It’s good to stick to a routine, but only if that routine is genuinely good for you. Many families fall into routines that, upon interrogation, they could probably do without. Think of preparing meals each evening, for instance. Most parents make food at home during the work week, but that might not be the best approach. Rather than saving your no-cook evenings for the weekend, it might be worthwhile switching things up and making Wednesday your takeout night. In doing so, you might just give yourself and your family some unexpected benefits, which we’ll outline below.
Avoiding Burnout
If you’re like most people, then by Wednesday, you’re simply looking forward to it being the weekend so you can relax, recuperate, and give yourself a break from the Monday-Friday routine. Many people struggle with their working week because it’s so full-on; they’re taking the kids to school, working, and then spending their evenings preparing food. That’s fine for one or two days, but five days in a row, every single week? No, thank you. You can’t avoid work or dropping off/picking up the kids, but you can easily avoid having to prepare dinner by ordering takeout. It’s a small treat that can make it much easier to make it through the week.
You Can Try a Wider Range Of Food
Even parents who love making new recipes often find that they make the same things over and over again. With so many tasks on the to-do list, the idea of spending an hour or more making a new dish for dinner just isn’t realistic. Instead, most people end up making the same dishes over and over again. That can be time-efficient, but it can be somewhat limiting. Ordering takeout allows you and your family to try a wider range of food, and especially foods that you can’t easily make at home. You might order Indian curry one week, a thin crust pizza the following week, and smash burgers the week after that. It’s an easy way to expose your family to new foods that they may otherwise not have the opportunity to try.
It Creates a Tradition
There’s much to love about family traditions, which offer plenty of family bonding time. Indeed, traditions are usually one of the primary things that children remember when they grow up! A midweek takeout night is exactly the kind of tradition that serves families well. Not only is it delicious, but the relaxed atmosphere is also conducive to conversation. You’ll find that you and your family have conversations that you might otherwise not have during a rushed family dinner.
It Shows the Importance of Self-Care
Finally, making space to treat yourself during the week shows your children the importance of self-care. There are tasks and responsibilities to take care of, sure, but it’s just as important that you feel well within yourself. Removing one of the tasks on your to-do list and allowing yourself to order takeout demonstrates to your kids that it’s absolutely fine to prioritize yourself occasionally!
