Decision Fatigue Dinners

It’s 5pm.
The kids are wild.
You’ve been on all day.
And someone dares to ask: “What’s for dinner?”

Cue the brain fog, fridge staring, and maybe a quiet rage.

You’re tried of trying to plan meals everyday from scratch…

You’re tired of eating foods that don’t serve your goals because it’s all your kids will eat (ahemm nuggets)…

You’re tired of just eating the scraps and always pandering to meals that will keep everyone else happy…

I want to help make things easier, healthier and more realistic to keep up with the everyday life.

Step 1: Create Your “No-Brainer Meals” List

Write out a list of 5-10 meals and stick it on the fridge, they must be:

  1. Something you actually enjoy eating

  2. Support your health goals

  3. Can throw together easily without having to rely on a recipe

This is your decision fatigue back up plan so it needs to be easily accessible when you are in that afternoon window of chaos.

Examples may look like:

  • Chicken breast stuffed with spinach + feta, with sweet potato + broccoli

  • Tray bake salmon with veg + lemon

  • Beef strips stir-fried with tamari, ginger + veg

  • Pork loin with slaw + rice

  • Frittata with zucchini, goat cheese + herbs

Stick to 1-2 slow cooked meals that you would be happy to eat across the week

  • Minestrone soup

  • Dhal

Step 2: Protein-First Prep

Organise your meal plan around your protein. Buy proteins in bulk—chicken breasts, salmon, pork loin, steak—and freeze them in single-serve bags.

Label them.
Stack them.
Love yourself later.

This means you can pull out just one portion in the morning and know you’re set up to eat something nourishing without drama.

Step 3: Keep Your Pantry + Fridge Basics Stocked

Having a few key ingredients on hand means you can always pull something together:

Fridge staples:

  • A head of broccoli

  • A bag of spinach

  • Feta or goat cheese

  • Eggs

Pantry staples:

  • Tinned salmon

  • Lentils or chickpeas

  • Garlic, olive oil, tamari, pesto, curry paste

  • Rice noodles, soba, or gluten-free pasta

  • Bone broth or veggie stock

  • Sweet potatoes

Use Your Tools (So You Don’t Have To Cook)

Let the gadgets carry the load.

Slow cooker – One meal feeds you for 2-3 days
Air fryer – Toss in chicken tenderloins or salmon + veg and walk away
Tray bakes – One dish, 5 mins effort, minimal washing up

The Tray Bake Formula

Perfect for:

  • After sports nights

  • Solo parenting weeks

  • When the kids are away and you’re cooking just for you

  • Feeding yourself before you melt down

BUILD-A-TRAY-BAKE:

  1. Protein – Chicken thighs, lamb chops, salmon, chickpeas, tofu

  2. Starch – Sweet potatoes, baby potatoes, pre-cooked quinoa

  3. Veg – Zucchini, broccoli, red onion, tomatoes, whatever’s in season

  4. Flavour – Olive oil, garlic, dukkah, curry paste, lemon, fresh herbs

Bake at 180–200°C for 30–40 minutes.

When You’re Cooking Just for You

You still matter.
You still deserve nourishment.
Even if no one else is home to see it.

Make a tray bake and eat it over two days.
Boil eggs and make a “snack plate” dinner.
Toast, avo, tinned fish, and spinach totally counts.

Ready to Ditch the Overwhelm?

This is the kind of thing we go deep on in consults and in my Priestess of Motherhood mentorship.
If you’re ready for:

  • Practical rhythms that actually fit into your life

  • Custom food support for hormones, energy, mood

  • Less burnout and more nourishment...

Let’s talk.

Dania Foster