Ever think your aunt might be onto something with that single dish? Batch cooking one big thing can actually free up more nights than you'd think. Try planning three core recipes that make leftovers instead of seven separate meals.
Honestly that three recipe plan saved my sanity last winter. Made a huge pot of chili, a tray of roasted veggies, and a whole chicken. Ate variations of those for days without getting bored. The mental load of deciding what to cook every single night was worse than the actual cooking. Freeing up those weeknight hours feels like getting time back.