Dinner Without the Drama: Quick, Real-Life Hacks to Make Cooking Less Stressful

Why is figuring out dinner every single night the hill we have to die on? In this episode of Drinks With The Girls, Karen and Lisa are joined by guest Lisa Potter — a home cook, working mom, grandmother, and part-time caterer — for a real, hilarious, and super helpful convo about the never-ending dinner grind. Whether you're cooking for picky kids, a partner with “texture issues,” or just yourself (hello, cheese and crackers), this episode is packed with tips, tools, and sanity-saving strategies for midlife mealtime.

From burnout in the kitchen to rediscovering joy through sourdough, we're dishing up:

• Simple weeknight meal hacks that don’t involve 47 ingredients

• Kitchen tools that actually make your life easier

• How to plan meals without losing your mind (hello, Cozi and Plan to Eat apps)

• Why grocery delivery is a midlife miracle

• The secret magic of a well-stocked pantry

• Tips for cooking for one (or two) that don’t involve cereal for dinner — unless you’re into that

We also talk about the emotional labor of always being the one to decide what’s for dinner, why “just ask them to help” actually works, and how to bring a little fun (and wine) back into the kitchen.

Resources + links mentioned are in the show notes — including our favorite apps, pantry staples, and how to get your hands on that sourdough starter.

Whether you’re an empty nester, feeding a full house, or somewhere in between — this one's for you, listeners. Grab a glass, put your feet up, and let’s tackle the dinner dilemma, one shortcut at a time.

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Show Notes:

Here are the links, tools, recipes, and apps we mentioned in the episode, all in one place for you to browse while pretending to meal plan (we see you).

Home cook, sourdough whisperer, and co-founder of a catering business with her son (yes, seriously).
🧑‍🍳 Smoke Ridge Custom Catering Website
📸 Follow on Instagram

• 🗓️ Cozi Family Organizer – Create a shared calendar, grocery lists, and store recipes in one spot
  👉 Check it out here

• 🍴 Plan to Eat – Imports recipes, builds grocery lists, and keeps everything organized
  👉 Get 20% off with this link (Lisa earns a small commission)

• Want to start baking sourdough without losing your mind? We got you.
  👉 Little Spoon Farm – Sourdough Starter + Tips

• 🧺 Sheet Pan Dinner Template – The ultimate weeknight dinner hack
  👉 Make your own sheet pan meals

Keep these on hand and dinner practically makes itself (okay, almost):

• Rice & Pasta

• Canned Tomatoes / Tomato Sauce

• Canned or Frozen Veggies

• Cream of Celery / Cream of Chicken Soup

• Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chili Powder, Paprika

• Roasted Red Peppers

• Kalamata Olives

• Artichoke Hearts

• Bouillon Cubes (Beef, Chicken, Veggie)

• 🥬 Tastes Better From Scratch by Lauren Allen
  👉 Go to Site

• 🥛 Raw Milk Locator
  👉 Find local sources

• 🍅 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
  👉 Learn about CSA programs near you

• 🥩 Oregon Valley Farms
  👉 Local-ish meats delivered

• 🥓 ButcherBox (for national meat delivery with sustainable practices)
  👉 Visit site

• 🍎 Imperfect Foods – Discounted groceries that are slightly “imperfect” but perfectly delicious
  👉 Browse boxes

• 🍐 Misfits Market – Similar to Imperfect, depending on where you live
  👉 Get started here

The real MVPs for fast, no-fuss cooking:

• ✅ Instant Pot – Weeknight lifesaver

• ✅ Digital Kitchen Scale – For no-mess baking and sourdough

• ✅ Sharp, High-Quality Knife – Game-changer (get it sharpened regularly!)

• ✅ Microplane – For garlic, ginger, nutmeg, citrus zest, and more

• ✅ Wooden Corner Spoon – Flexible, non-scratching, forever favorite

• Share it with a friend who's over being the default dinner decider

• Screenshot and tag us @drinkswiththegirlspod

• And don’t forget to leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review — it helps other women find our show!

Need help remembering what we talked about? Join the Pod Squad (our email list!) for direct links, show notes, and more midlife goodness delivered to your inbox. 💌

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Contact us!
Email: [email protected]
Karen Shatafian: Website www.karenshatafian.com
Lisa Corricello-McDowell: Website www.nextlevellifewithlisa.com