How are you surviving that hour before dinner if you have young kids? I have a nearly 2 year old and a 3.5 year old. That hour before dinner can feel like a lifetime. A while back, I was talking to a friend’s mother-in-law about how chaotic that time can feel and she told me that they used to call it…

Hell hour.

That feels about right most days. One or both kids screaming. My husband on his way home or trying to get in the door. My patience is at the lowest point in the day usually.

It doesn’t take the stress away, but even just hearing someone else — whose kids are grown and now trying to survive that time themselves — somehow made me feel better.

Any tips? Right now, I’m relying mostly on Playdoh, occasional graham cracker bribery, and — most often — television to get dinner made and on the table.

Our meal plan for the next week

I meal plan most often on Wednesdays. It’s when the ads for our local grocery stores come out so I can check out what’s on sale on that day and it seems to work a little better for our weekly rhythm. I make a loose plan for the next seven days, usually sticking with it about 90% of the time.

Thursday: Homemade pizzas (sans sauce for the kids)
Friday: Takeout
Saturday: Sushi burrito night
Sunday: Pork loin roast (trying this recipe) with scalloped potatoes, fruit, and sautéed greens
*I usually try to make a larger meal this night to allow for leftovers for lunch and meat to incorporate in meals the rest of the week
Monday: Paninis with leftover pork loin roast or lunch meat and cheese and tomato soup and fruit
Tuesday: Swirly twirly soy sauce noodles (I like the hand cut ones from Trader Joe’s) with veggies and leftover pork loin and fruit
Wednesday: Trader Joe’s mezze platter with dolma, naan and hummus, veggies, and fruit
*Mezze platter sounds much nicer than saying mama is over cooking this week, so please enjoy this food some kind person at Trader Joe’s prepared

Notes for this week’s meals: I wasn’t feeling super wowed with either grocery store sale options this week, but Safeway has a $10 off $50 coupon for there. I’m going to get the pork loin from there and a few other things to hit the minimum. Then — oh darn! — do our big grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s. We’re out of the swirly twirly noodles that my kids really inhale from there. And I’ll pick up fun items for the mezze platter to have a baked in easy dinner night.

If you’re looking for other dinner inspo, I ask my pals on the Instagram what they’re having for dinner on Wednesdays. A few of their yummy dinner ideas: crispy chicken ranch tacos, ham pasta bake, Costco mac & cheese, salad mix, and chicken.

What are you having for dinner? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!