I understand this question.
But I don't know that I have an answer...
This year dh is working second shift (3 p.m. to 11) so our "dinner" that we eat together is around 1:30... the mess can usually be cleaned up before the guests come back.
And we eat out a lot in peak season.
And eat leftovers a lot.
The first year I really stressed about having the kitchen as clean as possible when guests arrived. One of the B&B's I toured when I was in my research stage had a kitchen that guests passed through from parking to their rooms... he said that people would judge his B&B by how clean the kitchen was, so be sure to keep it clean. That has echoed in my brain ever since.
But now that we've been doing it a year or two, I've relaxed quite a bit. I keep the kitchen clean (sanitary) but sometimes it gets a little messy (esp. after breakfast!). When I take guests through I say here's the library... dining room... messy kitchen (don't look!)... They laugh and relax knowing that we're real people here. The first year I had the fridge pristine and bare... now it's literally covered with letter magnets and pictures. People say, "Oh, just like ours at home!"
I am constantly on dh to keep the end of the counter/island clean... it goes a long way to making the rest seem tidy. Dirty dishes go in dishwasher or sink. Clear off the stove. Keep the table in the breakfast nook cleared and wiped. The side of the fridge towards the door is neat. My desk is piled, but stacked neatly. Those efforts go a LONG way to making the initial impression of the kitchen that it's "in use but still tidy."
So, to answer your actual question: We trade freezer meals with a friend. So a lot of our meals are made at a previous time, thawed and baked that day. We also enjoy frozen fish fillets and fried pierogies. The ds5x2 eat spaghetti-o's, pb&j, hot dogs, and leftovers in the evenings when dh is at work.
And if we were to actually sit down and eat when guests were expected, I might "tidy up" a bit before I sit down and eat.
I know innkeepers whose kitchen is completely open (it's the room you come into when you enter the B&B) and who have very little private space. They report that they've had guests stand over them and talk to them while they are trying to eat their lunch... a bit annoying, but not much choice in the matter. OTOH, their kitchen is always spotless...
I think a few dishes in the sink are easily overlooked when everything else is clean and tidy.
=)
Kk.