Who This Book Is For
Simply Dinner is for home cooks who want real food on the table on a Tuesday without a production. If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen at 5pm with no plan, or made the same four meals on rotation because you’ve run out of ideas, this book was written for you!
The recipes are approachable enough for new cooks but satisfying enough that experienced home cooks will keep coming back to them. Every recipe uses everyday ingredients you can find at any grocery store, with flexible swaps included throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Each recipe includes clear, step-by-step instructions and a photo for guidance. The meals are approachable for new cooks but satisfying enough for seasoned home chefs looking for weeknight ease.
Not at all! Every recipe is built around accessible, everyday ingredients you can find at most grocery stores, with simple swaps included to keep things flexible.
All the recipes are designed for weeknights, with plenty ready in 30 minutes or less. The book also includes slow cooker and hands-off options for days when you want dinner to cook itself.
Absolutely! These recipes are tested for flavor, efficiency, and balance, so you can get dinner on the table without stress while still feeding everyone something wholesome and satisfying.
Most weeknight cookbooks focus on speed. Simply Dinner focuses on speed AND is built around consistency, the habit-science insight that people cook reliably when the process itself is low-friction, not just fast. Robyn’s background in behavior change shapes how every recipe is structured: fewer decisions, reliable methods, real ingredients, and results worth repeating.
Yes! With its full-color photos, durable lay-flat hardcover, ribbon marker, and custom box, Simply Dinner makes a beautiful and practical gift for any home cook.
Each recipe is designed to feel balanced and nourishing, with a focus on real ingredients and a mix of protein, vegetables, and flexible sides. Nutrition information and macros are not included, since the goal is to keep meals simple, approachable, and enjoyable without the extra tracking.
Many recipes include simple swaps for gluten-free, dairy-free, or lighter options. While the book is not tied to one diet, it offers plenty of flexibility.
Most are written to serve 4, but can easily be scaled up or down depending on your needs.
If your cookbook arrives damaged or if you receive the wrong item, please contact us within 7 days of delivery (based on carrier tracking). Include your order number and photos of the issue, and we will provide next steps. If you are unhappy with your purchase for reasons other than damage or mis-shipment, please reach out to us. Refunds or returns for content dissatisfaction are not guaranteed. If a return is approved, the customer is responsible for all return shipping costs.
About the Author
Robyn Conley Downs, MEd is the founder of Real Food Whole Life, a nutrition-certified recipe developer, and a cookbook author with over a decade of recipe development experience. She holds a Master of Education with an emphasis in Behavior Change and a Nutrition Certification from Cornell University.
Simply Dinner grew directly out of her background in habit science, the research-backed insight that people cook consistently not when they try harder, but when the process itself is easier. The recipes in this book are built around that principle: remove the decision fatigue, reduce the steps, and make the result good enough that dinner becomes something to look forward to. Robyn is also the author of The Feel Good Effect. Read more about her background on the About Robyn page.
Prefer to shop in person? Simply Dinner is available in Portland, Oregon at White Birch Design Company and Hyatt Gym.
For all wholesale requests, please contact support@realfoodwholelife.com.
