If there’s one thing I hear almost as often as “I’m worried about money,” it’s “I have no idea what to make for dinner.” And honestly? I get it. Grocery prices are up, time is down, and somehow we’re expected to be budget-savvy and wildly creative in the kitchen every single night.
That kind of pressure sneaks up on you. It’s not just the cost of food. It’s the mental weight of deciding, planning, spending, and wondering if you’re doing it right.
At YNAB, we see it all the time. People want people to stop worrying about money—but food spending? It’s where money worry screams the loudest. (It’s also why Sarah from our social team started a viral TikTok series around saving money on groceries.)
Somewhere between the rising costs and the guilt over uneaten leftovers, I found myself asking:
Am I wasting money… or just wasting time worrying about it?
That’s when I realized I didn’t need more recipes. I needed fewer. A smaller rotation. A little less creativity, and a lot more consistency.
When inspiration turns into exhaustion
I love watching cooking videos. I’ve learned so much just by watching other people cook on YouTube.
It really is a remarkable time to be alive. You don’t have to trek to the library to check out a stained cookbook or wander the aisles of a bookstore hunting for a recipe for “easy chicken.”
Now, with a few taps, you can summon thousands of recipes in seconds—with videos, photos, even reviews from people who already made it and tweaked it “just a little bit.” You can find ten versions of the same dish before your coffee cools.
And have you ever noticed how fast those cooking videos are? Everything’s sped up—chopping, stirring, simmering—all condensed into a neat, one-minute show. You never see the pile of dishes in the sink or the part where someone realizes they’re out of olive oil. Every meal looks flawless. No wonder real-life cooking can feel like a letdown by comparison.
We have no shortage of delicious recipe ideas. But the flip side of all that abundance is exhaustion. With so many voices telling us what to make, it’s easy to feel like we’re always falling behind—like there’s a new “must-try” recipe every hour and we’re letting our families down if dinner isn’t fresh and creative.
Suddenly, inspiration’s replaced with decision fatigue. It feels like we spend more energy choosing what to cook than actually eating.
I honestly don’t know how those creators keep up with making something new every week.
Shoot for the bare-minimum gourmet
Well, friends, I’m here to let you off the hook. If you need permission to be less creative—and a little more predictable—in the kitchen, consider it granted.
The truth is, you don’t need an endless supply of new recipes. I’d argue you only need ten, maybe twelve. That’s it.
Just a solid rotation of reliable meals you love and that your family will always be happy to eat.
My own rotation includes:
- Homemade pizza
- White chicken chili
- Taco soup
- Spicy sriracha noodles
- Veggies and cheese plate with hot honey hummus (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.)
- Italian sausage tortellini soup
- A whole chicken cooked in a crock pot with veggies on the side
- Blueberry waffles (breakfast for dinner y’all)
- Bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns (what did I just say?)
- PB&J sandwich (an easy classic)
I will always be happy to eat those meals. Every. Single. Time.
Simplify your grocery and dining out spending with a ready-made food budget template from YNAB. Import it, customize it, and voilà! You’ve got a plan for your money.
The sweet relief of easier meal plans and less grocery spending
Having a small rotation isn’t boring; it’s smart. It’s a relief for your mind and your money.
Mentally, it cuts down on decision fatigue. You’re not reinventing dinner every night—you already know what’s on deck. Cooking feels easier and more confident because you’ve practiced these meals, and they rarely surprise you.
The pressure to keep up with endless creativity fades away. Instead of chasing something new every evening, you can rest in the comfort of what’s familiar. And with dinner already decided, you free up space in your brain for everything else that matters more.
Getting good with money: plan for grocery spending
It’s just as smart financially. When you cook from a small rotation, your grocery spending becomes steadier and more predictable. You’re buying the same core ingredients regularly, which makes it easier to spot deals and know what things cost.
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You also waste less because ingredients repeat across meals, and that means you actually use what you buy. You’re not chasing obscure spices or specialty items that gather dust after one recipe. With a steady rhythm of meals, you end up shopping with purpose instead of impulse.
Build a strong foundation for weekly meals
A simple rotation gives you a strong foundation. Once the essentials are covered, you can still try something new when inspiration strikes—but on your own terms, not because you feel like you have to.
That’s not boring. That’s good enough, and the goal of good enough is perfect.
A sample week of “good enough” dinners
Monday: Taco Night — It’s the start of the week, so keep it easy. Use ground beef, chicken, or beans—whatever you have. Everyone builds their own, and it feels like a win.
Tuesday: Pasta Night — Mix it up with different sauces—marinara one week, creamy garlic the next—but always with a side salad and garlic bread. Done.
Wednesday: Sheet-Pan Supper — Toss some chicken or sausage with veggies, drizzle with olive oil, roast, and relax. Minimal dishes, maximum payoff.
Thursday: Leftover Night — Everything gets another chance. A little of this, a little of that, maybe a quick salad on the side.
Friday: Pizza Night — Whether it’s homemade, frozen, or delivered, Friday pizza is a sacred tradition for a reason. It marks the end of the week and takes zero decision-making energy.
Saturday: Try Something New — This is your “adventure” slot. Experiment with a new recipe, something seasonal, or that dish you saved on social media. If it flops, no problem. You’ve got six other solid days to fall back on.
Sunday: Comfort Classic — Roast chicken, chili, soup, or whatever feels like home. Something that makes the house smell good and sets you up with leftovers for the week ahead.
Years ago, I had a friend who helped me with some carpentry work around my house. I’d check in on his progress and say, “How’s it going?” and without missing a beat, he’d grin and say:
Good enough for this house.
It cracked me up every single time. And you know what? The same is true here. Not every meal has to be a masterpiece. Sometimes it just has to be good enough for this family. Did everyone eat? Congratulations, you are winning at life.
It’s ok for it to be simple.
It’s ok for it to be easy.
It’s ok to eat something again. Really. It is.
A simpler meal plan is just the beginning. With YNAB, you’ll bring the same clarity and calm to your finances. Start your free trial today and enjoy steady groceries, worry-free spending, and a whole lot more peace of mind.
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Good With Money: YNABers IRL
Meet Anna A., who is living her best life and loving to cook without the weight of money worry dragging her down.
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In 13 months, she had several VERY big life changes, and did not go into debt… in fact, she got out.
Prior to YNAB, I was in a bit of a financial pickle with some big credit card debt. YNAB not only got me out of that debt, but it set me up to face this most recent set of financial hurdles with some rolling of the punches, not to mention a lot less stress.I paid off my car (2 years early). Bought a robot vacuum (best decision ever). Had a breakup, and moved into my very own place (for the first time ever). Canceled pet insurance for my dog, and 2-weeks later had an extremely expensive pet emergency. Covered all her bills out of pocket, and Poppy’s good now! Also, she is back on pet insurance. I was able to accomplish this on a nonprofit salary, and while living in the most expensive city in my state.
Biggest guilt-free expense?
Honestly, it’s probably groceries. I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen.
Q1: How does a small meal rotation help reduce money worry?
By planning a short list of reliable meals, you cut down on surprise expenses, impulse grocery trips, and nightly stress. It gives you back mental space and control, two things money worry steals.
Q2: Can getting good with money really make dinner easier?
Absolutely. When you use YNAB to assign every dollar a job—including groceries—you stop guessing. You know what you can spend, what you have on hand, and what’s for dinner. That clarity makes cooking feel doable instead of overwhelming.
Q3: How does YNAB help with grocery spending?
YNAB helps you create a flexible category just for groceries, so you can track trends, adjust as needed, and plan ahead. Over time, this consistency helps reduce waste, overspending, and those “how did we spend that much?” moments.
Q4: Is it okay if I’m not the most creative cook?
More than okay—it’s smart. A consistent meal plan is a budgeting tool in disguise. You’ll save money, time, and energy while still feeding your family well. That’s what good with money really looks like.
Q5: What if I need help setting up a grocery category in YNAB?
We’ve got you covered. Start here: our ready-made Food Spending Budget Template is simple to import, fully customizable, and designed to help you spend with clarity from day one.
Disclaimer: This story is auto-aggregated by a computer program and has not been created or edited by budgetbuddy.
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