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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We do new recipes on the weekends, not weeknights.  I also have a functional spouse who handles half the work, but you're over a barrel on that point I guess.  Here's what you need:

1.  A simple chicken dinner.  Baked thighs, grilled tenders, who cares.  You can take out frozen chicken in the morning and know what you're doing that night.  Needs one or two veggie sides - I like roasting them from fresh but if canned or frozen is where you're at that's fine.
2. Ground beef.  Meatloaf or tacos, depending on what's in your pantry.  Sides based on what you make, keep it simple.
3. A big bag of frozen meatballs that can go from freezer to plate in 20 minutes.  We get ours from Costco.  Pair with a veggie and/or salad.  Salad can come out of a bag.
4. Frozen pizzas for when the ball got dropped.  Regular crust or cauliflower.
5. A bag of chicken nuggets for the kids and you and DH can have steaks after they're in bed.
6. An emergency frozen lasagna.
7. Rotisserie chicken to eat the night you get home from shopping.
8. Takeout one night a week.
9. DH learns to grill.  He can do a bunch of sausages or hot dogs on the weekend and you can eat off of them all week for lunches (with mac & cheese for the kids).
10. Some frozen fish filets that can be cooked quickly and paired with a side.  Tilapia, catfish, trout, whatever your kids will eat.  
11. Breakfast for dinner.  I like just bacon and eggs; DH will add pancakes if it's up to him.
12. Sandwiches, pickles, some fruit.  It seems like a cop out but kids just think a meal is a meal.  No reason to stress yourself making a sharp delineation between "lunch" food and "dinner" food.

We don't plan a menu for the week, but we have a lot of old standbys that can be thrown on in a pinch.  The trick is to have your pantry and veggies stocked well - buy the green veggies that don't go bad too quickly (broccoli, brussels sprouts, green beans), have a few bagged salads on hand, keep an eye on your frozen rations so that you know what to restock when you shop.  And because most meals are dead easy, you can enjoy cooking on the weekends when you try something new.[/quote]

I don't have a functional spouse, but this is more or less what we do.

Re: the grilled/baked chicken dinner, make plenty. You can use the leftovers on top of salad, or in chicken quesadillas, or turn it into chicken salad. Thighs are cheaper, more flavorful, and don't really get dried out in the fridge.

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