Take the “Simplicity Pledge” – Instead of being overwhelmed by weeknight meals, learn to keep things ridiculously simple.

Parents today—especially mothers—put a ton of pressure on themselves to prepare healthy and delicious home-cooked meals served around the table. But the reality is that the weekly schedule for most families is blisteringly short on time.

This week, as most of us returned to school and a hectic fall schedule, my thoughts turned once again to the family dinner, and how I would approach it now that the lazy summer is good and gone. I considered blogging about strategies like setting aside time to cook on Sundays, or assigning parts of the meal to other members of the household. But such strategies are born to peter out, at least for me.

What works, I’ve found, is an attitude change. Instead of being overwhelmed by weeknight meals, learn to keep things ridiculously simple. A bowl of fresh berries, for example, is a perfect side dish or dessert because it’s tasty and healthy, and requires nothing but a quick rinse in a colander. Salads don’t need homemade dressing or more than a couple of ingredients, as long as they’re enjoyable and nutrient-filled. A platter of no-cook antipasti (cured meats, cheeses, olives and pickled vegetables) makes a great dinner. Deli night and breakfast night are fast and fun, and can be as sophisticated as you might like.

The bottom line is to lean on foods that speak for themselves, like juicy fall tomatoes and ripe, buttery avocados, or foods that cook quickly and require little prep, such as fresh fish fillets.

Meals don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be meals, and the shortest route to getting them on the table is to pick ingredients that do some of the work for you.