On the face of it, the concept of meal planning is incredibly appealing. Imagine! Knowing on Sunday that you're going to make coq au vin on Thursday! The reality, of course, is that by the time you get to Thursday, you find that your "plan" has somehow made no allowance for the fact that your day, well, sucked, and that the idea of turning on the stove to brown and braise is about as appealing as a Zac Efron–Vanessa Hudgens duet on repeat. In our minds, the only meal plan to have is one that takes moods, kids, and real life into account. For starters, don't pretend for a second that you're going to cook from scratch every night, all week long. (Do you not know by now that just sets you up for failure?) Instead, set your sights on cooking through Wednesday. To ensure you get even that far, prepare dishes on Sunday that, served together, give you Sunday dinner and, served separately, give you building blocks for any number of meal possibilities—including breakfasts and lunches. What about Thursday, Friday, and Saturday? Pull from the freezer, order in, pop open the freaking champagne! You've done enough, and you deserve a night (or two or three) off.
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