What’s for Dinner?
If you are like many couples or families in the world, I am sure deciding on what’s for dinner can become somewhat of a contentious topic at times. Have you ever found yourself in a dialogue like the one below:
- “What are we thinking about for dinner?”
- “I don’t know, are you in the mood for anything?”
- “No, I could eat whatever.”
- “How about Italian?”
- “No, that doesn’t sound good.”
- “Okay, how about Mexican.”
- “We had tacos two nights ago”
And as the conversation continues both parties involved begin to get more and more frustrated until an argument breaks out bringing up something that happened two weeks ago, and turns the conversation from dinner to something WAY deeper.
Sound familiar?
Dinner Decision Fatigue is Psychology Proven
Researchers at Cornell University estimated that we make 226.7 decisions each day on food alone, and in total, we make nearly 35,000 remotely conscious decisions a day. That’s A LOT of decisions. Decision fatigue, a term coined by psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, is the emotional and mental strain resulting from a burden of choices. Think about it. From the moment we wake up we are planning and plotting through everything we need to get done for the day. We go to work and force ourselves through meetings, calls, and emails, depleting our tank of all of our decision resources. Finally, when the computer closes, or we make it back home, the last thing we want to do is make one more decision. Our poor partner who asks for that “dinner decision” pushes us over the edge, and it boils over into an argument.
Put a Quick Dinner in Your Back Pocket
One tip that Healthline.com offers to reduce decision fatigue is to incorporate meal planning and maintain unchanging routines. What if you and your partner agreed that when you get in the “dinner decision” loop that you had a healthy, go-to, meal that neither person could argue with. That you always had ingredients for that meal on hand, because let’s be real, this conversation is bound to happen at least once a week. So, you are incorporating both meal planning, and you are ready for this routine.
A Stir Fry You Can Riff On
Stir fry is that perfect meal that can be done in so many different ways, that it’s the perfect meal to become your “dinner decision” go-to. From umami heavy versions incorporating mushrooms and blistered tomatoes, to sweet and spicy takes that add pineapple and peas, stir fry is a healthy, quick, and painless meal that would be ready in just about as much time as it would take to place an order on Uber Eats.
Paramount Fresh Stir Fry
Prep Time Without Paramount Fresh: – 15 – 20 minutes (depending on how quickly you chop)
Prep Time With Paramount Fresh: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Paramount Fresh Shopping List
1 Grilled Herb Chicken Breast
1 Medium Container of Diced Onions
1 Medium Container of Sliced Bell Peppers
1 Medium Container of Carrot Sticks
1 Medium Container of Celery Stalks
1 Medium Container of Broccoli Florets
1 Container of Teriyaki Sauce
1 Container Red Quinoa or 1 Container of Jasmine Rice
Grocery Store Shopping List
4 oz Vegetable Oil or Sesame Oil
2 Tablespoons of Ginger
2 Tablespoons of Garlic
½ Lime
Instructions
- Chop carrots, celery, and broccoli, and chicken into bite-size pieces.
- In a smoking hot wok, add chicken breast and warm.
- Add vegetables and wok fry until done.
- Strain off excess oil.
- Add veggies and chicken back to the pan, along with stir fry sauce.
- Reduce slightly and finish with a good squeeze of lime.
