We've all been there: the "What's for dinner?” question that usually comes up after work and results in head scratches, a “whatever you want honey” or a riled up “why are you asking me?!”. You are tired and hungry after work and want to have a comforting meal and relax, or even worse, your family members are all waiting for you to come up with a quick, delicious meal. The usual way out, especially so for Millennials and younger generations (source), is to order in or dine out.

Why can’t we give an on the spot answer to the “What’s for dinner question”? The question is simply overwhelming if we haven’t given it any prior thought. Some people revert to the “I don’t know how to cook” or the “it will take too long” narratives which are generally untrue given today’s large repository of free, mouth-watering, short and easy to cook recipes . Others just are not able to make the connection between what ingredients they have on hand and recipes they like and collect in different tools.

The real source of the problem is that we often lack a plan and the pre-work required to build one.

COMMON STRUGGLES WITH COOKING

In this Reddit thread with over a thousand replies, people worldwide share that their biggest common struggle with cooking is coming up with meal plans: "If the plan is not solid, we will wind up not cooking." Creating a plan is always more difficult than cooking itself since, nowadays, most recipes do not require any crazy cooking skills, and they come with easy-to-follow steps and videos.

Often, the weekly meal planning falls to one person only, which increases stress and limits the act of joyful cooking. One person shared that they involve all family members in the planning process: "everyone must come up with at least one meal idea each week and write it on a dry-erase board in the fridge." Another person comes up with a rotational meal plan: "they have a basic plan they make once and then just reuse it or make minor revisions when they feel like it." For some, looking at meals that excite them to try out, checking the ingredients, putting them in a grocery list app, or taking a screenshot are the keys to an enjoyable meal-prepping routine. We designed OH, a potato! to address all these problems which we ourselves had. One single source where you can invite other household members (for free!) and gather exciting recipes, do meal planning together, and add the ingredients you need to buy to a grocery list. A streamlined process that saves lots of time and, most importantly, nerves.

So there is a way out to love cooking and meal planning. Just sip your coffee on a Saturday morning and plan all the amazing things you'll make and eat. It will get you excited about the week ahead.