Bex Jujnovich On Dinnertime Chaos And The Small Changes That Add Up

If there's one thing every Kiwi household has in common, it's that dinner never goes exactly to plan. One minute you're convinced you've got everything sorted, the next you're panic-buying coriander, bribing your toddler with a Freddo Frog and seriously considering takeaway. 

That's exactly why we sat down with Kiwi creator and podcaster Bex Jujnovich (@thirtysomethingnz). As Bargain Box celebrates 10 years of helping Kiwi families do dinner smarter, Jujnovich gave us the honest version of what weeknights look like in her house—from toddler negotiations and budget traps to the little routines that make the whole week run that bit smoother.

Be honest: what's happening in your kitchen at 5:30pm on a Tuesday?

There are only two outcomes. If I've nailed the timing, we're all sitting around the table chatting about our day. If I've missed the window, even by half an hour, I'm handing out snacks every five minutes while my toddler negotiates like he's in a courtroom. At that point, it's no longer a family dinner. It's survival mode.

What's your current dinner era?

Definitely our "whatever works" era. We're not making elaborate recipes with 65 ingredients. We've got a handful of dinners on high rotation because they're quick, everyone will actually eat them, and they tick the nutrition box. With two little kids, I'm not spending hours in the kitchen every night.

What's the hardest part about feeding everyone?

Finding that sweet spot where my toddler is happy but my husband and I still feel like we're eating something we'd actually order ourselves. We're huge food people—we love spice, big flavours and trying new things—but right now it's about making one meal that works for everyone. I refuse to cook multiple dinners.

What makes a week of dinnertimes feel like it's running smoothly?

If we can serve dinner in our “sweet spot” time, then it feels smooth. My husband and I always laugh because I’m obsessed with asking “how long until it’s ready” and he doesn’t like to answer because he knows I like to run a tight ship (for our sanity). This last week, he’s been able to look at our Bargain Box dinner card and say “20 mins” confidently, knowing it’ll actually be done in that time.

Is dinner something you actually look forward to?

Always. My husband starts work ridiculously early, so dinner is the one part of the day where we properly reconnect before the bedtime chaos kicks in. It's that reset between work, parenting and whatever the evening looks like after the kids are asleep.

Are you a one-big-shop person... or do you somehow end up back at the supermarket three more times?

I like to think I'm organised. I do click-and-collect every week and feel very accomplished... and then somehow I'm back doing a "quick top-up" that ends up costing anywhere between $80 and $120. I genuinely don't know how it happens.

How much of the dinner stress is actually deciding what to cook?

I’d say almost all of it is closely followed by the  “I don’t have that ingredient to make that” stress. This past week, not having to decide or decide and then find I can’t due to lack of groceries has been so nice for my brain and keeping the routine flowing.

What's the biggest budget culprit?

Can I say all of them? Forgotten ingredients. Snack requests. The nights when nobody has the energy to cook, so takeaway suddenly sounds like self-care. We're a family of four—it all sneaks in eventually.

What's something people don't talk about enough when it comes to feeding a family?

The pressure to get it right. Social media makes it feel like every lunchbox has to be colourful, every snack homemade, and every dinner perfectly balanced. Most families are just trying to get everyone fed without watching 90% of it end up on the floor.

Has becoming a mum changed how you spend money on food?

Absolutely. The chocolate and chips stay on the shelf a lot more these days because toddler yoghurt pouches and the endless banana supply aren't exactly cheap. And when we do get takeaway, we're usually choosing what's affordable rather than what we're actually craving.

What actually makes a week feel easier?

Honestly, not having to make a dinner decision every afternoon. Once you take "What are we eating tonight?" off your mental load, everything feels calmer. That's been the biggest shift. 

What's one small thing that's made weeknights feel way less chaotic?

Using Bargain Box to remove dinner decision fatigue 1000%. Not having to think about what I can make with chicken breasts and a can of tomatoes is an actual dream.

Does using Bargain Box change anything beyond just what was on the menu?

It's made me feel good knowing we wouldn’t be tempted into a cheeky mid-week takeaway because of a lack of food or not knowing what to cook.

If dinner's sorted, what would you rather spend your money on?

We're trying to become a camping family. Honestly, if I added up what we've spent on emergency supermarket trips this year, we probably could've fully decked out our tent.

What’s one Bargain Box meal your family keeps hoping comes back around? 

Oh, the chicken pot pie. No hesitancy there.

What's your ideal low-cost family night?

My husband is a builder, so he builds these incredible blanket forts using timber offcuts, clamps and old sheets. Add snacks, a mattress on the floor and Toy Story or Bluey, and everyone's happy.

Around The Table Quick Fire

• Ultimate comfort meal? Homemade burgers and chips.

• One ingredient you refuse to run out of? Mayonnaise.

• Biggest weeknight fail? Forgetting to defrost the meat.

• Kitchen shortcut you couldn't live without? The air fryer. Obviously.

• Always in the snack cupboard? Grain Waves, Ready Salted chips and veggie crisps.

• Finish this sentence: The dinner hill I'll die on is..."We'll always eat together at the dinner table. It brings everyone back together and, more often than not, it calms the chaos."

If you're keen to join Kiwi families like Jujnovich’s in making dinnertime as stress-free as possible with Bargain Box, head here. 

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Bargain Box and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why, read our editorial policy here.

Image credit: Supplied.