Okay friend — why does dinner feel like such a big deal every single night?
Like… we just ate yesterday. Why are we doing this again? 😅
For the longest time, dinner stressed me out way more than it needed to. I’d try to plan something new every night, buy all these random ingredients, and still end up staring into the fridge at 5 pm hoping for an alternative that took less time and effort.
That’s when I stopped doing theme nights and switched to theme weeks — and it seriously changed how I feel about cooking.
Instead of planning seven totally different dinners, I pick one type of food for the whole week. Same flavors, same base ingredients, different meals. Less thinking, less shopping, less MONEY on groceries.
This week at my house is Asian Food Week, and every dinner takes about 20 minutes. These are the meals I keep making over and over because they’re fast, flavorful, and actually work for real life.
Why I Swear by Theme Weeks
Here’s the thing — theme weeks make everything simpler.
When I plan one cuisine for the week:
- I buy fewer ingredients
- I use almost everything I buy
- I can prep once and reuse it
Rice, soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken, veggies — they all show up again and again in different ways. It saves money, saves time, and saves my brain.
Okay, now let me walk you through this week
Monday: Spicy Tuna Bowls
This is one of my favorite “looks fancy but is actually easy” dinners. If you prep the white rice ahead, it SERIOUSLY only takes like 5 minutes to make!
It’s all the sushi bowl vibes — rice, spicy tuna, nori — without any complicated steps.
A note when you make this, it SHOULD be saucy. Because you’re essentially flavoring the rice with the sauce too. So don’t add more tuna as you are making it to compensate…ask me how I know. Ha ha.
I love this one for Mondays because everyone can build their own bowl. I love adding avocado, cucumber, nori, and sesame seeds.
Tuesday: Panera-Style Asian Chicken Salad
This salad has SO SO much flavor! And you can always pair it with some ramen if you want it to go further or be a good option for winter!
I love to throw the chicken in the air fryer, I can chop it up so it cooks faster. And I prep the dressing ahead of time to make it extra easy.
When it’s prepped it takes maybe 5 minutes to assemble after the chicken is cooked. If it’s not prepped, if the chicken is chopped when you cook it in the air fryer, all together maybe 10-15 minutes.
Wednesday: Egg Roll Bowls
By Wednesday, I need dinner to basically cook itself.
This one-pan meal has all the cozy flavors of an egg roll without rolling, frying, or extra dishes.
I’m talkin one pan. You throw in a cole-slaw mix or I’ve even done broccoli slaw, protein, seasonings — everything cooks together fast. Serve it over rice or eat it straight from the bowl. Either way, it’s filling, and SUPER easy!
Thursday: Copycat PF Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These always feel a little special, even though they come together quickly.
Savory chicken, crunchy water chestnuts, and that slightly sweet sauce — wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves.
My toddler will eat this from a bowl, while my husband and I will eat this as lettuce wraps. You could also buy a salad mix and just serve this on top. OR you could do it with steamed purple cabbage leaves which would be delicious as well.
Friday: Korean Bulgogi Beef Bowls
In my ever so humble opinion, ;P Friday dinners need to feel like a reward for getting through the damn week.
This one delivers. Sweet and savory bulgogi beef cooks super fast and tastes like takeout — without the takeout price. Thank HEAVENS.
Pile it over rice, add some chives, sprinkle sesame seeds if you’re feeling fancy, and call it a night.
Saturday: Fried Rice or Stir Fry
Saturday is my flexible night.
Leftover rice from last night? Fried rice.
Extra veggies hanging out in the fridge? Stir fry.
This is my clean-out-the-fridge dinner to use up any remaining ingredients we may have from the previous meals, and it always works. One pan, simple sauce, and dinner is done.
Sunday: Mom’s Day Off
This is my favorite meal of the week — mostly because I don’t really cook.
Leftovers, sandwiches, picnic food, or whatever feels easiest.
Why This System Actually Works
I think the reason theme weeks work so well is because they take the pressure off.
You’re not reinventing dinner every night. You’re just remixing what you already planned.
If you want to check out my video on how I prep all my meals ahead of time, then watch the video below! And if you’d like to get my meal planning guide + printable, you can grab it here!