---
artifact: jtbd-canvas
version: "1.0"
created: 2026-01-14
status: complete
context: Meal planning app for busy parents
---

# Jobs to be Done Canvas: Weeknight Dinner Decision

## Job Overview

**Job Title:** Weeknight Dinner Decision
**Date:** January 2026
**Author:** Product Team
**Research Basis:** 12 in-depth interviews with parents who cook 4+ weeknight dinners, observation of 5 dinner prep sessions, 200 survey responses

---

## Job Performer

**Who:** A parent who is primarily responsible for feeding their family on weeknights

**Key Characteristics:**
- Has at least one child living at home
- Works (full-time, part-time, or manages household full-time)
- Cooks dinner at home 4+ times per week
- Feels time pressure between end of workday and dinner time

**Not Defined By:**
- Gender (53% women, 47% men in our research)
- Specific age range
- Cooking skill level (novice to experienced)
- Income level (job exists across economic spectrum)

---

## The Circumstance

**When does this job arise?**

Between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays, when the parent realizes they need to figure out dinner. Often triggered by: leaving work, picking up kids, or realizing nothing is defrosted. The "what's for dinner?" question from family members is a secondary trigger.

**Where does this happen?**

Often mentally starts in the car or during commute. Physical planning/shopping can happen at work (online ordering), in the kitchen (checking pantry), or at the grocery store.

**Frequency:**

5 times per week, every week. This is a persistent, recurring job.

**Urgency:**

High urgency.there's a hard deadline (hungry family) and the window to decide narrows as time passes. By 5pm, options become limited.

---

## Job Statement

> **"When** I'm mentally or physically exhausted at the end of my workday and realize I need to feed my family dinner, **I want to** quickly decide on a meal that everyone will eat and I can actually make, **so I can** get food on the table without stress and feel like I'm taking care of my family."

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## Functional Job

**What is the practical task to accomplish?**

Identify a dinner option, ensure ingredients are available or obtainable, and prepare food that is ready to eat within 45-60 minutes of starting.

**Definition of "Done":**

- Family is eating a meal together (or at least eating, even if not together)
- Meal is reasonably nutritious (not just snacks)
- Everyone has something they'll actually eat
- Cleanup is not overwhelming

**Key Steps in the Job:**

1. Realize dinner decision needs to be made
2. Assess what's available (fridge, pantry, time)
3. Consider constraints (dietary, preferences, energy)
4. Decide on a meal
5. Acquire any missing ingredients (or adjust plan)
6. Prepare the meal
7. Serve and (hopefully) eat together

**Functional Pains:**

- Decision fatigue after a long day
- Not knowing what's in the fridge/pantry without checking
- Recipe requires ingredient not on hand
- Kids reject what's made after it's too late to pivot
- Recipes require more time/energy than available

---

## Emotional Job

**How do they want to feel?**

| Desired Feeling | Why It Matters |
|-----------------|----------------|
| Confident | Know the meal will work out.no anxiety about failure |
| Calm | Peaceful transition from work to home, not frantic |
| In control | Having a plan reduces chaos of the "witching hour" |
| Proud | Providing good food for family feels like caregiving |
| Present | Able to be with family, not stressed about cooking |

**How do they want to avoid feeling?**

| Feeling to Avoid | Current Trigger |
|------------------|-----------------|
| Guilty | Ordering takeout again, feeding kids "junk" |
| Overwhelmed | Too many decisions after a mentally draining day |
| Like a failure | Kids won't eat what's made, food is burned/bad |
| Invisible | No one appreciates the effort that goes into dinner |
| Rushed | Racing against the clock, cutting corners |

**Emotional Pains:**

- The dread that starts building around 3pm: "What am I going to make?"
- Feeling judged (by self or partner) when opting for easy/processed options
- Shame when comparing self to curated social media meal posts

---

## Social Job

**How do they want to be perceived?**

| Desired Perception | By Whom |
|--------------------|---------|
| A parent who has it together | Spouse/partner |
| Someone who cares about family health | Children (eventually) |
| Capable adult who can manage household | Self, extended family |
| Not "that parent" who only does fast food | Other parents, society |

**What perception do they want to avoid?**

| Perception to Avoid | By Whom |
|---------------------|---------|
| Lazy or not trying | Spouse/partner, in-laws |
| A bad provider | Self (internalized) |
| Incompetent | Co-workers (if discussed) |
| Someone who doesn't prioritize family | Extended family |

**Social Context:**

- Partner's expectations and involvement vary (some share load, some don't)
- Kids' opinions are vocal and influential (but often nutritionally unwise)
- Social media creates comparison pressure ("look at this bento box")
- Cultural expectations about "proper" home-cooked meals

---

## Competing Solutions

**What do customers currently "hire" for this job?**

| Solution Type | Solution | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---------------|----------|-----------|------------|
| Direct Competitor | Meal planning apps (Mealime, Paprika) | Organized recipes, shopping lists | Still requires decision-making, often ignored |
| Direct Competitor | Meal kit services (HelloFresh, Blue Apron) | Ingredients delivered, decisions made | Expensive, still time to cook, waste |
| Indirect Alternative | Takeout/delivery | No effort, guaranteed edible | Expensive, unhealthy guilt, not "cooking" |
| Indirect Alternative | Rotisserie chicken + sides | Quick, cheap, family-friendly | Gets repetitive, feels like giving up |
| Non-consumption | "Fend for yourself" night | Zero effort | Guilt, nutritional concerns |
| DIY/Manual | Mental meal plan + handwritten list | Free, familiar | Forgetting, not consulted, loses list |

**Why Do They Switch?**

- Current solution stopped working (meal kit fatigue, budget constraints)
- Life stage change (new baby, kids' activities, job change)
- New Year / fresh start motivation
- Recommendation from trusted friend

**Why Do They Stay?**

- Switching cost of learning new system
- Already paid for subscription
- Fear new solution won't be better
- "Better the devil you know"

---

## Hiring Criteria

**Must-Have (Table Stakes):**

- Recipes must be achievable in 30-45 minutes
- Ingredients must be commonly available (no specialty stores)
- Must account for picky eaters (customizable or kid-friendly)
- Must integrate with how they actually shop (not separate trip)

**Differentiators (Decision Drivers):**

- Makes the decision for me (don't make me choose from 10,000 recipes)
- Knows what I have on hand / uses up what's there
- Learns family preferences over time
- Reduces cognitive load, not just recipe storage
- Adapts when plans change (Tuesday's chicken is now spoiled)

**Nice-to-Have:**

- Nutritional information
- Theme nights (Taco Tuesday integration)
- Integration with smart home devices
- Partner/family collaboration features

---

## Insights and Implications

**Key Insight 1:** The hardest part isn't cooking.it's deciding. By 5pm, mental energy is depleted and any decision feels hard. Solutions that require browsing and choosing from options fail at the moment of need.
- Product Implication: Make one strong recommendation rather than presenting options. "Here's what you should make tonight" beats "Here are 12 recipes you might like."

**Key Insight 2:** "What's in my kitchen" is the real constraint, not "what sounds good." Parents are willing to make almost anything if they know they have the ingredients and it's fast.
- Product Implication: Pantry tracking and "what can I make with what I have" is more valuable than recipe discovery.

**Key Insight 3:** The emotional weight of this job is underestimated. Parents carry real shame about dinner struggles. Solutions must reduce guilt, not add to it (e.g., "you should be meal planning on Sunday").
- Product Implication: Tone matters. No judgment, celebrate small wins, make "good enough" feel okay.

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## Supporting Quotes

> "By 5pm, I literally cannot make another decision. I've made 400 decisions at work. Don't show me 50 recipes - just tell me what to make." - P4, working mom of 2

> "I'll open the meal planning app on Sunday with great intentions. By Tuesday, everything's gone off-script and I'm back to 'what's for dinner?'" - P7, dad of 3

> "I know I should meal plan, but when I actually look at those apps, I just feel worse about myself. Like I can't even do this basic adult thing." - P11, working mom of 1

> "The best nights are when I don't have to think. Someone just says 'we're having this' and I make it." - P2, stay-at-home dad of 2

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## Questions for Further Research

- How do parents currently track what's in their kitchen? What's the friction there?
- At what point in the day is intervention most helpful? (Morning planning vs. afternoon reminder?)
- How much does partner involvement change the job? (Shared load vs. solo responsibility)
- What role do kids' preferences play at different ages?

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*This canvas should be validated and updated as you learn more about customers.*
