If you’re currently looking at the calendar thinking, “How do these children have so many events?”, you’re not alone. December has a special talent for stacking school plays, carol concerts, late-night shopping and “just a quick festive thing” all in the same week.
And somehow, you’re still expected to make dinner happen.
Not fancy dinner. Just… dinner that fills everyone up and doesn’t require turning your kitchen into a stage production of its own. This is exactly where a no-stress dinner plan steps in, realistic, flexible and built for evenings when you’re trying to be in two places at once.
Let’s keep this simple, calm and actually doable.
The Golden Rule: Plan for Reality, Not Fantasy
December dinners should match the week you’re actually living.
Busy evenings? Choose meals you can start in 10 minutes.
School performance at 6pm? You need something reheatable.
Late-night shopping?
Something you can grab from the fridge and serve without drama.
Your December meal plan isn’t failing, it’s just adapting to the festive chaos. That’s allowed.
Batch Cooking Is Your Best Friend (Especially Now)
Batch cooking in December is like future-you sending present-you a hug.
Pick two meals you can cook in bulk:
- A pasta sauce
- A curry
- A chilli
- A tray of roasted veg + chicken
- A big pot of soup
Cook once → eat twice (or three times).
These become your “just heat it” nights when you’re running out the door with a half-wrapped present and a child who suddenly can’t find their shoes.
Make One Hero Sauce… Then Use It Everywhere
This is the easiest December trick of all.
Cook ONE base sauce (like tomato, pesto, yoghurt-garlic, or soy-honey) and use it across multiple meals:
One tomato sauce →
- Pasta
- Baked potatoes
- Pizza bases
- Meatballs
- A quick shakshuka
One yoghurt-garlic sauce →
- Chicken marinade
- Falafel bowls
- Wraps
- Drizzle for roasted veg
It’s like meal planning on autopilot.
A sauce that works hard so you don’t have to.
Pre-Cut, Pre-Cook, Pre-Anything
This month, preparation isn’t a luxury, it’s survival.
Little prep tasks that make a huge difference:
- Chop veg on Sunday
- Pre-cook rice or potatoes
- Roast a tray of veg to use for 2–3 meals
- Make a salad base you can add things to
- Portion snacks so kids can grab them without derailing dinner and asking you for something every 5 minutes
These micro-preps save you 20 minutes on nights when 20 minutes feel like a rare and valuable gift.
Keep a ‘Backup Shelf’ in the Fridge
Every December household deserves a small stash of “instant dinners”:
- Tortellini or gnocchi
- Falafel
- Pre-cooked chicken
- Pouches of grains
- Stir-fry veg
- Hummus + wraps
These aren’t lazy meals, they’re sanity meals. They keep the whole week moving.
Do the 2-Minute Morning Check
Before the day gets wild, take two minutes in the morning:
- What’s for dinner?
- Do I need to defrost anything?
- Will we be home?
- How tired will everyone be?
This tiny check-in prevents the 5pm panic where everyone’s hungry, the fridge looks confused and dinner feels like a multiple-choice question with no right answer.
Respect the ‘Flexible Dinner’
Flexible dinners are meals that:
- Use what you already have
- Cook fast
- Don’t need measuring
- Work with substitutions
Think:
- Omelettes
- Stir fries
- Tacos/wraps
- Soup + toast
- Pasta with whatever’s left in the veg drawer
These are perfect for nights when the school play runs over and dinner needs to be less “recipe” and more “assemble and hope for the best.”
Don’t Forget: You’re Allowed the Easy Option
Not every December dinner needs to be wholesome, balanced and beautifully plated. Some nights, the win is simply feeding everyone something warm.
Balance happens across the week, not in one meal.
If the kids have fish fingers one night and a balanced pasta dinner the next, that’s still a win. If you end up eating leftovers in the car park between events… also fine.
December is about survival with a smile, not perfection.
Need help planning the week? I’ve already done the hard part
I’ve added quick dinners, batch-friendly recipes and 10-minute meal ideas in the app.
Open it whenever you need something simple for a night full of glitter, car parks and last-minute costume requests.
