If you’ve ever stood in front of your fridge at 5:42 PM wondering how three random ingredients are going to turn into a meal, you’re not alone. Between work, school, picky eaters, and whatever activity is on your calendar that evening, dinner can feel less like a warm, cozy ritual and more like an emergency response situation. But we’ve got good news: feeding your family doesn’t have to be complicated, gourmet, or involve a last-minute trip to the grocery store. It just has to be done. And with a simple, mix-and-match approach, it can even be easy.

Enter the 1-1-1 Rule: one protein, one carb, one veggie. That’s it. By combining these three basic components using what you already have on hand, you can throw together no-fuss meals that check all the boxes without overthinking, overspending, or ordering takeout (unless it’s Wings and Rings, of course, but we’ll get to that). Think grilled chicken with rice and frozen peas. Or scrambled eggs, toast, and spinach. Tuna tossed with cooked pasta and a handful of tomatoes. Leftover steak wrapped in tortillas with bell peppers. Rotisserie chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. These combinations may not land you a cooking show deal, but they’ll absolutely get dinner on the table in 20 minutes or less and right now, that’s the kind of win most of us are hungry for.

Keeping a few go-to staples in the kitchen can make this formula even easier. Frozen vegetables, canned beans, tortillas, eggs, rice, and cheese are MVPs when it comes to quick meals. If you’ve got time on Sunday, batch-cooking a few proteins like chicken breasts, or ground beef can help take the guesswork out of the week. But even if you don’t plan ahead, you can still make this system work with whatever’s in your pantry. When in doubt, toss it in a skillet, top it with cheese, and call it dinner.

And let’s be honest: sometimes, even a brilliant formula and a well-stocked fridge aren’t enough to overcome midweek burnout. That’s why we suggest making Tuesday your official night off. No chopping. No stirring. No washing up. Just head to Wings and Rings, where every Tuesday you’ll get 40% off all wings plus five kids meals for just $10 with your Kids MVP Pass. That’s more than $32 in value, and a lot more relaxing than scrambling for dinner ideas while your kids remind you they’re “literally starving.”

Because at the end of the day, feeding your family isn’t about being perfect, it’s about keeping them full, happy, and at the table. Whether that table’s in your kitchen or our dining room, we’ve got your back. Happy dinnering.