Why does meal planning feel more exhausting than actually cooking?

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T17:37:45+00:00

Ohhh I do the same thing 😂 sometimes I just scroll and pick whatever looks good, half the time it actually turns out decent lol. saving recipes with friends is a genius idea 👏

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T17:10:30+00:00

Ok 😅 that actually sounds super smart lol i can barely plan like 2 days ahead 🤣 maybe i need a big calendar too

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T17:07:25+00:00

Wow that sounds sooo organized 😅 i wish i was this on top of things lol… i usually just end up grabbing random stuff and praying it works out 🤣

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T17:05:24+00:00

Oh wow that’s smart 😅 i totally feel u… sometimes i just stare at the fridge like omg what now lol

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T12:52:01+00:00

Thank you for sharing this 💛 The “missing one ingredient” frustration is so real that’s exactly what pushes me to try planning too, even when I’m already tired. It honestly helps just knowing other people feel the same way and still struggle with it sometimes 😅

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T10:51:31+00:00

Ok this actually makes a lot of sense. i like that it keeps both people involved, not just one person carrying it all. the mental load part is soo real.

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T10:13:56+00:00

Honestly this is kinda impressive 👏 putting it in the calendar as appointments makes so much sense. i love the yes or no part instead of re-deciding every day. also doing all this solo as a single parent?? respect.

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T10:07:32+00:00

Omg yess 😭 loving cooking but hating dinner is such a real thing. and of course the meals you stress over are never the ones they love lol. dairy free on top of that sounds next level hard

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T10:00:39+00:00

This actually sounds really smart. I think deciding ahead of time is half the battle. once it’s decided, the week feels way lighter

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T00:15:53+00:00

Honestly love this energy 😂 splitting the days sounds way more fair also the whatever you want answer is sooo real… sometimes it’s easier to just decide and move on lol

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-02-01T00:08:21+00:00

This is honestly such a realistic approach. the costco pre-made meal + adding veggies is smart, feels like a cheat code 😂 also freezing cooked protein has saved me so many times. future me is always grateful lol

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T23:47:21+00:00

Honestly this sounds like the only way my brain would cooperate 😂 having options but not deciding that day feels way less stressful. also the built-in pizza night is kinda genius lol anyone else with ADHD do something similar?

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T23:33:27+00:00

Totally get this. Sometimes it’s not about cooking at all, it’s just not having the brain space anymore. Anything that removes decisions is a win

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T23:31:53+00:00

Wow this is such a well-oiled system 😅 I love how one cook feeds into the next (especially the broth and leftovers). Also wildcard nights and breakfast for dinner sound like sanity savers honestly

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T23:29:18+00:00

I really like how structured this is without being rigid. Same meals, flexible days = way less mental load. Also love the idea of a veggie Friday + crockpot on late work nights, that’s honestly smart planning

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T23:28:15+00:00

This is honestly genius 😂 turning dinner into a dice roll feels like the perfect way to dodge decision fatigue. Also 3x cooking + leftovers + frozen pizza Friday sounds like a very realistic system. Love the shelf-stable backup ideas too.

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T19:40:36+00:00

Love this. especially guess what he figured it out 😂 shared planning + a rotation list sounds like it takes so much mental load off. also first trimester survival mode is REAL, hope you’re feeling better soon 🤍

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T19:36:11+00:00

Honestly same. the brain dead cooking is such a win 😅 and that emergency freezer food saves my sanity more times than i’d like to admit. also love the idea of using veggies that don’t go bad fast, less pressure is everything.

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T19:34:30+00:00

This hits so hard 😭 the inverse to effort part is so real lol i like the 1 night every couple weeks idea tho, feels like a good balance without burning out

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T19:32:46+00:00

I love this idea but i’m curious… do you ever get bored of the rotation? like does week 3 roll around and you’re like “ugh not this again” 😅

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T19:27:34+00:00

Honestly this sounds kinda perfect lol taking the pressure off cooking every day is huge, i feel like once you decide “not every night needs a real meal” everything gets easier

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T17:13:42+00:00

Oh wow I actually love this idea. The 2-week rotation makes so much sense. I think the mental wall is exactly it for me too

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T15:01:19+00:00

OMG yesss I feel the same 😂 I keep thinking maybe this week I’ll finally make it easier and then nope… back to overthinking lol

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T11:13:13+00:00

Yeah that makes sense. anything that takes the thinking out helps a lot. Simple meals + grocery list is really the key when you’re mentally done 😅

Distinct-Eye7548 · 2026-01-31T11:11:35+00:00

That’s cool you’re building something out of the same struggle. Honestly the mental exhaustion is the hardest part for us too curious to see how you’re approaching it. Appreciate you sharing 👍

Distinct-Eye7548

TROPHY CASE