Didn't I Just Feed You

There’s a magic strategy that lives between meal prepping and meal planning, and this week’s guest, Cassy Joy Garcia, has mastered it: cook once, eat twice. From a mindset shift to concrete strategies, we talk to Cassy about how to spend less time cooking while eating fresh homemade meals every night, no boring repeats.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The hardest part of feeding a kid — at any age! — is figuring out snacks. Snacking feels near-constant and can cost an arm and a leg. Yet it is an essential part of every person’s diet, so we’re going back to basics and brainstorming both homemade and store-bought snack ideas for all kids, from toddlers to teens.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

After 18 months of nearly constant cooking and eating at home, we’re looking to refresh our kitchens without spending too much time or money. From thoughts on organization to playing with color and decor, interior designer David Quarles IV shares simple ideas for breathing new life into a space that we have worn out.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The key to avoiding school lunch packing drudgery is not being more creative the morning of, but rather making sure that you’ve set yourself up for success. When your fridge and pantry are well packed with a variety of ingredients, it’s so much easier to stay inspired — or at least keep it fresh. This is our comprehensive list of what we put in our carts for back-to-school grocery shopping.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In our new series Use It Up, we talk about how to make best use of ingredients that we tend to find lingering (maybe even languishing) in our fridges. First up, summer produce: It’s that time of year when we buy up the last of summer produce in an exuberant frenzy — without a plan. So now what with all that zucchini and basil?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you’re anything like us, you’ll agree that September is the new January. The beginning of a new school year brings that high energy for cleaning and reorganizing. We’re making the most of it with Kenika Williams, a professional organizer who we tapped for tips and tricks for getting all that lunchbox gear in order.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Packing vegetables as part of school lunch is less about ensuring that said veggies necessarily get eaten and more about relieving the pressure on dinner to deliver all of the veggie exposure in day. Plus, serving up vegetables when you’re not around to manage what your kid eats is incredibly powerful (and sometimes even has surprising results!). So this week is all about creative ways to pack vegetables in school lunch — there are more ways than you might think!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Are you vegan curious, but afraid that your food won’t taste delicious? Or worse, that the kids won’t think that it tastes good? We’ve got answers! This week, Lauren Toyota of Hot For Food spills all her secrets for how to make vegan cooking taste great to all eaters, plant-based or not.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Every summer we make a mental bucket list of foods we want to cook, eat, and savor while we can. Because, before you know it, there will be a never-ending parade of apples, winter squash, and long cooked stews. Here are all the things we’re determined to eat and cook before summer ends and that we hope you’ll take time to enjoy too.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The question of what qualifies as a sandwich has long been debated, but that’s not what we’re talking about today. We figure we’re all, more or less, on the same page about what a sandwich is, but maybe not as much about how they can save us during our busiest times. So this week is all about how sandwiches — from the lunchbox variety to dinner sammies — can help make our transition to back-to-school way easier. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Our favorite episode during our favorite time of year! Nothing beats summer eating and we’re making sure to share what’s on our tables now so that we can inspire each other and, hopefully, all of you with plenty of time for all of us to act on the inspiration. We’re not letting a single summer dish get away this year!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Hot dogs and burgers get all the summer glory, but if you ask us, summer is the perfect time to enjoy seafood. Not only does seafood pair perfectly with summer produce and the light touch of summer-style cooking, but to the delight of many children, it can also be messy and fun. What better way to introduce kids to seafood than to have them dig in with sauces, melted butter, and newspaper on the table?Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Both the slow cooker and Instant Pot are strongly associated with cold weather cooking thanks to how well they handle soups, stews, and other cozy foods. But if you ask us, anything that cooks dinner with a plug, is a summer lifesaver. Here’s how we use both kitchen tools to make summer cooking easier and way less hot.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We see you, and we are you. We are also tired of cooking and out enjoying the summer. So this week, it’s all about how NOT to cook. Or perhaps more accurately, how to cook less, since we all still have mouths to feed and aren’t made of money. But seriously, let’s keep it to a minimum. Here’s how.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nothing says summer like a burger hot off the grill — right? In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at hamburgers. From how to make a killer burger (all year long) to tips for cooking them on a grill, we’ve got everything you need to master one of the great foods. And, yes, we talk veggie burgers too.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

With life opening up, more of us are planning on hosting and visiting family and friends this summer — but it’s not a complete return to “normal”. In this episode, we share our favorite summer entertaining tips and tricks that still stand, and also talk about the ways in which we’re shifting our summer entertaining habits for a post-Covid world.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Nearly every cuisine in the world includes rice. After all, this agricultural staple has built countries and shaped global economies. This week, we talk with Parisa Parnian, Chef JJ Johnson, and Christine Gallary about the role that rice played on their family tables growing up, and its place in their kitchens today.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You know that meme about how family vacation is just doing the same stuff in a new place? It’s funny, because it’s true — at least when it comes to feeding kids. So we’re sharing our favorite strategies for vacation meals and meal planning ideas that work for all kinds of family travel.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week we're answering a listener's question on food for picnics. Katie Kurtz asked "Hi hello, I’m a mother of 3 under 4 and I live in California’s armpit. Is there an episode of picnic meals? Or do any of you lovely humans have picnic ideas for kids who eat too many sandwiches and don’t like meat?" We've had similar questions for family meal ideas for eating on the sidelines during summer sports, ideas to bring to the pool, listen for all our best ideas.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Grilling season is officially underway, and who better than The Grill Dads to help us kick things off. This week, Mark and Fey answer all of your burning grilling questions (see what we did there?) — and then some.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We love having plain yogurt on hand for quick breakfasts, smoothie boosts, and popsicles (of course), but it turns out that you can use yogurt for so much more varied cooking and baking. Listen as we talk through all the ways to use yogurt so that you can grab a tub and be sure to use up every drop. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Rice is the third largest agricultural commodity, and the only of the top three grown primarily for human consumption. That makes it the most important food crop to human sustenance, providing humans worldwide with a whopping one-fifth of our caloric intake. Rice is that important. And kind of tricky to cook — until you know how to do it right.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What We're Cooking and Eating Now is one of your favorite series, but it is not-so-secretly one of Stacie and Meghan's favorites too. Tune in to hear how Stacie is feeding less meat to her growing dudes and how Meghan is using up freezer leftovers as she preps for her cross-country move. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we go over how to make muffins and why you should. The most flexible of the quick bread batters, muffins can be made sweet or savory, serious or fun, for breakfast, snack time or lunch. You can make them ahead, you only need one bowl, they freeze well, and most importantly, they bring serious food joy with very little work.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

If you haven’t already heard, Meghan is moving her family back across the country from Boise, Idaho to Chattanooga, Tennessee next month. Even though she’s done one long haul move with a family of four, she asked our listeners group for their best advice and partnered with her own experience is giving advice for moving a family and packing your kitchen, plus what to eat along the way!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

There’s no magic to great cooking, but there are some tricks of the trade that can help any cook improve their final dish. From applying high heat to using spices in layers, these are our favorite ways to boost flavor in your cooking.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Many parents feel pressure to be more eco-friendly in the kitchen, but is that a viable answer to the climate crisis? We speak with environmental educator Isaias Hernandez of @queerbrownvegan about adopting an intersectional lens to better understand the relationship between environmentalism and feeding our families, and to empower manageable action in a quest to be more eco-friendly.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Feels like just yesterday we we’re publishing a mini episode on emergency readiness for your kitchen and quietly preparing for a few weeks of lockdown. One year into pandemic life, we’re taking a look back at what quarantine has taught us about feeding our families, grocery shopping, and ourselves.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Food at restaurants just tastes better, it isn’t just that someone else cooked the food either. Chefs know lots of little tricks for prepping, cooking, and serving food. It takes a special kind of magic and skill to turn chef’s dishes into recipes that home cooks can master, and this week’s guest Christine Gallary has all that and more. Christine is one of Meghan’s colleagues at Kitchn.com, but she spent the last 3 years working on an epic Chinese food cookbook. She distills everything she learned to help us cook better too.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Everyone loves a great dip — especially kids — and making it a part of dinner adds much needed fun to the table. While we’ll never complain about eating chips and guac as a meal, we have tips for how to serve dips in a way that turns them into a well-rounded meal that satisfies everyone, even picky eaters.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Both Stacie and Meghan’s kids are headed back to school full time this spring. With Covid precautions in place, they’re both making adjustments to changed lunch room protocols and just straight up getting back in the swing of packing lunches 5 days a week. This month’s mini episode is a a little look at our current routine and what things we are doing a little different for a new lunch room landscape.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A new season calls for a new round of what we’re cooking and eating now. Meghan’s moving fast into spring with big, chopped salads while Stacie hangs a bit longer in the space between winter and spring. Yet! There’s so much overlap in the flavors and ingredients we’re cooking with these days.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the hardest parts of cooking is the cleaning that ensues, so it’s no surprise that we’re regularly asked about how to best clean as you go. We chat with cleaning expert Taryn Williford about how to set yourself up to cook without creating a huge mess — or at least without creating a mess that makes you feel overwhelmed and like you’d rather never cook again.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

One of the most common parent questions about plant-based eating — from vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore parents alike — is whether a solely plant-based diet is safe. In our first episode in a series exploring the many ways to delve into plant-based eating as a family, we speak to two experts about the health and safety of veganism and vegetarianism for kids at every age. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Meghan and her biscuit-baking mentor, Erika Council, spill their secrets on how to make biscuits perfectly — even if you haven’t made them ever before — and imperfectly too. Without further ado, here’s everything you needed to know about baking biscuits.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You just found out that you or someone you cook for has to go dairy free. Now what? Stacie shares her experience of this very scenario, along with helpful tips and her favorite dairy-free products, which is pretty much everything you need to stay calm and get started. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, we (mostly) put our food professional selves aside and define a list of essential cookware for busy home cooks. Whether you’re outfitting a new home, splitting up from a partner and need new stuff, or just want to get a new damn pot (because so much cooking), we tell you everything you need — and don’t need. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We almost called this episode: how to not f**king cook ever again. That’s where we are. If you’re with us, this episode is for you. Not because we can make cooking disappear, but because we brainstorm all the ways to whip up dinner using 6 of our favorite freezer shortcuts. Minimal cooking for the win — or at least for survival these days. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Meal planning is the best way to stick to your grocery budget, but are you planning your meals with a budget in mind? If not, you should be — no matter how little or much you have to spend on food every week — and we’re here to help you do that. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We can’t lie: we were a little nervous to tackle seafood since it seems that no matter what you say about feeding kids fish, someone has a hard eye roll. But by now, you know there are no magic answers — just tons of ideas for how to serve fish to kids. And good thing we have no shortage of those. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Whatever you call them — magic meals, go-to’s, meals without tears, brainless crowdpleasers — we all have those back pocket dinners that are easy to make and always win with our families. And we all can use more of them. Because when a meal comes together in a snap, without any planning or fussing, AND everyone eats it happily, there can never be enough. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Soups and smoothies aren’t the only things your blender is good for. It turns out, the blender is an all-purpose tool that can help you whip up everything from sauces to batters, fillings to snacks. We chat with blender aficionado Tess Masters, aka The Blender Girl, to learn how to make the most of any blender, from high-powdered to hand-held. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This year, we’re opting out of January’s onslaught of healthy eating content and going back to basics that we’re pretty sure everyone can agree on: the value of starting the day with a well-balanced meal. We’ll never ditch cereal (we’re not monsters!), but we are collecting fresh ideas for making quick, well-balanced breakfasts. And nothing that requires us to give up sleep is allowed.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We spend a lot of time talking about family dinners, school lunches, and easy breakfast ideas, but celebration cakes have been one of the most requested episodes. Both Stacie and Meghan have kids celebrating birthdays this week, so it felt like the perfect time to talk about the ever enduring tradition of birthday cake. We’re sharing our family traditions, recipes, and tips for making everyday cakes into celebratory treats!See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The only thing we can say about 2020 that hasn’t already been said is what’s happening with us. We’re reflecting on what 2020 meant for us personally and also for Didn’t I Just Feed You. And even though we’ve all learned what can happen to the best laid plans, we’re looking ahead a little too. Because it’s fun to think about brighter days ahead. (It’s also fun to listen to this episode to the very end, btw - trust us!) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Even during the busy holiday season nine months into a global pandemic, we still must feed our families. In a perennial favorite, this episode is all about what we’re cooking and eating during the strange 2020 holiday season. From our half-baked plans for holiday meals to the dinners that are getting us through, here’s the low down on what’s cooking in our homes right now. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Our favorite cookbook expert and host of the popular Salt + Spine podcast, Brian Stewart, is back for our 3rd annual cookbook gift guide episode. Brian shares his picks for the best cookbooks of 2020 in categories that reflect this strange and difficult year. For example: Tired of cooking — but know you can’t stop? He’s got a cookbook for you! Need your teen to step up and help in the kitchen? We’ve got a cookbook for that — and so much more too! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The internet is a trove of ideas for edible gifts, but in this episode we focus on food gifts that are easy to make (because we’re tired) and also make life easy for your recipient (because everyone else it tired too). From quick projects you can do with the kids to meals you can batch cook to make life easier for a friend, we’ve got tons of edible gift inspiration. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

An essential winter cooking technique, we’re counting on braising to save our weary cooking souls this season. With this guide on how to braise, from start to finish, we do our best to dispel the myth that braising is fussy. Plus we share our favorite braising recipes for everything from beef to beans, each of which makes tons of leftovers so that you that can cook once, eat twice all winter long. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Here it is, Our Second Annual Gift Guide Episode: We pulled together our favorite products from the year as well as a few favorite new finds to create a gift guide for 2020 Namely, a collection of gifts both big and small that make life in the kitchen more fun, tastier, or more connected with family. Be sure to click through the show notes to find all the links you need for easy shopping. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy