You’ve heard the hype surrounding meal planning. Some moms swear by it – or at least advise others to do it. It’s supposed to save you time, money, stress, and even get your picky kid to eat. Sounds like a magic bullet! But the idea of meal planning can seem overwhelming. What is meal planning, anyway? How are you supposed to actually do it? What is meal planning? In a nutshell, meal planning is organizing at least some of your meals ahead of time. If that sounds vague, it’s because there are so many ways to do it, and you have to find the way that fits you best. Where to meal plan Some people like to make the meal plans themselves. You can use the pen and paper method, keeping a food plan in a diary, organizer, or even on random scraps of paper. You can also keep a plan digitally, on a spread sheet, digital calendar, or on a notes app. Or you can buy a meal plan. There are set meal plans that get emailed out, apps, and various websites with member only access. Of course, here at Real Plans, we’re a fan of our own system. We have desktop and mobile versions of the app, where we provide a meal plan for as many meals as you want, as well as the option to add your own ideas. We can also store your specific recipes for future use. When to meal plan Meal plans can be in as far advance as you want, or not. If you walk by a farmer’s market everyday, for example, you can stop there to pick up fresh ingredients for the next day. Planning for a week or two is the most popular option – plan on a Friday, for example, shop on Saturday, and prep on Sunday. You can even plan for an entire month at a time. How to meal plan Figure out your flow Before you plan out elaborate banquets, think about how your days work. When is the best time to cook? Once a day, once a week, or even once a month? If cooking for a longer period of time, you’ll need freezer friendly recipes. You’ll also need a full day devoted to cooking. If cooking once a day, when in the day works best for you? Perhaps you are a morning bird and can throw things in the slow cooker in the morning (find out how here). But maybe mornings are a rush out the door and cooking works better if you let an Instant Pot live up to its name. Or a combination, like prepping in the morning to cook in the evening, or prepping in the evening to finish in the morning. Also think about what kitchen gadgets that you have (or want to have) that will be most suited to your flow. Pressure cookers may be all the rage, but it is only helpful to you if it fits with when and how you cook. Find recipes A meal plan has to have recipes, right? Hands up if you’ve ever sat down to meal plan and come up with zero ideas of what to cook. When you meal plan, sources of inspiration can involve cookbooks, your Pinterest account (how many meals have you pinned and never made?), and blogs. You don’t even have to follow the recipe exactly, but they can remind you of meals you already know how to cook, or something similar that you’ve always wanted to try. The recipe collections are to get the creative juices flowing. The best source of inspiration, however, is your own family. Ask them to name their favorite five meals, or keep a running list of what your family likes to eat over the course of a few months. Bingo, meals you know your family likes. Here at Real Plans, we populate your plan with recipes so you don’t have to think about it, but also leave it flexible so you can add your own in. You can also peruse and choose from our extensive collection of recipes, which gets even bigger when you opt for add-ons, bloggers with amazing recipes in your diet type. Put together the plan So you’ve figured out your cooking flow, you’ve found sources for recipes, now what are you going to cook when? A simple way to keep it organized is to have a themed day for each day of the week. Mexican Mondays, Pasta Tuesdays, Soup Wednesdays, etc. Then, when finding recipes, it’s easier to choose from a narrower theme. For those who eat meat, planning one big meaty meal, preferably with bones, can influence the rest of the week. Roast a chicken (or bone-in chuck roast, or ribs), use leftovers the next day, and make soup from the bones the third day. You can also use sales as a place to start planning. Look in fliers or online, i.e. without going into the actual store, for smart prices. If there is a great sale or coupon on ground meat or carrots, you can plan shepherd’s pie one day and carrot soup another. Get the food Based on your meal plan, create a shopping list of ingredients you need to buy. Make sure to check the pantry for items you already have. You might shop online and have it delivered, order online and pick up groceries, go to a brick and mortar store, or frequent a market, whichever option or combination works for you. Guess what? Real Plans creates a shopping list automatically, even with imported recipes included in the plan. And on top of that, it’s connected to Instacart, so with a few clicks you can choose your favorite store and have all your ingredients in the cart. Shopping doesn’t get any easier than that. Execute the plan This is the hardest part. You’ve put all this energy into planning, but that plan ain’t gonna cook itself. If actually cooking makes you tired just thinking about it, try thinking of cooking positively. I know, it can get to be a daily grind. But it can also be a way to show that you care enough about your family, and yourself, to take the time to make home cooked meals. It can be an outlet for creativity, a form of art. Even if it isn’t always appreciated by the audience. Cooking doesn’t have to be limited to you though. You can share your plan – which is super easy with the Real Plan app – so your partner can cook too. Get your kids involved in the cooking (bonus: they’ll be more likely to want to eat it). They can start stirring, peeling, and chopping from a surprisingly young age, and can even make a simple meal by 10 years old, with supervision. Have a few back-ups As we all know, life doesn’t always go as planned. Things happen, making your meal plan not possible. Hopefully it’s just one day. Have a few back-up recipes just in case that are quick to cook and with ingredients you always have around. However! Try to keep them for times you really need them, rather than using them all the time. Get back on the wagon Maybe you’ve meal planned before, but got out of the habit. Maybe this is the first time around and you’ve already dropped the ball. Maybe it’s worked out perfectly so far – but something happens and then it doesn’t. Don’t worry. Figure out what went wrong, what you need to tweak, what wasn’t working for you. Look into the top 10 benefits of using a meal planning software. Ask yourself more questions included here, and try again. You can do it. And maybe you’ll find your magic bullet.
Stuck in a food rut? Always scrambling to get something on the table? Menu planning is as simple as lining up a few recipes to make during the week. And while your favorite foodie bloggers are expert menu planners, you may not know where to start. Fortunately, you’ll find that the only limit to menu planning is your imagination. And while it does take some time, in the end, you will win sanity for yourself. And happy, enthusiastic cheers from your family. Here are seven steps to get you started: #1 – Gather family favorites We all have our favorite meals. Check in with your family – ask each person about his or her favorite meal and use this as a springboard to get your menu planning strategies going. #2 – Find a place to put your most beloved recipes Whether it’s a binder, folder, recipe box, or an online app – a place for your favorite recipes becomes a toolbox that you can turn to again and again. Use it for inspiration and to keep family favorites organized. Although you might be able to whip up a batch of tacos without reading the recipe, it is easy to forget to schedule a meal if it’s not written down somewhere. Your toolbox can even include a shopping list, making it easier to quickly review what you have and what you need from the market. #3 – Start a schedule and stick to it To ensure you stick with your plan, be realistic. For example, plan for evenings when you will be getting home late because of soccer practice. If the day starts early, make sure you have a quick meal that you can grab and go. Also, plan meals for several days at one time to avoid monotony. You might also find that a schedule saves you time and money. For example, I like to keep these tips in mind: Consider a scheduled theme. For example, Mondays for Mexican food or slow cooker meals on Tuesdays. Breakfast for supper is always a treat. Keep side dishes simple. Veggies are delicious when roasted or steamed, which is easy to do. For example, roasted beets and brussels sprouts with bacon or seared bok choy. Keep something like carrot soufflé for a treat when you have more time to play in the kitchen. Include leftovers. To ease the burden of starting from scratch with each meal, plan to use foods for more than one meal. Such as using leftover baked chicken for chicken and bacon with spinach or chicken tostadas the next day. #4 – Make a grocery list and use it This list should always be available to mark on and use as you menu plan. When you know what your meals will be, you can review the recipe ingredients and write down what you need. This means that you won’t arrive home from shopping without the one thing that you need to make the dish. #5 – Display your menu plan Write down your menu plan and post it where you and the rest of the family can see it. This lets everyone know what to expect. And it keeps you accountable to the menu plan you have spent time creating. Displaying your menu plan can also help you remember early preparation – such as thawing ground beef or soaking a handful of nuts. #6 – Introduce new foods occasionally When you come across a new recipe, make a note. Pull in new recipes once or twice a week, making sure you have enough time to prepare them. After you make a new recipe, check in with your family. Is the dish worth making again? If so, jot down any ideas or reminders for the next time you make it. #7 – Always have a backup Life can be unpredictable. Stay prepared for the unexpected by keeping something that’s already made in the freezer. Like Moroccan lamb stew or a paleo white chicken chili that you can warm up and serve. While menu planning can seem daunting, it is only as complicated as you make it. When you need simplicity, keep it simple. And when you need to spruce things up, try something new. Remember it doesn’t have to be hard. As Julia Child says, You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.
Cross your fingers and hope it works. If you don't know how to meal plan , this might be your nightly mantra. Your family might eat the same thing over and over again. Or maybe dinnertime is a flurry of flavors that don’t quite work together. Extra spicy nachos followed by ice cream, anyone? Yeah, it has happened to best of us. If most of your meals come out of your kitchen – or, you’d like them to – set yourself up for success. When you know what you’re making every day of the week, last-minute trips to the grocery store are a thing of the past. And cooking becomes enjoyable – not a mad rush to feed your tribe. Fortunately, the real food community is filled with good advice from foodie bloggers. Guaranteed, these ten tips on how to meal plan will make your food spectacular and your life a little easier. #1 – Start with meat Whether your week begins on a Sunday or a Monday, if you’re wondering how to meal plan: Begin with skin-in-tact, bone-in meat. A large cut – or bird – that will serve you well for a few days. As DaNelle explains on her blog, Weed ‘Em & Reap, If you purchase a whole chicken then you’ll be able to roast said chicken and have a delicious meal, then you can take the leftover meat and make a casserole-like dish the NEXT day, then you can use the bones to make a broth for a soup the NEXT day. #2 – Get honest about your budget Organic produce, free-range eggs, wild-caught seafood, and dairy sourced from grass-fed animals are better for your health. These foods also tend to cost more at the grocery store. The basics of how to meal plan involve setting aside some time to figure out what you’d like to spend on food and where it’s okay to cut corners. Once you’re honest with yourself about your budget and your health goals, swing by Autoimmune Paleo and read Mickey Trescott’s tips about how to meal plan on a budget. For example, she covers which foods to take priority in quality and which specialty foods are better made at home. #3 – Let your kid loose in the kitchen As it turns out, most kids love to help. Whether it’s sweeping, chopping, or stirring – they want to do what you do. So, let them. Chances are, they’ll be more likely to eat food that they had a hand in making. Katie, a mother of 6 who blogs over at Wellness Mama, explains: I recommend finding ways to involve your children more in food prep and cooking and they will likely be much more willing to eat healthy foods that they have helped to prepare. #4 – Get on your favorite farmer’s email list Ah, the digital age. Most businesses and farmers have an email list, to which they’re happy to add you. Lisa over at 100 Days of Real Food suggests staying abreast of what’s in season by checking in with your favorite farmers and subscribing to their newsletters. You’ll know which fruits and vegetables to plan your meals around. And because this involves shopping for what’s in season, you’ll save a little cash too. #5 – Serve up some brinner If you’re looking for time-saving tips on how to meal plan, Lindsey at Homemade Mommy recommends that you prepare breakfast – instead of dinner – one night of the week. Brinner. It’s a colorful frittata as the sun sets. Or an evening filled with bacon, eggs, and a side of pancakes. Breakfast for dinner means easy, nutrient-rich solutions to (sometimes) tedious pre-dinner prep. #6 – Don’t start from zero Knowing how to meal plan involves knowing how to synchronize food prep with your daily life. On the Kitchn, Cambria Bold shares this little pearl of wisdom: The whole point is not to start from zero every night. When you have a few minutes to spare, stow away cleaned salad greens and chopped vegetables so that they’re easy to pluck from the refrigerator and use. Spiralize your zoodles. Create your own spice blends in bulk – dry roasting spices like cinnamon, cumin, and fennel. You want to have what you need at your fingertips before you need it. #7 – Put a rainbow on your plate Food – especially food that comes from plants – is beautiful. Fruit and vegetables will soften the expense of pricey items like high-quality meat, dairy, and eggs. Besides that, colorful food is delicious and full of compounds that do good things for your health. If you’re wondering how to meal plan while hitting all your nutritional bases, celebrate color. Whether it’s raw, fermented, roasted, blended, or even hidden in your favorite protein. To get you started, scoop up Mel Joulwan’s tips on how to eat more veggies. #8 – Get rid of the guesswork Three words: Meal planning templates. They make life easier. Period. You can get rid of the guesswork around how to meal plan by simply having a template and following it. Steph Gaudreau suggests changing up ingredients while sticking to one type of meal each day of the week. For example: Sunday – Big cook day, remember to start with meat Monday – Leftover meat, for example, these Beef Barbacoa Bowls or Fiesta Enchiladas Tuesday – Soup, made with leftover bones from Sunday’s big cook – like this Green Chicken Posole Soup Wednesday – Put your haul from the farmer’s market or CSA box to good use Thursday – Seafood, like these Fried Fish Friday – Brinner, try this Tomato Bacon Quiche (DF) or Paleo Waffles with Maple Chicken Breakfast Sausage (AIP) Saturday – Pizza! Like this Sweet Potato, Kale and Goat Cheese Pizza #9 – Carry real food snacks According to paleo expert Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, there are three foods you should always carry: nuts, sardines, and dried fruit. If you’d rather not crack open a can of sardines while driving or running errands, bring along meat jerky or another easy-to-use source of protein. In a pinch, these foods can stave off hunger or prevent a toddler’s meltdown. And you won’t need to sacrifice nutrition for convenience. #10 – Find your flow Besides getting some of your meal prep done ahead of time, get in the habit of spending a few extra minutes knowing your food prep schedule. This will help to clear up confusion around how to meal plan – and make it sustainable. This means making your meal plan work for you. For example, maybe you need to marinate a protein for several hours, so you throw it together before leaving for work. Easy! Or maybe like Michelle Tam, you purposefully make plenty of leftovers that can be repurposed into school lunches for the next day. Knowing what you need – and when – saves you time and energy in the kitchen. Save
The frustrating thing when budgeting for food is that we need to eat every day. On the one hand, you want to provide your family with quality food to keep them healthy. But on the other hand, you want to save on groceries so that you can stretch your income to cover a whole host of costs. When budgeting for meals, there are usually three main issues: Time, quality, and money. If two are ideal, the third will often not be. So, for example, if you buy food that is both cheap and good quality, like seasonal fruit, then there will be more time needed to process it. Consider yourself lucky if you can find food that takes little time, is high quality, and cheap. Most of the time, you will have to prioritize which two are more important and which issue you can sacrifice. The following tips focus on low cost and high quality – spending more time on food preparation may be a factor. 1. Skip the bags of prepped food Assuming you avoid already prepared food like microwave dinners (expensive and dubious ingredients), avoid also the partly prepared food, such as pre-washed salad in a bag and pre-shredded cheese. Yes, buying pre-washed lettuce does save some time, but not *that* much time. And pre-grated cheese? It loses flavor when exposed to air, goes bad faster, and has added anti-clumping agents like potato starch and cellulose. Just buy a block and take the extra five minutes to grate it yourself. 2. Play the sales/coupons When there is a significant sale on certain items, stock up. However, only buy groceries that have a long shelf life, such as canned goods, vinegar, frozen items, legumes, and white rice or flour. Don’t stock up on whole grains unless you have a cool place (like an extra fridge, freezer, or root cellar) to store it; whole grains have oils that quickly go rancid and are then bad for you. If you buy meat or produce on sale, be sure that you’ll have time to process it, such as by freezing. You can also focus your meal plan for the week around items on sale. Major sale on chicken? Buy a few to roast up on day one, then pick the bones, Basic Chicken Stock and Shredded Chicken , and Chicken Avocado Soup (Instant Pot) throughout the week. 3. Beware the sale/coupon siren song Before you are tempted to stock up on a sale item, however, take a second look at the sale. Often that sale sticker will get your attention, but if you look closer the savings are minimal. Sure, buy one, but it’s not worth stocking up on. Also worth noting: Sales and coupons are often for items that have been heavily processed. Stick to the real food and don’t let those slashed prices suck you into buying food you are trying to avoid. 4. Organize your fridge and freezer It is important to organize and label items in the fridge and freezer so they don’t get lost and go bad. The celery buried in the bottom of the produce drawer or the leftovers that were going to be another meal. If they get lost in the back of the fridge or freezer, you haven’t saved money – no matter how cheaply you bought it. In fact, you just poured money down the drain. Clearly label items. If you have a deep freezer, tape a paper to the outside that details what you put it in. In the fridge, using clear containers that show what is inside helps keep track of all the various leftovers or second meals. 5. Process in-season produce During the summer, fruit and vegetables are both at their cheapest and most nutritious. Buy a large amount and process them for later use by freezing, canning, or dehydrating. Try hitting up produce stands and farmers markets at the end of the day and ask for a discount. Also, don’t forget to ask about seconds – nothing is wrong with them except that the produce doesn’t look as perfect as first grade. Another source of cheaper produce are farms where you can pick the produce yourself. And pretty much anyone with a garden has an abundance of zucchini they are trying to get rid of in the summer. Here are and instructions on . 6. Make your own Making your own foods that you normally buy seems time-consuming and tedious, but many items are much easier than you would expect. Salad dressing If you are buying salad dressing, make the bottle in your fridge the last one. Conventional salad dressings are full of questionable ingredients, and ‘healthier’ ones may not be much better. Both are more expensive than whipping up a batch of salad dressing in two minutes. Click here for seven salad dressing recipes to get you started. Yogurt For those who haven’t made yogurt before, it can seem intimidating and time-consuming. Time, however, does most of the work by itself. Most methods of making yogurt – like this homemade yogurt – require an incubation period and this can happen in slow cookers, Instant Pots, ovens, and even coolers filled with warm water. There are even special yogurt cultures, called mesophilic yogurts, that don’t require warmer temperatures and can transform milk into probiotic rich deliciousness on the counter, like this matsoni yogurt recipe. Add the culture to milk, stir, and leave it – that’s it. If you don’t eat dairy, you can make your own coconut milk yogurt too. Spice mixes You already buy basics like oregano, basil, and paprika – why not combine them to make spices mixes that you normally buy? This compilation of 14 spice blends will show you how few ingredients are actually needed to cover a range of tastes, from chili seasoning to pumpkin pie spice. Bread Before you start rolling your eyes, hear me out. Good quality bread is quickly rising in price. If you skip the air-filled white bread that never goes bad, a good loaf can set you back – and get eaten in a flash. The no-knead method of baking bread came onto the scene a few years ago and revolutionized homemade bread for busy people. You literally just mix the ingredients, let it do its thing for a number of hours, and then come back when you’re ready to shape it and bake it. No more kneading dough for half an hour for an artisan loaf. Try this simple recipe for no-knead bread or you can go the extra mile and even make a sourdough no-knead bread to really impress yourself. Nut butter Throw nuts in a food processor or high-speed blender, blend, and voila – nut butter. Some nuts like cashews may need a bit of extra oil but overall making peanut butter or other nut butter is cheaper and super fast. Condiments If you really want to save money and have higher quality of ingredients, try making some of your own condiments. Store bought ketchup is crazy high in sugar; this 5-minute ketchup recipe will save you money and peace of mind. Homemade mayonnaise is another condiment that is so much more healthy than from the store, which is made from vegetable oils. BBQ sauce can be simple or more complex, depending on how much time you want to spend. 7. Buy meat from the farmer If you live in an area where this is possible, many farmers sell large chunks of meat for cheaper than at the grocery store as well as higher quality. A half a side of beef may seem like a lot, but if you have the space to freeze it, that meat will last your family all year. If the amount the farmer sells is too large for you, split it with a few friends. Don’t forget about lamb, pork, or ‘bulk’ poultry. Ask around for recommendations, or try websites like Eat Wild or Local Harvest to find local farmers.
Meal planning is a great way to simplify your weekly meal planning, and meal planning software like Real Plans can even automate the planning process for you. However, if you’re like us, sometimes you’ll need to tweak some ingredients to keep your grocery bill within your budget. Real Plans software makes it easy to include or exclude ingredients from your weekly meal plan. To give you some inspiration for stretching out that budget, here are our top 5 ingredients (and a trio of recipes for each) that will fill your belly and tempt your taste buds without breaking the bank. #1. Eggs For a dose of protein that’s inexpensive and quick to cook, look no further than meal planning staple the egg. Fortunately, the myth that eggs are bad for you because they are high in cholesterol has been busted as scientists realized that the cholesterol we consume in food has actually little effect on our overall cholesterol levels. Eggs are a nutrient powerhouse. Still, what is in them depends on how the chickens are fed. More nutrient-dense eggs come from chickens that have had free range to eat bugs, or given a particular feed, which makes them more expensive. So, you still have to balance price and quality. But even a conventionally farmed egg provides bang for your buck. Egg Recipes #2. Cheaper cuts of meat Meat is often the most expensive part of a meal. A steak or tenderloin can set you back a good bit. Learn to cook with cheaper cuts of meat, which includes cuts like beef brisket, chuck, shanks, and cheeks; pork sirloin chop, collar, and belly; lamb shoulder chop, breast, and chump. And, of course, ground meat. Don’t forget the organs, which pack a hefty nutritional punch and flavor if you can get over any squeamishness. Many of those cheaper cuts of meat are tough because of collagen, which has been shown to be beneficial for everything from skin to digestion. A long slow cook on tougher cuts will break release the gelatin for tender and moist meat. Beef brisket This beef brisket recipe can be sliced and covered with a sauce, as pictured, and paired with rice and a salad or shredded to use in dishes like beef barbacoa bowls. Get the beef brisket recipe here. Potatoes Potatoes became popular in Europe from the Americas for a number of reasons, including that more calories could be harvested for the amount of land compared to grain, i.e. one field could provide more nutrition and easier growing in potatoes than in grain. That means potatoes are a cheap but nutritious whole food. Potatoes are a source of prebiotics (food for probiotics) and provide satiety – feeling full for longer helps prevent the search for more food. Loaded baked potatoes We often think that dinner needs to be complicated, but sometimes simple is a relief. Loaded baked potatoes take some preparation, but the extra effort means more cost-friendly plant protein in the form of rice, chickpeas, and pecans. Get the loaded baked potato recipe here. Soup Soup has been used as a cheap way to fill bellies for ages. Of course, it helps if the broth is made of nutritious bone broth, as many countries recognize who start their meal out with a bone broth soup to aid digestion. And they also know that soup helps fill you up so you eat less of the main course. Bottom line: Bones are a cheap way to work more nutrients into your diet. You can get them from leftovers of other cuts containing bones, like whole roast chicken or those beef shanks. Chicken avocado soup This simple soup features avocado and chicken and cooks up in a jiffy in a pressure cooker. Pair it with hearty sourdough bread and butter for a filling meal. Get the chicken avocado soup recipe here. Legumes If you are on a food budget, learn to love legumes – dry ones, that is. Pairing a legume with a whole grain makes for a complete protein, so you can rest assured knowing you had protein without breaking the bank. Make sure to soak both the legumes and the whole grains the night before, for faster cooking, better digestion, and more available nutrition. Experiment with different legumes until you find your favorite. One whole grain can often be substituted for another, so you don’t have to search for a hard-to-find expensive one. Protip: Cook up a big batch of beans and store it in the freezer. You’ll have beans on hand for a quick meal without realizing that you forgot to soak them. Black bean bowl with freekeh With cumin and a little chili, this black bean bowl is a fresh version of refried beans. Corn, tomato, and peppers amp up the veggie section, and a handful of cilantro provides the extra tastiness. Freekeh is an ancient way of preparing a type of wheat. While not gluten-free, freekeh boasts more protein than quinoa and has been shown to be extra satiating. As noted in the recipe, any grain can be used if you can’t find freekeh or need a gluten-free option. Get the black bean bowl with freekeh recipe here. Bulk up meat with legumes A way to save on meat without cutting out the meat flavor is to reduce the amount of meat in a recipe and replace it with beans. You don’t need to buy so much meat, but the meat lovers are kept happy because the meat taste is still there. Chili is a classic example, but you could also do this in a soup, stew, or casserole, like shepherd’s pie. Southwestern chili This chili recipe is a classic. Just tomatoes, beans, ground meat, and corn with all your favorite chili spices. Chili is a bowl of comfort on any day. Pair with cornbread or sourdough buns for a satisfying but budget-friendly meal. Get the southwestern chili recipe here. Ethnic flavors Try heading to a local ethnic food shop to hunt out ingredients you might not know or ask the shopkeepers for food recommendations. Many areas of the world use a lot of spices help ramp up the flavor of what could be a bland meal. These regions might also make sparse use of meat for religious reasons, such as India (Hinduism), China (Buddhism), and Orthodox Christian countries (Greece, Russia, Eastern Europe) who adhere to a strict vegetarian fast for Lent. Moroccan chickpea stew Full of spices to liven up the flavor, this chickpea stew stands for a number of budget-friendly tips: Filling soup, cheap legumes, and a flavorful blend of spices. With garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin – it’s sure to become a favorite. Add some carrots, greens, tomato paste, and chickpeas and you have a quick filling soup for figurative pennies. Get the Moroccan chickpea stew recipe here.
A laughing toddler hanging on your leg as you stir. Brothers bickering within earshot. A baby bouncing on your hip as you flip bacon. It’s totally worth it to eat meals with your kids. But getting those meals on the table has its own set of challenges. Here are our top tips when meal planning for kid friendly meals. Plan for a meltdown In the culinary world, the French have a practice called mise en place. This means “putting in place” or “everything in its place” and refers to getting all ingredients ready before cooking. This includes homemade relishes, sauces, and spice blends. Freshly chopped vegetables. And par-cooked meat and veggies. Because the evening hours are often prime time for a baby to fuss or siblings to quarrel, plan for it. Get your mise en place on point. Choose meals that you can prepare for when the kids are at school or napping, so getting something on the table isn’t complicated. And do a happy dance when things run smoothly. On the table in thirty With kids, you may find that meal planning has never been more important. You can save time by quickly tossing sliced veggies into the oven. Reheating leftovers into something new. Setting a casserole to bake. See if you can get food on the table in roughly thirty minutes. This may mean keeping a regular shopping list — and sticking to it. Or putting together a meal planning template, like soup on Tuesdays and pizza on Fridays. Divide and conquer There’s a reason why divided plates come in bright colors, festooned with cartoon characters. Kids love them. Roasted carrots swimming in a sauce with shredded beef may be completely unappetizing. While a stack of carrots, a dipable sauce, and a pile of beef is acceptable. When you can, offer food in its deconstructed parts. And if you plan for meals that encourage your kids to choose their own garnishes — like a dollop of yogurt or slices of tomatoes — they’ll be more likely to enjoy their meal. Use kitchen tools that do the work for you The repetition of cutting sweet potatoes into long strips, blending soup in small batches, or standing over the stove while something cooks may feel like a chance to zen out — unless your littles are vying for attention too. Make life simpler for everyone by using time-saving kitchen tools. For example, An immersion blender that you can pop into the soup pot for a quick puree A slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it like a boss A mandoline or spiralizer that makes the zoodles and swoodles for you Kitchen shears, because butchering a chicken is that much easier Get your kids to do the work for you Knives are sharp and you probably could work twice as fast — but that doesn’t mean that your little one shouldn’t help out in the kitchen. When you can, involve your kids. Ask them to measure and pour. Coach them while they slice. Hand over a spoon for some patient stirring. Chances are, your children will be more likely to eat the food that they had a hand in making. Beyond that, you have a chance to show them where food comes from. Honor tiny tastebuds The best kid friendly meals have flavor and use spices, but are not excessively spicy or salty. Children tend to acquire a preference for certain foods and flavors during their first years, but most will be unlikely to tolerate a high level of heat. It’s also completely normal for your kid to prefer cooked veggies over raw or veer away from light salad greens. With that in mind, make food that you would eat. But go easy on the spices, use bitter ingredients sparingly, and include a staple starch that you know your kid loves. If you feel like offering classic kid favorites, make a good-for-you version. Like these homemade tater tots and coconut chicken nuggets. How do you plan for kid friendly meals? Let us know! #realplans
Summer is here. We all can’t wait to head out of town and kick back our feet for a little R&R. But eating out while traveling gets pricey. And it’s extra tricky if you have to accommodate a special diet (paleo peeps, holla). Which brings us to the question: Is there a way to make meal planning work at your vacation rental? As it turns out, renting a home is the perfect way to go for a holiday and still have the convenience of cooking your own meals. Here are some tips to plan a vacation’s worth of meals so you can actually kick back your feet and relax. Get organized What are your essentials? Take stock of what you deem necessities in your daily life (hello caffeine). If you turn into a grouch without your perfectly made coffee, you’ll want to pack your Aeropress with you. If smoothies are essential to start the day, see if the right equipment will be available. Take stock of your vacation rental kitchen. Before you leave, ask the owner what is included in the kitchen. A two burner hot plate may dictate different meals than a six burner gas stove. A grill will make cooking much more simple. Is there a crock pot? Blender? Is the fridge big enough to hold a week’s worth of groceries or is it a little bar fridge? How big is the biggest pot and cutting board? What can you bring? What you can bring along will vary based on method of travel and how far you are traveling. If traveling by plane, there isn’t much you can bring. Two suggestions are a knife sharpener – as rental kitchens often have dull knives – and spices in a pill organizer, so you don’t have to buy a bunch of packages to use one teaspoon. If traveling by car, you could bring a cooler (with prepped frozen meals), a slow cooker, and pantry staples. Scope out the local buying options. What food you bring and what you cook will depend on your location. Find out if there are local farmer’s markets and what the grocery store options are. And keep in mind that if you are staying at a remote mountain cottage, you’ll have to bring all your groceries with you. If you are next to a seafood market, you can pick up fresh fish to grill every night. How to plan meals for your vacation rental Keep it simple. While on vacation, the best meals are tried and true recipes, with simple ingredients that require minimum active cooking time. If you see a new recipe that would be a good fit, try it at home before you leave so you aren’t surprised with a vital step that you don’t have the right kitchen tool for. Speaking of which, if you need an unusual kitchen tool, it’s better to leave the recipe for a meal at home. Stick to common ingredients. If you can, try and use similar ingredients for various meals that can be easily changed. For example, chicken, rice, and veggies can make you both a tasty stir fry and a great curry. At the very least, don’t use recipes that call for one teaspoon of an unusual ingredient that you need to bring the whole bottle for. Know your itinerary. Is your vacation rental right on the beach or will you be gone all day? If you’ll be close to home away from home, you can cook double for dinner and eat it again for lunch. If you’ll be out and about all day, plan lunches that you can pack, like sandwiches or wraps. Plan for minimum work. Certain types of dishes require minimum work for maximum tastiness. If a slow cooker is possible, you can throw in some ingredients in the morning, go out all day, and come back to a ready meal. Grilling outside means no cooking in a hot kitchen; throw some meat or fish on the grill, put together a salad, and voila, an easy dinner. And one pot meals require less clean up. Don’t forget to plan snacks. Vacationing is hungry work. If you’ve got a handful of hangry kids while out and about, the quick solution is probably going to be both expensive and unhealthy. You don’t have to plan for variety, just be sure to have something in the bag that can be pulled out at a moment’s notice. Ask yourself what you can prep beforehand. If there is room in the car, you may be able to do quite a bit of prep work before you leave so that you can actually rest during your holiday. Frozen prepped meals can travel in a cooler – just be sure there is a freezer available in the rental kitchen. Dry ingredients for muffins, pancakes, or other baked goods can be pre-mixed. The first meal can be cooked, cooled, and brought in a cooler so that you don’t have to scramble about for food your first evening in the new place. Now that you’re armed with these tips, you’re ready to plan your meals for your stress-free vacation. What’s your favorite meal planning tip for a vacation rental? Let us know! #realplans
Yes, there will be cookies. Gingerbread houses and pies filled cinnamon and clove. There will be rich, creamy things and tender, meaty things. But what about winter veggies? Of the many foods that the holiday season gets right, it’s those winter vegetables. But they’re often spooned onto dinner plates as a side or – in some cases – forgotten altogether. There’s something to be said for deep hues of red, orange, and green in your bowl. Those hearty greens and sweet, starchy vegetables bring out the best in any meal. If you’re stuck in a veggie rut (ahem, like a sheet pan of roasted sweet potatoes e’ry night) then try one of our favorite winter vegetable recipes. We think your kids will like them too. #1 Roasted beet pasta with dill and lemon How to get your kids to eat veggies? First, act like it’s no big deal. Then, get them involved. No, this beet pasta doesn’t use spiralized beets. But with a pink and magenta puree, it makes cook (and eating) a lot of fun. #2 Roasted veggie enchilada casserole Who doesn’t love casserole? Especially one packed with roasted cauliflower and cumin-spiced sweet potato. Nestle all that roasted goodness in corn tortillas, layer it with black beans and then cover it with melted Monterey jack cheese. Voila. It’s just the thing for chilly winter nights. #3 Chipotle sweet potato, spinach, and black bean tamales Tamales are quintessential holiday food. And stuffed with sweet potato, spinach, black beans, and chipotle in adobo – these take a veggie-filled twist on a holiday classic. #4 Cream Thai carrot sweet potato soup Rich and sweet, with a little bit of warmth from the ginger and curry. The secret to this soup is almond butter. We dare you to eat just one bowl. #5 Coconut turmeric quinoa with kale Any dish that requires just one cooking vessel is both kid-friendly and mom-friendly. Spiced with ginger and turmeric, it won’t overwhelm your little one’s palate – but it will expose her to some bold flavors. SaveSave
Around these parts, a healthy mindset has nothing to do with green smoothies or a tight tummy. We don’t have any tricks for weight loss and we certainly won’t try and convince you that one diet is better than another . Why? Because health is not that easy. Or clearcut. And what really matters is that you feel awesome – not necessarily how much you weigh or how many calories you consumed that day. Fortunately, we’re in good company. Over the years, Real Plans has been lucky enough to work with folks that have some serious wisdom to drop when it comes to food and a healthy mindset. With January resolutions in full swing, what better time to share them? Embrace your bigness Whether this is your physical bigness that comes from muscle mass or (gasp) fat in all the places you don’t want it. Or a big voice and bold moves. Embrace it. Live it. Be it. Taking up space can be scary. But Steph Gaudreau at Stupid Easy Paleo points out, Over the years, I’ve come to understand these truths… 1. No matter what you choose – stay or go, do it or don’t, shrink or grow – someone is going to have an opinion either way. So why not do what your heart is called to do and let the opinions come?! 2. As a corollary to #1: You cannot control what other people think about you. Wanna try? Be my guest. It’s f*cking exhausting. Feel empowered to choose what’s right for you Okay – so Cassy Joy over at Fed and Fit was talking baby monitors and bottles – not food. But whether it’s #momguilt or diet rules, there’s something about feeling empowered, proud, and strong in your decisions. Even if they are different from someone else’s. In other words, do what’s right for you. And don’t look back. FEEL EMPOWERED, not shamed, into choosing what’s right for you (just like they did). Seek input and mentorship from those you trust, stay open to learning at every turn, but don’t ever FEEL BAD because someone else would’ve made a different decision. Again, they’re (almost certainly) seeing your choices through their filter, not yours. Health is a journey On Instagram, Jenny McGruther explains that she was never supposed to have children (she has two). About 15 years ago (after years of feeling sick and being told it was all in my head), I was told that my endocrine health was ravaged between PCOS and thyroid disease and that I’d never be able to conceive without significant medical intervention. I undertook some pretty big changes including pharmaceuticals when I needed them, but, more importantly, made dietary changes (like eating meat and good fats) and I was able to conceive both of them naturally and without intervention. Health is a journey (and I still struggle to a degree) but when my doctor told me “never” she was wrong. Real change is possible If a healthy mindset is one that welcomes change and can stick to a shift in habits, then take baby steps. According to The Paleo Mom blogger, Sarah Ballantyne, small consistent wins equal big gains…when you’re patient. Research shows that the average length of time it takes to form a new habit is more like 66 days. But even this doesn’t mean you’ll have to white-knuckle your way through the next two months!… Associations with positive outcomes (like having more energy and losing a few pounds) can expedite habit formation. To get to where you want to be, try reverse engineering what it takes to get there. Then give yourself plenty of time to see the magic unfold. Ditch the scale A program like Whole30 allows you to press reset on your diet and take a hard look at your relationship with food. Besides creating new habits, you might notice changes in your health. Maybe your sleep is better, your allergies are gone, or you feel less bloated. Or, maybe you feel more confident. These are your NSV or non-scale victories. And they’re worth your attention. If stepping on the scale and seeing a weight loss of “only” two or three pounds will erase all the good you’re feeling right now, just don’t do it. Because guess what? The scale doesn’t matter. The scale doesn’t measure sexy, confident, strong, healthy, proud, committed, or happy. And why would you give anyone or anything the power to take all of that away from you? Be your best you Do you measure your best by what others think is beautiful, fun, lovable, and successful? If so, you might always find yourself chasing something just out of your reach. Mel Joulwan, author and paleo blogger, challenges herself to get rid of outside fitness goals. She asks, What’s the best version of you? Not the one you think other people want to see, or the one the media tells you to be. The one you desire to be, deep down. Can you work toward being the best version of you? Without judgment? Without punishment? Without reward? Can you revel in being you?
In the world of food, there are many ways to evaluate what you eat. There’s MyPlate, which organizes food by type: fruit, vegetables, protein, grains, and dairy. There’s the Whole30 meal planning template, which encourages a solid foundation of high-quality protein with veggies and compliant fat on the side. And then there’s learning how to track macros. Macros – or macronutrients – are the biggies when it comes to nutrition. They are the carbohydrates, protein, and fat found in food. You can track these based on the calories that each macro provides. Carbs and protein each have a value of 4 calories per gram whereas fat supplies 9 calories per gram. Many diets use macros, rather than “plates” or food restrictions, to describe what your daily eats should look like. The beauty of plates, specialty diets, and macro tracking is that clearly – there is no perfect diet. There’s only what works best for you, in this moment of time. So, let’s celebrate diversity and look at which macro breakdown might get you the results you’re looking for. How to track macros and reach your health goals Below you will find a general set of recommendations for macros to fit your unique health goals. Keep in mind that these percentages are suggestions and not fine-tuned to fit your current weight or activity level. Keto diet The keto diet is an extremely low carb diet that pushes the body into ketosis, at which point it starts burning fat for fuel. Instead of carbohydrates. Example macro breakdown: 5% carbohydrate 18% protein 77% fat Click here for more on macros and the keto diet . Low-carb diet If you want to lose fat, you need to create an ongoing “calorie deficit.” You do this by burning more calories than you consume. A low carb diet won’t push your body into ketosis. But it will help you lose fat and reveal muscle. Example macro breakdown: 25% carbohydrate 40% protein 35% fat Click here for more about weight loss and macros. Bodybuilding Higher carbs tend to support muscle gains. So when bodybuilding, you want to support your body’s need for extra energy by bulking up on carbs. Most folks who are interested in simultaneous muscle gains and fat loss do best with carb cycling, which is when you alternate between a muscle-building phase of higher carbs and a fat-burning phase with lower carbs. Example macro breakdown: 45% carbohydrate 35% protein 20% fat Click here for more on bodybuilding macros. Maintenance High carb ratios build lean muscle and low carb ratios speed up fat loss. To maintain muscle mass and weight, you want to aim for somewhere in between. Example macro breakdown: 35% carbohydrate 50% protein 15% fat Click here for more about maintaining muscle mass and weight. Reverse dieting For folks with a sluggish metabolism, reverse dieting turns things around and boosts metabolism by increasing calories while reducing cardio. The macro breakdown changes with time, but start by calculating protein: 1 gram per pound of body weight. Example macro breakdown: Set your protein target at 1 gram (4 calories) per pound of body weight. For your remaining calories, split them 60/40 between carbs and fat. 60% carbohydrate 40% fat Click here for the full scoop on reverse dieting. Mediterranean diet An emphasis on plant food, olive oil, fish, poultry, and moderate amounts of wine. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most well-researched diets and known for its ability to lower disease risk. It’s also the standard baseline for a healthy diet. Example macro breakdown: 45% carbohydrate 20% protein 35% fat Click here for more on Mediterranean diet macros. DASH diet The DASH diet (officially known as dietary approaches to stop hypertension) is known for its ability to protect against heart disease. The diet takes an approach that encourages fresh veggies, fruit, herbs, whole grains, pulses, and nuts while limiting red meat, added fat, and foods or drinks with added sugar. Example macro breakdown: 55% carbohydrate 18% protein 27% fat Tracking macros according to body type and gender Beyond calories, your body type and gender can have a significant impact on how to track macros. To give you an idea of what this means, you’ll find a quick description of the three general body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Ectomorph: Slender, small shoulders, and “hardgainers.” Keep carbs between 30 – 60 percent of total calories, depending on whether the goal is gains, maintenance, or fat loss. Mesomorph: Athletic, muscular, and with broad shoulders. Keep carbs between 20 – 50 percent of total calories, depending on whether the goal is gains, maintenance, or fat loss. Endomorph Pear shape and wide, stocky build with a slower metabolism. Keep carbs between 10 – 40 percent of total calories, depending on whether the goal is gains, maintenance, or fat loss. And don’t forget about gender. That matters too. Overall, women tend to have an edge when it comes to burning fat. They’re also less efficient at burning the glycogen – meaning that compared to men, they may be more likely to thrive on a lower carb diet. No one size fits all when learning how to track macros Your ideal macros depend on your health goals. Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or a little bit of both? There’s also activity levels, body type, and gender to take into account. As you dial into what works best for you, know that there will be shifts and adjustments along the way. Your body will change and your needs will change right along with it. It’s all part of the process. Working with a nutritionist or trainer can help clarify your next step. If you want to simplify counting, keep a tally on your meals, and stay organized, then enlist the help of the Real Plans macro tracker. Simplify and support. It’s what we do.
Sure, veggies are good for you. But they also make food interesting. Vegetables – especially the green kind – tend to add a bitter note to food. They can give an herbaceous quality. Or when cooked just so, a hint of umami. We’ve found that when you do your winter vegetables right, they can seriously lift a dish from snooze-ville to a colorful feast for the eyes and the palate. So while your best winter days might be spent lounging next to a warm fire and sipping on hot cocoa, toy with the idea of something green for dinner. And the next time you find yourself at the market, grab some kale or Brussels sprouts, whip up something beautiful, and savor the good complexity that comes with eating your winter vegetables. Not sure where to begin? Here are some ideas to get you started. #1 Roasted beets and brussels sprouts with bacon Beets have a knack for marvelous. Unlike yams or winter squash, they somehow manage to taste sweet while simultaneously expressing light and earthy notes. Try eating your beets with caramelized brassica leaves and crunchy bits of bacon. And if you really want to make your plate sing, toss everything in bacon fat and thyme leaves with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. #2 Stir-fried greens with sausage If you’ve decided to veer away from bready sweets for breakfast but feel lost on what to eat, try veggies and meat. While you could make this dish any time of the day, the addition of sausage makes these stir-fried greens uber appropriate for breakfast. And the tiniest pinch of sucanat adds just enough sweetness to quite old habits of sugar for breakfast. If you’re unfamiliar with rapini (otherwise known as broccoli rabe) it’s pungent like mustard greens – but also nutty and a wee bit bitter. #3 Sweet potato, kale, and goat cheese pizza Pizza. Need we say more? Pizza schmeared with sweet potato. Sprinkled with salty shreds of parmesan. Dotted with gobs of creamy goat cheese. Layered with kale that has been wilted garlic and red pepper flakes. #4 Coconut kale fried millet Instead of fried rice – how about fried millet? While it’s not common in American homes, millet is a hearty staple grain known throughout Africa and Asia. Cooked in coconut milk, this millet takes on a sweet and nutty flavor. Along with your nutty millet, how about some kale? Cook your kale in sesame seed oil with sliced carrot and green onion, just until it begins to wilt. The addition of garlic, ginger, and cilantro bring this dish to life. We promise – these greens are a filling, cozy, and downright delicious addition to your day. Plus, this dish stores well. So make leftovers. #5 Sweet potato and kale gratin You need only three ingredients to make this dish – if you count a cooking fat and salt, five. And if you cook much at home, you may even have everything you need to make this simple, glorious dish RIGHT NOW. Of course, the key to any gratin is the crust. Imagine kale stewed in a rich and saucy coconut cream, topped with sweet potatoes that have been put under the broiler so that they develop that deep, full-bodied taste that comes caramelized sugar. Ah. Spoon me a bowl of comfort, will ya? What the kale? You may have noticed that we love kale as much as the next person. If you prefer another hearty winter green, throw caution to the wind and switch out kale for something like collards or chard. If you’re worried you messed up, add bacon. Improvise. Because really, that’s what fun times in the kitchen are all about. Kale yeah. SaveSave SaveSave
Tired of throwing away perfectly good kitchen scraps? Maybe you need a teaspoon of fresh cilantro – so you buy a whole bunch, only to see the rest of it wilt away in your refrigerator. Or at the end of prepping a meal, you’ve got a pile of odds and ends on your countertop. Instead of tossing your kitchen scraps into the trash or even your compost, here are nine clever ways to use scraps, leftovers, and unused food. #1 – Add kitchen scraps to homemade bone broth and stocks Homemade bone broth is one of the most nourishing foods you can consume. If you have veggie scraps, save them in a freezer bag and pull them out when you make your broth. Save stems from fresh herbs. And keep parmesan rinds for an extra kick of umami. This applies to bones too. Stow them away in their own freezer bag for use later on. #2 – Repurpose scraps for use in other recipes Give purpose to what you would normally throw into the trash. For example, turn leftover carrot pulp from juicing into carrot muffins. Transform browned bananas into banana upside down cake or banana coco-nut bars. Stale bread is perfect for homemade bread pudding or as a breading for fried chicken and Maryland crab cakes. Same rules for stale, leftover chips and crackers. #3 – Create new recipes with your peels Sometimes a pile of scraps requires a bit of creativity. Try making an assortment of “chips” with your peels. For example, fry up potato peels in some coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Or roast apple peels tossed in cinnamon and sugar with a little butter. You can also candy or preserve an assortment of citrus rinds, using them later to add a punch of flavor to dishes. #4 – Freeze what you don’t use If you have more fresh herbs than you need (like basil, parsley, cilantro), place them in ice cube trays and fill with olive oil. Then freeze so that you have fresh herbs to use later. You can also use your ice cube trays to freeze leftover broth and sauces for future dishes. #5 – Grow a garden If you have enough room and determination, you can replant certain foods and grow your own produce. If you’re limited in space, some vegetables will grow in a small cup of water. Fruits and veggies that take well to regrowth include potatoes, onion, celery, and turnips. #6 – Crush your eggshells Rinse and crush eggshells that are otherwise headed to the trash. Around fall or early spring, sprinkle your crushed eggshell around plants as a calcium-rich fertilizer and pest deterrent. You can also use leftover eggshells to make an edible eggshell calcium powder. #7 – Plan one or two meals to use up your leftovers With a little meal planning, you can arrange to make extra and use up leftovers later in the week. This frees up your time and takes the guesswork work out of what to make for dinner. Be sure to set a reminder for yourself to take the food out of the freezer the night before so it can thaw. Then, reheat for a quick and delicious meal. #8 – Pickle your scraps Pickle leftover watermelon rind to use in salads. Gather up your cucumbers that are on the brink of shriveling up, and make sour pickles. #9 – Make jams, drinks, and vinegar Apple cores, strawberry tops, and fruit peels can all be used to make jam. The same goes for fruity teas and fruit infused water. You can also use peels, cores, bruised and freezer-burned fruit to make fruit vinegar. How do you use your kitchen scraps, leftovers, and unused food? Let us know in the comment below! Lydia is a Nutritional Therapist and a single mom of four fabulous boys, on a mission to share her passion for whole, healthy, real foods with the world! She enjoys living life one day at a time, from the inside out. Lydia blogs over at Divine Health From The Inside Out. Save
You think you know how to use a slow cooker. What could be easier? Plug it in, add food, and head out the door. and open your door, you’re met with the delicious aroma of a homecooked meal. Not so fast. That long, moist cooking process that slow cookers are known for makes for some tender and flavorful dishes, especially with tough (read: cheap) cuts of meat. And chances are you’ll happily to leave beans to simmers away in your slow cooker because they won’t settle to the bottom and burn – yet another way to . But if something goes awry, you may have a hard time recovering a slow cooked meal. Here are 11 tips to make the most of your slow cooker. #1 Slow cookers are fantastic for all weather Slow cookers are a no-brainer for cold weather, with those cozy comfort foods. But keep your slow cooker going in hot weather too. While slow cookers do emit a little heat, it is nothing like turning on the oven or even cooking on the stove top. The heat is kept low and mostly contained, so you can cook without heating up your kitchen even more. Try it with slow cooker honey buffalo chicken taquitos. #2 To brown meat or not to brown meat? Some people will say you absolutely must brown any meat before slow cooking, others say no. To be honest, it’s your decision between flavor and convenience. Searing meat is all about flavor; when the meat hits a hot pan, any moisture on the surface evaporates and the meat undergoes a chemical reaction that gives it that satisfying meaty taste. It doesn’t actually seal in the juices. That’s a myth. If you do sear your meat, make sure to add all those tasty scrapings into the slow cooker! The downside is that you have to take the extra time to brown it and you end up with a dirty pan. So if you are all about the flavor, go ahead and brown the meat, but if you need to get that meal on with as little time or effort as possible, skip it. Try it with butternut squash and sage beef stew. #3 Use tough (cheap) meat Cooking with tough cuts of meat isn’t just about easing the budget, though we’ll take that too. It’s also about flavor. Meat that is tough when quickly cooked is full of collagen, or strong connective tissue. And that strong tissue makes it hard to break down. But collagen is also soluble in water. So, a long, moist cook time (like what you get in the slow cooker) turns collagen into gelatin, which is both soft and very good for you. It’s also tasty, so that’s a win-win all around. Try it with slow cooker pork shanks. #4 Preheat the slow cooker? Most instructions call for preheating the slow cooker, and many slow cooker users don’t. It seems like an extra step when pressed for time, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds. When begin prepping ingredients, plug the slow cooker in and turn it on. Pour some boiling water in to help heat it up faster and for added safety. If you sear your meat, saute onions, or toast spices, the slow cooker will be ready to go by the time you are. Why do it? For three reasons. One, the flavor of the dish is increased, reportedly, because the sauteed aromatics stay warm. Two, the overall cook time will be faster. Three, it’s safer because the ingredients spend less time swimming in a temperate environment where bacteria thrive. And although bacteria will be killed as the dish cooks, they do leave behind toxins that aren’t ideal. Having said that, however, many folks don’t preheat their slow cooker. And you’ll be just fine if you follow suit. Try it with Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala . #5 Layer it right Got some veggies that are mushy and some that are just right? The heat source for slow cookers is on the bottom, so put ingredients that take longest to cook on the bottom. For example, root vegetables like carrots and potatoes take the longest to cook, so put those on the bottom. Follow it with meat and then everything else on top. Bonus: You don’t have to stir, which makes cooking with a slow cooker even less effort. Try it with farmhouse beef and bacon stew. #6 Just the right amount Make sure not to fill the slow cooker to capacity, otherwise your meal won’t cook on time. Nor do you want just a little in there, or you could end up with a burned food. The ideal amount to fill a slow cooker is 2/3 full, but no less than half and nor more than 3/4. Try it with easy slow cooker tortilla soup. #7 When to keep or ditch chicken skin Unless you are roasting chicken or other poultry after cooking it in the slow cooker, take the skin off. If it’s cut up in a soup or stew, you’ll end up with bits of white fatty rubber floating around. However, if you’ve got a whole bird or big pieces, you can pop it in the oven at the end to crisp up the skin. Try it with Slow Cooker Roast Chicken With Lemon And Garlic . #8 Add these ingredients later Add dairy and fresh herbs once the dish is already cooked. Dairy can curdle and fresh herbs will lose all taste if cooked for too long. Also add tender greens, like spinach, at the end or it will turn to mush. And unless the dish is meant to cook for a short amount of time, add rice and pasta later as well. Try it with spinach, lentil, and sweet potato slow cooker soup. #9 Don’t open the lid! You want to see how dinner is getting along, so you open the lid to check, maybe giving a stir like you would if cooking on the stovetop. Resist the urge. Every time you lift the lid, heat escapes and adds up to 30 minutes longer to your cook time. Slow cookers are made so you don’t have to stir with the low cooking temperature, so relax. Leave it. Only lift the lid at the end when your meal is ready, or to add last minute ingredients. Try it with slow cooker kalua pig. #10 When you’ve got a soupy mess While cooking, slow cookers keep in all the moisture. So, sometimes you can end up with a meal that is too watery. If this happens, take off the lid and stir to evaporate some of the water. If you’re in a hurry, dump everything into a pot and evaporate on the stove top. Try it with slow cooker black bean dip. #11 Don’t forget dessert Slow cookers generally bring to mind soups, stew, and sometimes roasts. But all kinds of foods can be cooked in a slow cooker, from lasagna to desserts. Even cheesecake! Try it with Slow Cooked Caramel Apples .
We’ve all done it. You come home from the market with a bag of fresh produce ready to prepare for the upcoming week. You throw everything in the fridge, hoping to things fresh…for longer. Except that’s not what happens. General rules to keep plant things happy In all its cool glory, the refrigerator can prevent your produce from ripening, rob its flavor, or leave you with a lackluster flavor profile. In short, some produce does better when it is left at room temperature to mature. But when cut, you may need to toss it in the fridge. Here are some basic tips to get you started: 33 – 35F – This is the sweet spot to aim for when refrigerating fruit and vegetables. Store vegetables and fruits separately. This is because fruit produces something called ethylene gas and it can accelerate ripening. Remove anything that binds them. This includes twist ties, rubber bands, etc. Use your crisper or humidity drawer, those plastic buckets that sit at bottom of your fridge. Typically, with a few clicks, you can adjust the setting from “high” to “low.” As far as what goes where – and how humid your fruit and vegetables like it – more on that below. Give them space. Try not to store vegetables too close together. Good air flow keeps things fresh. What goes in the fridge Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and broccoli can do well in the refrigerator for several days. Keep them in your crisper, with the humidity set to high. Root vegetables – like beets, carrots, or turnips – are happiest when you remove their tops. This is because the tops draw moisture from the root, causing them to lose both flavor and firmness. When it comes to turnips, prolonged storage can bring out bitter notes. Use your turnips within 3 – 5 days. Celery does well when in a plastic bag or container for about a week. If it starts to get limp, place it in cold water to revive it. Hearty greens can live in a plastic bag or airtight container in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days. A damp cloth keeps them from drying out. You can also place hearty greens like kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, and beet greens in your crisper with the humidity set to high. Lettuce will do well when rinsed and dried with a towel. Refrigerate in a plastic bag or container for up to 5 days. Wrap rhubarb in a damp towel and place in an open container in the refrigerator. Citrus fruit can hang out in your fridge for weeks. Fruit that rots – like apples and pears – produce ethylene gas and do best in a perforated plastic bag or in the crisper, with the humidity set to low. Strawberries are sensitive to ethylene, so be sure and keep these from other fruit – preferably in a paper bag (that can “breathe”) in the fridge for up to a week. Check the bag for moisture every other day. Melons ripen best on your countertop. Once cut, be sure to place it in the fridge. Stone fruit like peaches, plums, and pears can go into your refrigerator’s crisper – with the humidity set to low. What stays on the countertop Some veggies and fruit ripen and taste better when stored at room temperature. Whereas some will completely break down when placed in the fridge. Store onions in a dry, dark place for as long as 4 weeks. Once cut they should be refrigerated and used within 2 days. Potatoes stored in frigid temps will see a break down in starch. Store traditional spuds and sweet potatoes in a dry, dark place. Tomatoes in the fridge become lifeless and mealy – so store ’em at room temperature. If your tomatoes need to ripen up, place them in a paper bag with an apple or on a sunny windowsill. Leafy green veggies, herbs, and asparagus stay bright and vibrant when placed on your countertop in a glass of water. Revive carrots by dunking them in cold water and storing them in a closed container, wrapped in a damp towel. Stack berries in a single layer, if possible, in a paper bag that can “breathe.” Wash right before you plan on eating them. Wash sweet peppers right before you plan on eating them as wetness decreases storage time. Store in a cool room to use in a couple of days, place in the crisper if longer storage is needed. Store avocado in the fridge only when you want to stop it from ripening. To keep your cut avocado green, place it in a sealed container or plastic bag with the seed and a few slices of red onion. Onion releases a sulfurous gas – the kind that will bring tears to your eyes while keeping signs of browning and oxidation at bay. Wish all these handy tips were in one place? We got you covered. Click here and download a printable list for storing fruit and vegetables. Save SaveSave
