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
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.
Diet phases and crazes began well before the age of the internet. But even with an abundance of information at your fingertips, how to eat healthier can be tricky for busy folks. But eating “real food” is a smart trend that’s quickly gaining momentum. It’s a movement that you can track on social media and through online blogs. The neat thing is that the message to “eat real food” isn’t diet-dominant (you can either include or exclude animal-based foods), but more about quality. Consumer ethics. And a deeper connection with your body and your health. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to work around your busy schedule and still eat healthy, real food. Feed the magic that made you Were you made in a lab? No. Even with all the wizardry science has to offer, you took shape in a human body – something that’s natural, full of microbes, and far more complex than the human mind can understand. Real food is the same. It knows how to jam with the body because like us, real food has got a million things going on. Even with all your understanding of nutrition, vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics – the nerdiest foodie can only understand a small piece of what real food from the earth has to offer. In a word, it’s COMPLEX. You can honor that wonderful, natural complexity and your unique health needs by sticking with foods that make sense to your body. But wait, isn’t real food hard? The biggest obstacle to the desire to eat real food can be the belief that it’s hard. And that it takes time to make. But, even if you once lived off of colorful, fake convenience food – food can still be easy. And if you really abhor the kitchen, there are plenty of food makin’ services out there that will do the cooking for you. When it comes to taste, once you begin making your own real food – or hiring someone to do it – you won’t look back. It’s like grandma’s homemade pasta vs. Olive Garden. One experience is infinitely more dazzling than the other. For fun, two questions that you can ask about a food item to see if it qualifies as real: Can I make this myself? Are all the ingredients real food items too? For example, chicken nuggets. Could you chop chicken into bite-sized pieces, coat them in a delicious (even gluten-free) batter, and fry or bake them until crispy? You sure can, with some elbow grease. But if you’re compelled to buy a pre-made box of chicken nuggets, look for the brand with an ingredient list that would match your own…in an ideal, real food world. How to eat healthier right now #1 – Pick three non-food ingredients and avoid them FOREVER Your favorite non-food ingredients that might get the boot: high fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes, MSG or monosodium glutamate (and all of its aliases), canola oil, and artificial sweeteners of any kind. #2 – Choose three foods you eat on a regular basis, swap them out for real food alternatives Instead of a vending machine candy bar, have a square of the darkest chocolate you can tolerate. Swap real oats for instant oatmeal packets. Make a big batch of homemade sriracha sauce with jalapeños, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and dates. #3 – Roll with the baby steps Little tiny increments of change make big changes easier. It’s a proven fact. So, start small. Read labels and only buy packaged food that looks real. Like jerky from grass-fed cows. That sounds legit. A piece of fruit? Who can argue with that? Dried fruit – the super brown kind that’s free preservatives or refined sugar? Sounds real to us! These sort of foods are easy to pick up at a natural food store or your local farmer’s market. They’re also handy to have around in case you’re surrounded by a fake food extravaganza. #4 – Flex your memory muscles Journal. Take notes. And if you’re not the scholarly type, remind your significant other to remind you that you ate a bag of Doritos and now have a major zit on your otherwise flawless face. At some point, the message will sink in. Once you begin to see that fake food has a real impact on how you feel – maybe it’s causing acne, giving you the jitters, creating joint pain, or adding a little plush softness to your waistline – it’s a little easier to say “no thanks.” At that point, the road gets easy. Got any ideas on how to eat healthier? Tag us! #realplans
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
Using an Instant Pot to cook your freezer meal recipe is akin to popping a TV dinner into the microwave – without the weird texture or smorgasbord of chemicals. You’ve got a home-cooked dinner ready in minutes. Everyone’s well fed and well nourished. #win. Because a freezer meal is either raw, prepped ingredients or even partially cooked, getting food on the table is a snap. But, the planning and organization that goes into building a robust supply of ready-to-go eats can be, well…intimidating. Even though freezer meal recipes may seem like they’re for the meal prep elite, I promise – it’s easier than it looks. A few hours spent wisely in the kitchen cooking, prepping, and cleaning up (just once, instead of several times over) means you save time in the long run. Think about it – the ease of popping your freezer meal in your Instant Pot. While you scroll through your social media feeds or pin new recipes, pressure builds, your food cooks, and something that would have taken hours is ready in under 30 minutes. And who doesn’t want to save time? Exactly. Below, you’ll find a roundup of tips to make sure your freezer meal recipes do the work for you. Freeze your meal in round containers One of the best things about a pressure cooker is that you don’t need to defrost your freezer meal before cooking. That’s right, just toss a frozen block of food into your Instant Pot and let it do its thing. Within minutes, dinner is ready to go. But before you begin, there’s one extremely important detail to remember: Your pressure cooker uses a round pot. So if you freeze your meal flat in a gallon ziplock bag, you’re left with a solid slab of food. Which will not fit in your pressure cooker. To get around this, store your freezer meal in a round container, like this one. Half a gallon, or 64 ounces, is generally enough for four servings. You can also use a gallon ziplock freezer bag to line the container, making it easier to remove frozen food. And if you prefer glass instead of plastic, try these 56-ounce freezer safe glass containers. When you’re ready to eat, run the bottom of your container under cool or warm water to loosen it. Then drop your frozen meal into the inner cooking pot. Use your Instant Pot for the prep work Some foods – like meat – will taste better when browned before cooking. Other foods need to be cooked separately and ahead of time. Instead of doing this step before you eat, take care of it before you freeze. And when you can, speed up prep work by using your Instant Pot. For example, use the sauté function for browning meat. Or pressure cook – then store – foods like rice, beans, or bone broth. Leave other foods that you can easily add at the time of cooking – like a can of tomatoes – in the cupboard. With this in mind, it helps to see all your prep steps in one place when putting together a massive freezer meal haul. To get a customizable snapshot of what you need, take a peek the Real Plans app – where we do the heavy lifting for you. Break up large cuts of meat When storing large cuts of meat for your freezer meals, divide the meat up into smaller portions. And make sure these portions are around the same size. This one step will help meat to cook evenly and faster. You can get an idea for the general cook time of meat here. Thicker cuts or bone-in meat will take longer to cook. Let your Instant Pot “come to pressure” As frozen food comes to pressure in the Instant Pot, it thaws. This means that your meal may take longer to cook because it needs to come to pressure. It also means that you don’t need to do anything differently when cooking frozen meals, other than account for added pressure time. If your freezer meal is already cooked and you only need to reheat it, use the steam function for five to ten minutes with the lid locked and sealed. And if there’s dairy in your cooked freezer meal, reheat using the pot-in-pot method: Inside a covered glass or heat-safe bowl, on a trivet, and with at least 1 cup of water in the insert pot. Check your liquid The Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, which means it relies on pressure – generated by steam – to get the job done. For this reason, it’s important to have at least one cup of liquid in your meal. This liquid doesn’t have to be water. Try broth, a marinade, or a sauce. When using the Instant Pot to cook a freezer meal, sauté your frozen block of food for a few minutes to release the liquid in your meal. If you know there’s not enough liquid, add it or use the pot-in-pot method. Note: When cooking frozen meat, you generally want to boil it – rather than steam or braise it. This ensures your meat is cooked all the way through. The Instant Pot cooks food quickly and keeps all of the moisture inside the pot. Because of this, you’re not left with grainy meat or mushy veggies. This also means you can use fresh herbs and capture their flavor. Are you a fan of freezer meal recipes? Share your favorite! #realplans
Before we introduce freezer cooking, let’s all be real with one other. K? The benefits of home cooked food are many: You know what’s in it, you save money, and with a few little upgrades – you know it’s good for you. But really, who has all that time? All the cutting, chopping, mashing, marinading, sautéing, braising…each step involves so much work and you could literally spend half your day in the kitchen trying to get it all done. So, even though you may have every intention of pulling together one glorious home cooked meal after another, reality sets in and you order a pizza instead. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When you meal plan, not only do you know what you’ll eat for the next week or two, you also know what you need in advance. Which means you can prep your food beforehand. And dinner can be as easy as pulling a casserole from your fridge, popping it in the oven, and sprinkling it with a handful of fresh herbs once you set it out on the table. Curious to know the secret? It’s all made possible with freezer cooking. An introduction to freezer cooking Freezer cooking means cooking and freezing both meals and separate ingredients to use later on. For example, this can mean a casserole-based dish, like shepherd’s pie or lasagna. Or it might mean the little things, like a bag of frozen berries or cubes of pesto. Freezer cooking isn’t only for folks who want to shop, prep, and cook their weeks in advance. It’s for anyone who wants to spend a little less time in the kitchen without sacrificing the quality of home-cooked food. In a nutshell: get it done now, so you don’t have to do it later. The best and worst foods to freeze Some foods fare better in ultra-cool temps than others. As a general rule, you want to season and salt food lightly before freezing and add more spices later when reheating. The best foods to freeze One-pot wonders will usually do well in your freezer. This includes casseroles, stews, and chilis. You can also freeze smaller meals fit for one person, like these breakfast burritos. Hearty greens and veggies do best when chopped, blanched, and quickly frozen before storage. Meat does well when frozen. Just be sure to defrost it in your refrigerator so that you can refreeze, if necessary. When freezing cooked meat, such as ground beef, freeze into half pound or one pound portions so that you can easily grab and use them later. Uncooked eggy casseroles or frittatas do well when frozen – simply prepare as you usually would. However, instead of baking it, freeze it until firm and then cover with foil for longterm storage. The toughest foods to freeze You can freeze dairy, but it doesn’t always hold up well. There are ways around this – such as simply stirring it or cooking with it. Sour cream and cream cheese are the toughest to cook with after frozen. Skip the fried food. It generally becomes soggy after freezing. Eggs in their shells. While you could freeze whole eggs, you don’t want to do it while they’re still in their shells. You’ll also notice a change in texture when freezing fruit and greens. This has to do with their water content. For the best results, reserve frozen fruits and greens for sauces, jams, salsas, and smoothie ingredients. Tools you’ll need for freezer cooking When freezing soups, stews, casseroles, frittatas, and chilis – use freezer safe glass bakeware. If you’re limited on space, you can also use freezer safe ziploc bags and lay them flat when freezing. Make your ziplocs easier to fill by getting a set of bag holders. They hold your ziplocs open while you ladle it full. Fruit, baked goods (like paleo flatbread, waffles, or pancakes), and raw hamburgers do best when quickly frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then move these items into long-term storage. To ensure they don’t stick together, layer parchment paper between each piece. You can freeze most leftover sauces and dips in a silicone ice cube tray. After they’ve frozen, pop them out and store them in a freezer safe bag. Same goes for unused fresh green herbs – simply chop up, cover with olive oil, and freeze in an ice cube tray – just be sure your herbs are fully submerged in oil. Finally, keep a sharpie nearby and get in the habit of labeling frozen food. When storing food in glass, use freezer tape. Something as simple as the name of your dish/food, the date, and short cooking instructions (like “oven 375 / 50 minutes”) can help keep you organized and your food delicious. Do you use freezer cooking to take a night off? Share your dishes! #realplans
With cooler weather upon us, what better time to brush up on the basics of how to roast your favorite foods? Akin to sheet pan dinners, roasted veggies and meat are ridiculously easy to pull together. But this doesn’t mean that roasted food isn’t without its nuances. For example, some veggies need a little extra prep – like a quick boil – to really make their natural yumminess pop. Here are our favorite kitchen tricks to use when roasting your favorite foods. How to roast carrots and their cousins Carrots and parsnips are something called a taproot and they have a long history in cuisine from around the world. When roasted, they tend to soften, caramelize, and pick up an extra layer of sweetness. If you’re not careful, roasted carrots will shrivel up into oblivion. To get around the shriveled roasted carrot, parboil trimmed carrots in salted water until almost tender – roughly five minutes. Planners can do this ahead of time. Then, once you have parboiled and slightly tender carrots, roast them at 375F for 40 minutes or until browned. Click here and get the recipe for oven roasted carrots with orange glaze. How to roast brussels sprouts and other brassicas Turn the oven up higher than you think you’ll need. Around 500F will do. And then let the high heat work its magic on your brassicas. As it turns out, a little char brings out the best in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Those deep brown edges create texture, pull out a little sweetness, and end up tasting slightly nutty. Whereas a low and slow cook on brussels sprouts has a tendency to produce a sulfurous aroma that is hardly palatable. Click here and get the recipe for our roasted maple brussels sprouts. How to roast potatoes You could pick any old potato, toss it in fat, and throw it in the oven. Chances are, it would taste delicious. Because potatoes are easy. But if you want something truly spectacular that you’ll come back to again and again, consider the details. Like what type of potato you’ll use. And if you’ll go through the work of boiling your potatoes in salted water before roasting them. As for the best roasting potatoes, the red-skinned variety tends to be less starchy and may darken in the oven without fully crisping up. To get that fluffy interior and crunchy exterior, we suggest you roast russets, yellow potatoes, or fingerlings. If you’ve got the time, you may want to par-cook your potatoes. This means placing large chunks of potatoes into two quarts of salted boiling water with half a teaspoon of baking soda. This extra step (and a bit of baking soda) will ensure that the outside of the potato breaks down as it boils – a good thing if you’re aiming for that rough and crispy exterior. Finally, as with many roasted eats, a high temp work best when roasting large, chunky potatoes. Set your oven to 400F, turn on the convection, and – to prevent sticking – wait at least 20 minutes before flipping the potatoes. If you’re feeling fancy, finish your roasted potatoes with fresh herbs. We’re fans of chopped cilantro. But parsley, thyme, or rosemary work too. Click here and get the recipe for crispy rosemary roast potatoes. How to roast tomatoes Cooking a tomato tends to concentrate its flavor and intensify those savory notes of umami. This is especially true for roasted tomatoes. You can roast cherry tomatoes whole and hothouse tomatoes on the vine. For larger, drier tomatoes like roma or plum, slice them lengthwise and scoop (or squeeze) out tomato seeds. Then, set your oven to 375F, drizzle with the olive oil, and roast. After 40 minutes, increase your oven temperature to 400F and continue roasting for another 20 minutes, until their juice begins to brown and caramelize. For lackluster, out-of-season tomatoes, try slow roasting them at a low temperature. Set the oven to 200F and let your tomato slices bake for 4 – 6 hours, until they’re about one-third of their original size. In an airtight container, they’ll keep for about a week in the refrigerator. As for canned tomatoes, you can get rid of their tinny taste and concentrate their flavor – making them just as good as fresh – using the low and slow method. In this case, drain and remove seeds before roasting. Set your oven for 300F and let them go for about an hour. Click here and get the recipe for zucchini noodles with roasted heirloom tomatoes. How to roast a spatchcock chicken Why butterfly a whole chicken before roasting it? Because depending on what part of the chicken interests you the most, you’ll find varying amounts of fat and moisture. This means that chicken breasts will dry out once they go past a certain temperature (150F) while legs need a little more heat and do nicely at 175F. But removing the backbone of a whole chicken with a good pair of shears and flattening the breast by breaking the wishbone (the ol’ spatchcock) means that the legs will come to temperature in the same amount of time as the chicken breast and you can avoid the problem of overcooked, dry breast meat. Click here and get the recipe for spatchcocked adobo chicken. What’s your favorite food to roast? Let us know! #realplans
