19 Dinner Ideas for the Week + a Peek at a $90K Household Income

Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp - I’m planning to make this later this week with chicken instead of shrimp. Love a dinner that’s easy and done in under 30 minutes for the whole family.

15+ Chicken Marinades - I’m all about a simple chicken breast or thigh- just marinate, grill, and serve with veggies. Honestly, coming up with marinade ideas can be the hardest part. Here’s a roundup with a bunch of solid options. I like the cilantro lime and honey lemon garlic!

Summer Steak with Corn and Tomatoes - This could be turned into tacos, a rice bowl, or served as is! My kids are really into corn right now if you couldn’t tell.

Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Meal - This one’s a super simple chicken and potatoes dish with a yummy Greek-inspired marinade. It also includes freezing instructions so go ahead and double the recipe: one for this week, one to stash in the freezer and thank your future self later.

Couscous Stuffed Peppers - Cut the peppers into bite-sized pieces for your babies and toddlers, and let them scoop up the couscous with a spoon! You could also easily mix in some ground turkey or chicken to add a little extra protein to the couscous (and the peppers) or serve one of those marinated chickens from above on the side.

Mom Hack: When I’m planning my meals for the week, I like to stick to theme nights for less decision fatigue. It usually goes something like Asian Monday, Taco Tuesday, One-Pot Wednesday, Leftover Thursday, etc.

Mom Product: I saw this in my friend’s car and ordered it right away. If you’ve ever juggled different iPhone versions and tried to keep a toddler’s tablet alive on a road trip—you need this. It solves all the charging chaos in one go. Grab it here- trust me, your future road-trip self will thank you.

Age: 43

Kids: 2 boys, 3 and 10 months 😵‍💫

Job: Elementary teacher

Side hustle: Summer school for 4 weeks ($6K)

Household Income: $90K

Own or rent: We own. Mortgage paid off 🙌

Childcare or daycare expense: $1,250/mo for 4 days a week

Recent purchase you regret: Free People puff bag- $89

Splurge and don’t regret: Sleep training guide for both our kids

Best “mom sanity” splurge: Pilates and weekly matcha latte

Weekly “kid stuff” spend: $150

Weekly spend on groceries: $350

Most spent on a kid party: $250 for our first born. Very low key. Simple but good food and just hanging out at the park.

Purchase that you don’t tell your partner about: Kyte Baby clothing 🫣 roughly $200-300

Saving for your kids college tuitions: Yes, $250 per month

Something financial you wish your parents had taught you: Don’t let interest incurred. Cash as much as possible. Experiences over items.

Managing family budget: We have a check list for monthly expenses. Things we estimate for, we try and use cash and instead of card.

Great ways to save money on kid-related expenses: Nope! Still figuring it out!

Money advice for other moms: Ain’t nothing wrong with being frugal and budgeting, but also be realistic and live. Like truly live and have experiences- not only for yourself, but also your family.

Finish the sentence: “In this economy, I still somehow ____.” rent clothes monthly. Game changer if you are in between sizes or going through some changes. Fun way to experiment with styles and colors. Doesn’t add to waste and you can change every month!