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
Maintaining a list of always-there items in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer allows you to mix and match, quickly pulling together a delicious meal. It also streamlines your shopping so that you can buy “always have” items on subscription and mostly shop for specialty items. Customize your capsule kitchen Of course, the biggest challenge when giving advice about kitchen essentials is that one person may be on a keto diet and , another following a paleo diet, and still another with multiple food allergies. But, the whole point of a capsule kitchen is that you customize it to fit your family’s needs. When it comes to meal planning, having a well-stocked kitchen with variations on rotating ingredients allows you to simplify your weekly plan. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t have a specialty item in their kitchen that they’ve used only once? That’s what we thought. It’s a minor tragedy to see food waste away in your kitchen. If your meal plan requires something you don’t normally cook with, a capsule kitchen will help determine whether or not it’s worth splurging on or if you’d rather choose another recipe. What you want to cook vs. what you really do cook What you want to cook might be very different from what you have time to cook and what your family will actually eat. And the number one principle of a capsule kitchen is to have ingredients on hand that will carry you through multiple meals. When putting together your list of essentials for your capsule kitchen, keep in mind what you actually use on a daily or weekly basis. Leave room for fresh and new food ideas. And remember that there may be days when you don’t want to cook at all – but your family still needs to eat. So, be sure to include some freezer meals . Kitchen essentials for the pantry Vinegar and oils like apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar coconut oil, and ghee. Baking essentials like alternative flours (store almond flour in the freezer), unrefined sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Dry bulk goods like lentils, beans, quinoa, millet, and shredded coconut. Spices like oregano, cumin, taco seasoning, Italian spice blend, and others that you turn to most when cooking. Consider including time-saving spices like garlic granules and onion powder. Canned goods like coconut milk, sardines, canned salmon or tuna, and diced green chilies. Jarred goods like salsa, tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, tahini, peanut butter, and jam. Condiments like ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce. Kitchen essentials for the fridge Eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, and milk are always good to have on hand if they comply with your diet. Hearty leafy greens and root veggies like kale, collards, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. If your veggies are beginning to wilt, blanch and freeze them. Pre-cooked rice, quinoa, or millet can be repurposed into a quick stir fry. Jammy, boiled eggs can be made ahead of time in a large batch and stored for up to one week. Dates and dried fruit in opened packages fare best when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Seeds and nuts like flax, hemp, pumpkin, walnuts, and almonds. Because their oils can go rancid, store these in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Kitchen essentials for the freezer Frozen fruit like strawberries, mango, and blueberries are handy for baked goods and smoothies. Frozen veggies like precut broccoli, cauliflower, and onion make meal prep a snap. Cauliflower rice uncooked and frozen flat in meal-sized portion of 1 to 3 cups. Uncooked meat like beef, chicken, pork, bacon, and sausages. Defrost in your refrigerator or cook frozen directly in your Instant Pot – just be sure to stick with smaller cuts of meat, cover with extra cooking liquid, and increase the cook time by 50%. Pre-cooked meatballs and ground beef can go directly into a slow cooker for chili or stirred into a quick weeknight soup. Warm it up with salsa for easy tacos or pasta sauce for a quick bolognese. Tomato sauce, White Bean Chili , Spaghetti Zoodle Bolognese , and pesto all freeze beautifully. Freeze in meal-sized portions of 1 to 3 cups. Braised meat like Cuban Slow Cooked Pork in wide mouth jars, torn into big chunks and surrounded by braising sauce. Be sure to cool in the refrigerator before storing in your freezer. And leave a little headroom for expansion. Vegetable, beef, and Basic Chicken Stock and Shredded Chicken that has been frozen into 1/2 cup cubes, making it easier to thaw and use. A bag for collecting leftover bones and veggies scraps that can be transformed into broth later on. Roasted sweet potatoes that have been frozen whole and unpeeled. Thaw and eat plain, mash as a side dish, or cook into a casserole. Roasted butternut squash can be frozen for a quick side. Cube, roast, and store in 1-cup portions. Assembled (but not cooked) casseroles like this paleo cheeseburger casserole, for those days when you just can’t. Be sure to label the casserole with a date and cooking instructions. You’ll thank us later. Paleo fudge, dark chocolate covered almonds, and homemade cookie dough can be made to fit almost any diet type. Pie crust is a time-saver if you bake quiche and pies often.
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
If you’re type A and proud, checklists are a little bit of heaven. So is a real food meal plan. Which means that combined, a real food meal plan checklist is about as geeky and blissful as you can get. Especially for meal planning newbies. If you’re wondering what the real food movement is all about, it’s like this: Real food gives you glow. It’s seasonal, locally-sourced, and minimally processed. It’s also a bit off the beaten path; like bone broth, sauerkraut, and lard. Yes, lard. If you’re concerned, that’s okay. We’ll walk you through real food meal planning, step by step. From the outset, it might help to know that real food isn’t paleo, keto, or plant-based. Instead, it embraces the ethos of how food is harvested. And how it’s prepared. Below are five steps to building a solid real food kitchen. These steps are for everyone, beginners and veterans alike. If you’re a seasoned planner, our short list might inspire a little more fermented foods sprinkled throughout the week. Or more liver, perhaps? How to make a real food meal plan 1. Purge your pantry. Read labels and get rid of the junk. If you look at a label and do not understand what’s in it, toss it. It’s not real food. Make the choice to stop eating and buying processed foods TODAY. 2. Begin with what inspires you. Maybe you have a deep love for real butter. Or you really enjoy fried eggs, bacon, and coffee in the wee hours of the morning. There’s no rule that you must adopt a real food meal plan all at once. Choose to focus on foods that excite you and begin with the foods in your home. As you start giving your body the nutrients it craves, you’ll feel better and want to keep going. 3. Eat with the season. Just like your wake/sleep cycles are linked up to sunlight, there’s some kind of magic wrapped up in the seasons of the year. Eating with those seasons – bright, fresh herbs during springtime and rich, meaty bone broth during the winter months – just makes sense. Visit your local farmer’s markets or sign up for a CSA farm box to ensure that you are eating local, seasonal foods. Why? Because seasonal foods give you the right nutrients at the right time of year. For example, citrus is in season during winter when our immune systems can certainly use a vitamin C boost. 4. Get to know your local farmers. This may be through your farmer’s market or the butcher shops in your area. Talk to your farmers about what they do. Ask them what their animals eat and how they are raised. Ask them how they deal with pests on fruit and what are the best veggies this season. Most will be happy to answer your questions and you will know the source of your food. 5. Eat what your great-great-grandmother ate. Not literally. If you prefer a variety of cuisines from around the world, eat those foods too. But make it vintage. Include traditionally prepared foods like soaked beans and fermented grains. Full-fat dairy, eggs with all their yolks, and animal-based fats like lard, bacon grease, chicken schmaltz, and tallow are welcome additions to the kitchen. What’s in a real food meal plan? Like all meal plans, a real food meal plan involves ingredient prep and a little forethought. For example, you may need to soak nuts the night before or pull the meat out of the freezer. For folks following a real food meal plan, see if you can keep these nine foods in regular rotation: Dairy from animals raised on pasture. Eggs from happy hens that live outdoors. Meat and organ meats from pasture-raised animals or wild animals that have been sustainably harvested. Bone broth made with leftover bones, knuckle bones, or even chicken feet. Pickles, sauerkraut, and fermented foods. Grains, seeds, and nuts that have been soaked, sprouted, or soured – giving your digestion a little extra support. Saturated fat from butter, cream, ghee, coconut oil, tallow, and rendered lard…instead of canola, corn, or vegetable oil. Real salt with trace minerals intact, like grey Celtic salt or pink salt. Unprocessed sweeteners like raw honey, grade B maple syrup, or unrefined cane sugar. Got any real food meal plan tips to share? Tag us! #realplans
Along with , you’ll need a way store prepped food when planning out your meals for the week. In our opinion, the best food storage containers help to keep your food fresher for longer. Bonus points if they’re also reusable and eco-friendly. Here’s a quick list of our picks. These are the food storage containers that we use over (and over) again. Glass food storage containers Versatile and easy to see through, glass food storage containers are perfect for leftovers, pre-chopped veggies, and fresh fruit. Plus, oven-safe glass storage that doubles as bakeware gives you an airtight fit and it can easily move from freezer to fridge to oven. After pulling pre-cooked casseroles out of the freezer, be sure to give it 24-hours in your refrigerator to thaw before baking. And when reheating food in cold glass, you can avoid temperature fluctuations (and cracked glass) by placing pre-cooked refrigerated meals in your oven as it preheats. Click here to shop for freezer-safe bakeware and storage. Divided glass meal prep containers Metal doesn’t do so well in the microwave. So, if you’re toting your lunch to work, we suggest using glass instead of plastic. The reasons are many. For the sake of brevity, let’s just say that plastic contains an estrogen-like compound that can move into the food or liquid that it stores. Especially when heated. And this is less-than-awesome for your health. Click here to shop for divided glass meal prep containers. Silicone bags Perfect for travel or foods that may leak (like fruit), silicone bags can also safely hold meat as it marinates in the fridge or they can replace plastic bags for freezer storage. If you sous vide at home, you can also use silicone instead of plastic. Just make sure your reusable silicone bag is large enough to accommodate what you’re cooking. Click here to shop for silicone bags. Produce keepers Wilted and mushy produce, be gone! We’re all about and produce keepers may be just thing to keep you excited about that weekly farmer’s market haul. Good for organization. Great for long(er) term storage of leafy greens and berries, produce keepers will trap ethylene gas, which triggers food to ripen. This slows down aging reduces food waste. Click here to shop for produce keepers. Cotton produce bags There’s more than one way to keep those greens crisp. If you’d rather skip the bulky bins, keep your produce in a damp cotton bag in your crisper. The catch is that the cotton needs to remain damp and will dry out within a few days. Perks of reusable cotton produce bags in your fridge is that you can also take them shopping, cutting down on how many plastic bags you bring home from the market. Click here to shop for cotton produce bags. Mason and weck glass jars Need to store fresh herbs or pull together a quick salad dressing? Glass jars to the rescue. How about a place to put the dried fruit, pulses, grains, nuts, and seeds you brought home in your cotton produce bags? Glass jars. Got a batch of cabbage you want to ferment? Wide mouth glass jars. What about plastic-free storage of soups, braises, and bone broth in your freezer? Large glass jars. Just be sure to leave a little room at the top for expanding liquid as it freezes. The tasks a simple glass jar can take on are seemingly endless. Click here to shop for glass jars. Did we leave something out? What are the best food storage containers you’ve used? Tag us! #realplans
Whether you want to save time in the kitchen or save pennies at the grocery store, it’s time to set up a capsule kitchen, which consists of kitchen essentials that can serve as the backbone of a dish. This means tried and true foods that can be used in several recipes. Maintaining a list of always-there items in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer allows you to mix and match, quickly pulling together a delicious meal. It also streamlines your shopping so that you can buy “always have” items on subscription and mostly shop for specialty items. Customize your capsule kitchen Of course, the biggest challenge when giving advice about kitchen essentials is that one person may be on a keto diet and tracking macros, another following a paleo diet, and still another with multiple food allergies. But, the whole point of a capsule kitchen is that you customize it to fit your family’s needs. When it comes to meal planning, having a well-stocked kitchen with variations on rotating ingredients allows you to simplify your weekly plan. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t have a specialty item in their kitchen that they’ve used only once? That’s what we thought. It’s a minor tragedy to see food waste away in your kitchen. If your meal plan requires something you don’t normally cook with, a capsule kitchen will help determine whether or not it’s worth splurging on or if you’d rather choose another recipe. What you want to cook vs. what you really do cook What you want to cook might be very different from what you have time to cook and what your family will actually eat. And the number one principle of a capsule kitchen is to have ingredients on hand that will carry you through multiple meals. When putting together your list of essentials for your capsule kitchen, keep in mind what you actually use on a daily or weekly basis. Leave room for fresh and new food ideas. And remember that there may be days when you don’t want to cook at all – but your family still needs to eat. So, be sure to include some pre-cooked freezable meals. Kitchen essentials for the pantry Vinegar and oils like apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar coconut oil, and ghee. Baking essentials like alternative flours (store almond flour in the freezer), unrefined sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Dry bulk goods like lentils, beans, quinoa, millet, and shredded coconut. Spices like oregano, cumin, taco seasoning, Italian spice blend, and others that you turn to most when cooking. Consider including time-saving spices like garlic granules and onion powder. Canned goods like coconut milk, sardines, canned salmon or tuna, and diced green chilies. Jarred goods like salsa, tomato sauce, tomato paste, olives, tahini, peanut butter, and jam. Condiments like ketchup, mustard, and BBQ sauce. Kitchen essentials for the fridge Eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, and milk are always good to have on hand if they comply with your diet. Hearty leafy greens and root veggies like kale, collards, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli. If your veggies are beginning to wilt, blanch and freeze them. Click here for more tips on storing fruit and vegetables. Pre-cooked rice, quinoa, or millet can be repurposed into a quick stir fry. Jammy, boiled eggs can be made ahead of time in a large batch and stored for up to one week. Dates and dried fruit in opened packages fare best when stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Seeds and nuts like flax, hemp, pumpkin, walnuts, and almonds. Because their oils can go rancid, store these in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Kitchen essentials for the freezer Frozen fruit like strawberries, mango, and blueberries are handy for baked goods and smoothies. Frozen veggies like precut broccoli, cauliflower, and onion make meal prep a snap. Cauliflower rice uncooked and frozen flat in meal-sized portion of 1 to 3 cups. Uncooked meat like beef, chicken, pork, bacon, and sausages. Defrost in your refrigerator or cook frozen directly in your Instant Pot – just be sure to stick with smaller cuts of meat, cover with extra cooking liquid, and increase the cook time by 50%. Pre-cooked meatballs and ground beef can go directly into a slow cooker for chili or stirred into a quick weeknight soup. Warm it up with salsa for easy tacos or pasta sauce for a quick bolognese. Tomato sauce, chili, bolognese, and pesto all freeze beautifully. Freeze in meal-sized portions of 1 to 3 cups. Braised meat like pork shoulder in wide mouth jars, torn into big chunks and surrounded by braising sauce. Be sure to cool in the refrigerator before storing in your freezer. And leave a little headroom for expansion. Vegetable, beef, and chicken stock that has been frozen into 1/2 cup cubes, making it easier to thaw and use. A bag for collecting leftover bones and veggies scraps that can be transformed into broth later on. Roasted sweet potatoes that have been frozen whole and unpeeled. Thaw and eat plain, mash as a side dish, or cook into a casserole. Roasted butternut squash can be frozen for a quick side. Cube, roast, and store in 1-cup portions. Assembled (but not cooked) casseroles like this paleo cheeseburger casserole, for those days when you just can’t. Be sure to label the casserole with a date and cooking instructions. You’ll thank us later. Paleo fudge, dark chocolate covered almonds, and homemade cookie dough can be made to fit almost any diet type. Pie crust is a time-saver if you bake quiche and pies often. What kitchen essentials are in your capsule kitchen? Tag us! #realplans
