuts
- and nights off cooking when it makes sense
I know I’m going to adapt and shift over time and hope as the kids get older and older they’ll want to help cook more elaborate meals (Mazen has started this shift!) But sometimes the best meal plan is just one that makes your week a little easier!
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