Dear Taco Scientists,

Every night at 6:30 I have a panic attack. I need to make dinner, and make it fast. But when I try to solve this problem, I freeze. Maybe I should eat frozen burritos? But wait, does a frozen burrito count as a vegetable? Is it gluten-free? Paleo? Can I juice a burrito?

I turn to the internet looking for answers. I stare blank faced at Pinterest and blogs, frozen with indecision. What if one day I never figure out what’s for dinner and waste away from starvation?

Too Stressed to Eat

Dear Stressed,

A Taco Cleanse is your answer. We recommend a week-long HOT cleanse, though a FUEGO cleanse would be even better. On the Taco Cleanse, what’s for dinner is easy. It’s a taco.

If you’re still anxious, it can be even easier. Buy flour tortillas, because they last longer. Get a few avocados and your favorite salsa. Check for a salsa bar or for fresh salsa in the produce section of your grocery store. Though any salsa will do.

Now you’re 2/3 of the way to a taco. Add one more ingredient, and you’re done. Here are five easy fillings you can keep around the house: whole or refried beans, potatoes of any kind (baked, mashed, tots), scrambled tofu, tempeh bacon, or hummus. Yes, really hummus. Hummus and avocado makes a great taco.

Don’t feel like you need to eat a different taco every night. It’s OK to repeat. If you’re up for it, you can mix things up with two fillings in the same taco. But don’t push yourself too hard.

Most important of all, remember that it’s just food. It’s just dinner. Nothing depends on eating a perfect dinner. Don’t let anyone make you feel inferior because your diet doesn’t match society’s expectations. In other words, screw paleo.

Have a question for the Taco Scientists? Send it to tacocleanse (at) gmail (dot) com with the subject line “Dear Taco Scientists.”