Meal Prep Monday Podcast™

Join Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf for episode 199 as she shares some of her favorite easy prep tips about preparing for the holidays. As we head into the beginning of December, it can feel like we're already in the thick of holiday season, but there is still a lot we can do to prepare ahead and make time together with friends and family more relaxing, enjoyable, and easy. Allison recommends focusing on these key categories for the month ahead as well as daily schedules: ‌ Food Prep: not only preparing menus for upcoming events and gatherings, but paying special attention to your regular weekly meals goes a long way this time of year. Planning and preparing some freezer meals for simple heat-and-eat crock pot dishes later in the month ensures you'll have nourishing food ready for your family during busy weeks. Calendar Prep: taking a look at the month ahead as a whole, as well as the details of daily plans, can prevent stress and ensure you and your family aren't overextended or overscheduled. You can even block off unscheduled time! Family Traditions: being intentional and taking the time to include special activities year over year that everyone enjoys is a meaningful way to schedule time during the holidays. This might mean reviewing some traditions, and also setting aside materials, time, and energy to ensure the customs remain a significant part of your month. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! ‌ Holiday e-cookbook: https://prepdish.com/shop/ Entertainment Bundle: https://prepdish.com/shop/

In episode 198, Allison Schaaf, founder of Prep Dish, is joined by her son, Ivan, to share with you a special mealtime blessing for this Thanksgiving and beyond. Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving from Prep Dish to you! We are so very thankful for you, your support, and your part in the Prep Dish community. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ ‌ Now through Monday November 27, get 2 months FREE with code FREE2 when you purchase our Yearly or Premium subscription - PrepDish.com/shop

In episode 197, Allison Schaaf, founder of Prep Dish, shares a routine that she and her husband started several years ago when they discovered a wonderful way to practice gratitude daily. ‌ The Schaaf household has expanded to include two children, and Allison's family practice of gratitude has evolved as well. The day ends with the family gathering together and sharing 2-3 appreciations about each of the other family members from the day. Sometimes sweet surprises in what the kids have remembered even pop up in this special family routine! ‌ Allison offers this gratitude practice as a wonderful way to nourish your soul, and those of each of your family members, especially in this season of Thanksgiving. She has found it truly helps everyone feel especially appreciated and loved. ‌ Happy Thanksgiving from Prep Dish to you! We are so very thankful for you, your support, and your part in the Prep Dish community. ‌ ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

In episode 196, Allison Schaaf, founder of Prep Dish, chats about her experience with healthy screen time and how she navigates a nearly screen-free environment with her young kids. ‌ One way Allison maintains a limited screen environment is that she and her husband do not have a TV in their home, which has helped eliminate the temptation to turn it on. While Allison and her family do turn to the computer for occasional help answering her sons' big questions about the world, or to say hello on FaceTime to far-away family and friends, Allison offers several other opportunities to entertain her two young boys: ‌ CD player TonieBox for stories and music Yoto Mini for audio while traveling Time outside Creative play Artwork Reading ‌ Allison sees several benefits of this simplified, limited-screen environment for herself and her family, including that her children are very creative and use their imaginations to explore at home and outside. She also finds that it creates a somewhat quieter environment, which is helpful to her sensitivity to noise, though the usual kid sounds and music are ever present! How do you determine healthy screen time rules at your house? ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

In episode 195, Allison Schaaf, founder of Prep Dish, talks about recently noticing how her morning and evening routines differ and discovering what could be switched for a more productive day. She also gives tips for making a daily routine that maximizes your morning and evening hours. ‌ With the change of seasons and moving from a summer schedule into a fall and school schedule, Allison took a look at her typical morning and evening routines to see if anything needed to shift to optimize her day. Knowing her own sleep personality chronotype based on information shared by Michael Breus, Allison began an adjustment from a later sleep schedule in the summer to an earlier one once fall came around, along with updating the sleep schedule of her children. ‌ Allison shifted some of the tasks in her evening routine to morning and decided to incorporate preparation for the morning into her evening routine, such as preparing her lemon water and tea items for the morning and setting out items she'll need to prepare the family breakfast. She encourages the idea of reevaluating what your bedtime and waking times look like during any transition from one annual season to another, or shifts in your daily schedule. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! ‌ Sleep Chronotypes Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_breus_learn_the_perfect_hormonal_time_to_sleep_eat_and_have_sex?language=en

In episode 194, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf discusses one of the advantages of meal planning, and how it provides many opportunities to add variety to your meals. Allison offers seven top ways to diversify your plate such as: ‌ Think Seasonally: Looking to produce that's harvested in the fall and winter can lend to cooking up more soups, stews, and chilis when the temperature drops, and doing more grilling, or making a summer salad the basis of your meal in the warmer months can add some seasonal variety to your meal prep. ‌ Change the Protein: Can you substitute something else instead of your usual go-to, or try a different cut of meat? The farmer's market might offer something different, or try visiting your local grocery store's fish counter to see what you haven't tried yet. If you use the Prep Dish meal plans, try swapping out the protein in a family favorite meal to add variety. ‌ Taste the Rainbow: Color can be a great way to incorporate variety into your diet. There are different nutrients represented in the natural pigments of foods, and adding in a diverse range of hues to your meals can up your nutritional game. ‌ Look to New Cuisines: We tend to gravitate toward a certain favorite cuisine profile and add it as a heavy rotation when we're making meals. Perhaps Mexican food or Italian makes its rounds weekly in your home. If you've avoided cooking up some recipes because they seem too involved or complicated, you could be missing out on a variety of new flavors that you'd otherwise enjoy. Is there a new cuisine you could try? ‌ Add Texture: There's a tendency to offer up softer foods, especially when cooking for kids. However, we're doing them a disservice by avoiding tougher or crunchier foods because children and adults alike can benefit from deep jaw stimulation through the process of chewing food. Try representing many different types of textures when planning your family's meals. ‌ Temperature Check: Consider temperature when meal prepping. As a nod back to seasonal meal prep, planning out a chilled gazpacho in the heat of the summer, or a soothing bowl of soup to ward off the winter's cold can add just the right variety your family needs. ‌ Change the Composition: How are you serving up your meals? Assess whether you usually navigate toward stir-frys, or perhaps the plate is often served up with a protein, vegetable, and starch separated out. See how mixing up the way food is served offers more variety in your meals. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

In Episode 190, Allison Schaaf, founder of Prep Dish, chats about a recent vacation she and her family took to Panama and offers her best tips for flying with kids. Pro tip: snacks are essential! ‌ Allison's top tricks for a better flying experience with kids include Having age and experience in your corner. The more children are exposed to air travel, the easier flying becomes. And as children get older, they tend to have (and create) an easier experience with air travel. Going on longer flights from the start helps make the shorter trips more palatable for all. Finding direct flights and avoiding time changes if possible. When traveling for pleasure, attempting to choose destinations that offer direct flights and are in your same time zone can be incredibly helpful for kids. You'll avoid jet lag adjustments and the hustle of catching connecting flights, and be able to focus on exploring a new place with your family. Investing in a color reveal activity book, such as the Melissa & Doug Water Wow sets. These types of kids' activities are luggage friendly as you only need one "coloring" accessory and can provide a lot of in-flight entertainment for the family. Brining new toys or activities to enjoy on the plane. This does not necessarily mean needing to purchase several items for your kids, but could include some items that the kids haven't played with recently. Resurrected toys and activities for the win! Using books as entertainment or travel distractions. There's nothing quite like getting lost in a good book or audio book to pass the time during a flight. Remembering to pack the headphones for in-flight screens or music. These can be a great way to entertain kids during their air travel. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks! Having a variety of snacks and bottled water on hand is really helpful while flying, especially if something gets delayed or doesn't go as planned. Don't stress! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Activity book: https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Reusable-Water-Reveal-Activity/dp/B08DJYTWGG?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1 ‌ Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

What are some of host and dietician Allison Schaaf's current favorite gluten free foods and drinks? Allison discusses her top picks in episode 192! Highlights include: Siete Brand Enchilada Sauce. This brand has tasty tortillas and tortilla chips as well. Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce Holidaily Brewing Co. Big Henry IPA LMNT electrolyte in the Chocolate flavor, prepared warm with a splash of your favorite milk! Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! ‌ Be a guest on the Meal Prep Monday Podcast: [email protected] https://sietefoods.com/collections/enchilada-sauce https://www.primalkitchen.com/products/original-buffalo-sauce https://holidailybrewing.com/beers/ https://drinklmnt.com/products/lmnt-recharge-electrolyte-drink?variant=31703777181719

In Episode 191, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf discusses batching her fitness routine, and the option of making adjustments when enthusiasm dwindles. Many healthy habits can work well if they are batched. Allison has talked about the importance of strength training and incorporating this healthy habit into her life with this approach. For a while, Allison was batching her weightlifting with a trainer and this worked great. But, as seasons of life evolved, Allison found herself feeling lukewarm about her scheduled strength training. After an honest discussion with her coach, the strength training goals were approached from a different angle: Allison would focus on one type of lifting four times per week, but in shorter intervals instead of batching her lifts two days per week as she had been doing. This new method, essentially un-batching her workouts, renewed Allison's enthusiasm for her healthy habit and has been working well in this season of life. This mental shift was a big part of getting back Allison's motivation to keep striving for her fitness goals. Other healthy habits that Allison continues to batch are laundry, errands, work tasks, and meal prep. Are there healthy habits in your life that may be over-batched? Daily life rhythms evolve and change over time. If you're in a season where a healthy habit approach is not serving you optimally, it may be a great time to see if dialing back a batched approach is just what you need. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Ep137 Strength Training: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep137/

Before diving into her recommended memoirs to read this fall, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf announces an exciting opportunity for Prep Dish customers to share their meal prep stories, and offers a support resource for October's National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in Episode 190. ‌ Announcement: You've used Prep Dish in your home, now we'd love to hear from you on the Meal Prep Monday Podcast! Allison is opening up the opportunity to share your own personal experience with Prep Dish as a guest on her show. No previous podcast experience is required and we'd love to hear your story - how you shop for food, plan your meal prep, and create Prep Dish masterpieces for yourself and your family. If interested, please inquire at [email protected]. ‌ October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. The Miscarriage Hope Desk (http://miscarriagehopedesk.com ), founded by Allison Schaaf, is a helpful resource and community for anyone whose personal story involves miscarriage, recurrent pregnancy loss, or infant loss. ‌ Allison has been enjoying several memoirs recently through Libby (a public library downloadable book collection), books borrowed from the library, or through Audible. Her top memoirs to check out this season include: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (audio is read by Matthew and very entertaining) Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit and Glamor of an Icon by Kate Ansersen Brower Never Broken: Songs Are Only Half the Story by Jewel (audio is read & sung by Jewel) Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry Inside Out: A Memoir by Demi Moore The Happy Texan: Adventures of a Rock & Roll Truck Driver by Michael Inman (Allison's neighbor - your local community is made up of people with many wonderful stories to tell!). ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! ‌ Be a guest on the Meal Prep Monday Podcast: [email protected] Miscarriage Hope Desk: http://miscarriagehopedesk.com Audio Books Libby, by OverDrive App: http://overdrive.com Audible: http://Audible.com

Episode 189 highlights easy vacation meals for family from Allison Schaaf, Prep Dish founder and travel enthusiast. Allison covers a recent trip to Panama that she and her family took and discusses ideas about how to handle meal prep and meals while traveling. She notes the benefit of splitting time between a hotel and an Airbnb as it relates to both local flavors and familiar tastes. ‌ Allison's recommendations include: ‌ Using the "Find Me Gluten Free" app if you or someone in your family needs a Gluten Free menu. This app creates an easy way to navigate local restaurants to meet everyone's dietary needs and experience authentic cuisine while traveling. Making sure to stock up on snacks and water bottles, whether you're staying at a hotel or an Airbnb. Snacks, regardless of the traveler's age, are essential while vacationing! Setting out to maintain a good balance of eating meals out versus eating meals in when you're vacationing with your family. It's always exciting to enjoy a location-specific culinary experience, but familiar flavors from home are comforting, especially to children. Experiencing local produce through your senses. Shopping at a local market during international or domestic US travel allows you and your family to really immerse yourselves in the sight, feel, aroma, and preparation of authentic local cuisine. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: App: https://www.findmeglutenfree.com/ Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

In Episode 188, Prep Dish founder Allison Shaaf shares a brief history of Prep Dish and her behind the scenes experience in the Prep Dish test kitchen. Allison discusses some of her most noteworthy takeaways from testing recipes in the kitchen. ‌ Allison's biggest takeaways from testing meal plan recipes include ‌ Accountability: the meal plan editor relies on Allison's feedback from the meals she's editing each week to optimize recipe success. From a customer's viewpoint, there's also accountability on a financial and time investment with the Prep Dish menus. Expanding her family's meal experience and flavor palate. Being part of the Prep Dish test kitchen process gives Allison's family something new to try and the opportunity to stick to the original recipe without incorporating substitutions. They have experienced many new flavors and pleasant surprises among some new family-approved recipes. Opportunities to delegate the food shopping and preparation. Being in the test kitchen really helps Allison think like a Prep Dish customer instead of solely wearing the home chef's hat. Delegating food shopping, food preparation, and dish day serving instructions allows everyone in her family to participate in the family's meal prep process. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

This post includes affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Prep Dish! ‌ In Episode 187, Prep Dish founder Allison Shaaf discusses a recent evaluation and update of her family's meal prep schedule, including when grocery orders are made, food shopping takes place, and when food is prepared. ‌ As a new school year begins, one season changes to another, or even as family dynamics evolve, it can be helpful to reevaluate what's working in the meal prep process in your home and what could be updated to reflect a rhythm that optimizes your time, energy, and season of life. ‌ Allison shares how recently switching up the day of the week that her grocery order takes place and the day she'll schedule the food pickup and prep truly lightens the meal workload when she's spending time with her family. Allison also continues to use helpful tools like curbside pickup at her local grocery store and a Butcher Box subscription to enhance this recently updated food prep routine. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! ‌ Butcher Box: https://butcherbox.pxf.io/YgeMMm () ‌ This post includes affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Prep Dish!

In episode 186, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares how applying the concepts of consistency and batching to swim lessons for her kids has encouraged huge progress. As part of encouraging consistency, we've had to build the habit of getting in the pool every day. For us, habit stacking has been huge for this. We either get in the pool right before lunch or right after dinner, using mealtimes as a touchstone for building our swimming habit. This same idea of honing skills and building habits a little bit at a time can be applied to meal prep and our Prep Dish meal plans as well. If you're not in the habit of meal prep or even of cooking home-cooked meals, you don't have to go all-in and risk burning out. You can incorporate one part at a time until the habit is strong. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Ep #141: Batching is Freedom: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep141/

In episode 185 of Meal Prep Monday, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 4 things she learned from hosting a half birthday party for her son, including tips for make ahead party food. What's on the menu? Grapes Orange Wedges Bell Peppers Popcorn Cheese Sticks Cheese Board Cake and Ice Cream Lots of Beverage Options My Takeaways: 1. I loved the approach of low stress food, with a focus on the cake and ice cream. I made a homemade strawberry cream cheese frosting. I also made a honey ice cream with honey from our bees. 2. I kept in mind having foods that were easy to grab in individual portions for the kids. The oranges were cut into wedges. The popcorn was in individual cups. The bell peppers were the mini size. I used scissors to cut the grapes in mini bunches. All of these touches were easy but made the food more approachable and kid friendly. 3. I made a last minute purchase of coconut water and that went over really well. It's a nice item to include for a summer party. 4. I included a nicer option for the adults, a cheese board with fancy cheeses and things. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Prep Dish Party Menus: https://prepdish.com/shop/party/ 10 Considerations on Beekeeping: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep98/ Prep Dish Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1537447836539716/

In episode 184, Prep Dish founder and meal prep expert, Allison Schaaf, continues this summer miniseries on ice with a focus on two things she's loving this summer. 1. Ice dunks I'm loving dunking my face in a big bowl of ice water both in the morning and at night every day. It's supposed to help with inflammation and puffiness but it also just feels amazing when it's hot outside! 2. Cold Showers I've been taking a cold shower every day. I've tried it in the past but because it's so hot in Texas right now, this actually feels amazing. I just jump into the shower right when it turns on instead of letting the water warm up first. This works out to about a minute and a half of cold water. I love doing this in the morning after my morning walk. I feel like it prepares my brain to do hard things the rest of the day. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

In episode 183, Prep Dish founder and iced tea enthusiast, Allison Schaaf, shares her tips on making the BEST homemade iced tea. 1. Find the perfect tea for you. For me, I'm loving red raspberry iced tea. It's caffeine free, healthy and tastes a little bit more like traditional iced tea. Quick caveat - it has a lot of health benefits but you shouldn't drink it to excess. I also love iced hibiscus tea, which is another naturally caffeine free herbal tea option. 2. Buy in bulk. If you can find a tea you love that you can buy in bulk, or at least buy loose leaf, you'll enjoy considerable cost savings. 3. Consider how to store the tea. Once you find a tea you love, make a big enough batch for a few days or a week. I actually like storing in a Cotes de Roses rose bottle because it has a beautiful bottle that works well to store in the fridge. I brew a very concentrated cup of tea and then add water to it, which is easier than brewing a huge batch. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Siply Teas:[https://sipsiply.com/](https://sipsiply.com/ "‌") Cotes de Roses Wine: https://www.wine.com/product/cote-des-roses-rose-2022/1255260?state=CA&s=GoogleBase_CSE_1255260MA_FIREWORKS_type_Wine_RosWine_Ros&showpromo=true&promo=FIREWORKS&region_id=000010&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=DEPT_SHP_Google_Performance%20Max_All_Core_NAMER_US_Wine_ROAS_BAU_19.99under_-_-&gclid=Cj0KCQjwho-lBhC_ARIsAMpgMoe2w0AmcA5SsT_NanDOGxHwv6hr7G27MZ75jevEAMDPK98GzteZfLUaAjrIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares details about an open position here at Prep Dish. We're looking for a Marketing Assistant and Content Creator. The position includes: Writing show notes for this podcast Content creation - this includes graphics in Canva for both Prep Dish customers and marketing materials Assisting in managing the affiliate program and marketing, including writing newsletters and putting together sales copy Helping with the Prep Dish Instagram account, including creating graphics and writing captions Updating content on the website - this includes knowledge of Wordpress Learning new software as needed Testing recipes on occasion 8-12 hours per week We're a small but mighty team here at Prep Dish. We all work independently and offer a lot of flexibility in terms of hours. This is the kind of job you can feel passionate about but that will still allow you plenty of time to prioritize family. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Details about the position: https://prepdish.com/about/hiring/

In episode 181, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 3 kitchen gadgets that are worth it, and which ones she does not find worth it. Kitchen Gadgets that are Worth it 1. A Great Peeler Little gadgets like this can make a big difference in your day to day cooking. The best one will depend on your preferences but find one that's easy to use that you love. 2. Hand-held Citrus Squeezer While I generally don't love gadgets that only serve one purpose, I do squeeze a lot of citrus and find this useful. 3. A Quality Grater / Microplane These are great for zesting citrus, grating ginger, grating garlic, fresh nutmeg, etc. The smallest bit of fresh nutmeg can be so delicious in pureed soups! Kitchen Gadgets I Don't Think are Worth it I really steer clear of gadgets that do only one thing like egg slicers, avocado slicers, etc. Instead, I recommend Googling the best way to chop various items. (Or, check out my YouTube channel where I share things like how to slice watermelon!) Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! 5 Tips on How to Simplify Life and Actively Fight Complexity: prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep179/ How to Chop Watermelon: https://youtu.be/0jUsBcopRdY My YouTube Playlist on How to Chop Various Items: https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLZFbto5QrmmjJxk57t9G11lr1YahPZTea/edit Choosing Quality Kitchen Knives: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep160/

In episode 180, meal prep expert Allison Schaaf discusses the importance of lab work in maintaining your health. One of the best ways to determine where you may have some deficiencies is lab work. If you find someone who specializes in functional medicine, they are more likely to offer more lab work and more specific information about your results. You can fund nurse practitioners or dietitians who specialize in functional medicine. The specific things you should get checked will vary based on your personal health history. You may want to get things like vitamin D, hormones, lipid panels, etc. tested. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Find a Functional Medicine Provider:[https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/](https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/ "‌")

In episode 179, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf discusses an idea mentioned in the podcast, I will Teach You to Be Rich. The concept is actively fighting complexity and embracing simplicity. This episode includes 5 tangible tips on how to simplify life. 1. Finances When it comes to something like credit cards, I do a lot of initial research but then commit to it and stick with it. I use this same strategy for investing. I don't continually research once I've made a decision. This saves so much brain space! 2. Food & Meals As you likely know, I'm a big fan of having a meal plan and figuring out the food for the week upfront. That way I don't have to continually revisit and start from scratch. 3. What I Drink I've determined that what I usually want to drink at a restaurant is a white French wine. I don't have to go through a complicated decision making process each time. This applies to other things like what I order for breakfast out, etc. Knowing your preferences simplifies things. 4. Clothing With our house renovations, we have a new closet. I'm trying to be very intentional about only keeping items I really love and having many things I can mix and match so I don't have an overwhelming volume of clothes. 5. Scheduling I try with both the kids' schedules and my schedule, to keep things simple. I try to avoid having too many meetings and calls. Instead, we have regular calls at Prep Dish with the same order and process each time. This keeps things simple and efficient. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! I Will Teach You to Be Rich podcast: https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/podcast/ Simple Path to Wealth: https://www.amazon.com/The-Simple-Path-to-Wealth-audiobook/dp/B0725RFDPY/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=410026134426&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019256&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3141049689044845714&hvtargid=kwd-242242542487&hydadcr=21937_11243204&keywords=the+simple+path+to+wealth+jl+collins&qid=1687464084&sr=8-1 The Curated Closet: https://www.amazon.com/Curated-Closet-Discovering-Personal-Building/dp/1607749483/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=241895256400&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019256&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12682220489114390089&hvtargid=kwd-196831307824&keywords=the+curated+closet&qid=1687464254&sr=8-1

In episode 178, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 3 ways you can incorporate seasonal items into your weekly meal planning. Visit a Farmer's Market Farmers markets are a great way to support local farmers and to also keep in touch with what's in season. Go on an In-Person Grocery Trip If you're like me and do most of your grocery shopping online these days, take an in-person trip to the grocery store to see which produce is in season at the moment. Be on the lookout for local items as well! Grow Your Own Fruits & Veggies If you're growing anything edible, talk to a friend or neighbor about doing a swap. For instance, you may be able to swap some of your tomatoes for some of their zucchini so you can enjoy more local, seasonal produce without growing many different items. Bonus - Use Prep Dish meal plans! Our Prep Dish meal plans take advantage of seasonal produce items so you don't have to think about it. Whether it's cherries in the summer or delicata squash in the fall, we'll help you tap into those seasonal items. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! My Experience with Lettuce Grow: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep97/

In episode #177, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares what happened when she gave up TV, podcasts and reading for a week based on Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way. ‌Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

Episode #176 is inspired by Julia Cameron's book, The Artist's Way. It's a morning workbook so it is a bit of a commitment. One aspect of the program is daily journaling, first thing in the morning. I really look at mealtime as a sacred time I want to be present for. I find practices like daily journaling can help me achieve that presence. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! The Artist's Way: https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Spiritual-Higher-Creativity/dp/1585421472/ref=sr_1_4?hvadid=616863381057&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9019256&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16098706020834368236&hvtargid=kwd-468317885&hydadcr=24659_13611768&keywords=the+artists%27+way&qid=1685528325&sr=8-4

In this episode, host Allison Schaaf shares 8 simple ways to avoid toxins in your home. 1. Removing Shoes in the House This is such an easy one that keeps dirt and other things your shoes have picked up out of the house. 2. Reduce Exposure to Cell Phones, Wifi, etc. You can set your wifi on a timer or simply unplug it. We also try to keep our phones away from our bodies, and especially away from our kids. We also have a kill switch that switches off the electricity in our house. The exposure is so constant, I like having some breaks. 3. Cleaning Products I love the brand Force of Nature for household cleaning. You receive a little pouch and make the cleaning solution fresh every week or so. 4. Laundry Detergent We love the Molly's Suds laundry detergent in our home. 5. Cloth Diapers We used cloth diapers for both of our boys and found that it really wasn't that time-intensive. 6. Using Microfiber for Cleaning Microfiber picks up a lot of germs even just with water. 7. Use Cloth Napkins This is more environmental than about avoiding toxins but it is a nice habit that also elevates our meals a bit. 8. Opening the Windows Letting in some fresh air can help clean the air in your home, especially if you use a gas stove, a fireplace, have just cleaned a lot or have recently painted. Even if you have air filters, opening the windows is helpful as well. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Force of Nature Cleaner: https://www.forceofnatureclean.com/ Laundry Detergent: https://mollyssuds.com/collections/powder-laundry-detergent?tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=19509948361&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4NujBhC5ARIsAF4Iv6f2snGzT6EdGlNgqM0w922kKGQCAqiFjG8cnuqAZYr5Ofl0GnOi3q8aAo9hEALw_wcB

In episode 174, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares how she's used the same habit formation tools she uses for meal planning toward a new family goal - teaching kids Spanish. The hardest part about meal prep isn't the chopping and cooking, it's forming the weekly habit so that meal prep becomes a way of life. It's the same way for other habits! Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Ep #77 - Creating Prompts for New Habits (Habit Stacking): https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep77/ Flip Flop Spanish - https://www.flipflopspanish.com/

This page contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support! Prep Dish founder and meal prep expert, Allison Schaaf, talks about perhaps the #1 road trip key to success with kids: Snacks. Road trip snacks for kids (and adults!) are essential for the flexibility in routine a road trip requires. With meal times thrown off, kids may need more snacks on road trips. Keep in mind, your kids may eat less at meals if they've had a snack, but that beats a meltdown in my book! My Ten Favorite Road Trip Snacks for Kids: 1. Fruit - Apples, berries, oranges, bananas. Bonus - fruit is hydrating, unlike salty snacks! 2. Crackers 3. Cheese sticks 4. Chips or popcorn 5. Meat sticks 6. Baby carrots 7. Olives 8. Nuts 9. Veggie sticks or a veggie tray 10. Almond Butter Rice Crispie Bars (or other homemade treat) Bonus - If you buy eggs at an Airbnb, hard boil any leftover eggs for the road! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Planning a Road Trip with Kids: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep171 Road Trip Meals with Kids: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep172 Kids Cook Real Food (https://kidscookrealfood.com/prepdish

Meal prep expert and travel enthusiast, Allison Schaaf, shares tips on road trip meals with kids. ‌ 1. Road Trip Breakfast If you're staying in a hotel, definitely look for one with included breakfast. If you're staying at an Airbnb, pick up some easy breakfast supplies so you don't have to rush out to find breakfast for the kiddos first thing in the morning. ‌ 2. Restaurants with Kids When going to restaurants, especially if you have little kids, try to find somewhere where they can run around a bit outside either before the food comes or after they're done eating. ‌ 3. Gluten Free on Road Trips I also highly recommend the Find Me Gluten Free app if anyone in your family is gluten free. It shows all of the restaurants with gluten free options in the area. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Planning a Road Trip with Kids: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep171 Find Me Gluten Free app: https://www.findmeglutenfree.com/

This page contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support! Meal Prep Monday host, Allison Schaaf, shares 4 tips on road tripping with kids based on her recent East Coast family roadtrip. ‌ 1. Choosing Your Route Roadtrippers is a great app to use to plan locations and route. Think about the total driving time and don't forget to consider high traffic times in cities. ‌ 2. Where to Stay We mostly did Airbnbs and hotels, though staying with family or friends can be a great option as well depending on the ages of your kids and the sleep situation. Don't forget to consider laundry! Kids go through a lot of clothes and, for an extended road trip, you'll likely want to include some spots with laundry. Airbnbs are often not as budget-friendly though, especially if you're only staying one night, so you may want to balance out hotels and house rentals. Tip: Give yourself a buffer. We stayed in many spots for just one night but we planned the last stop for three nights. That way we had a buffer if it took longer to get there. It also gave us a chance to really relax before we returned home. ‌ 3. Buying Ahead We ordered a box of Dry Farm Wines (https://tracking.dryfarmwines.com/aff_c?offer_id=1&aff_id=1378 ‌ 4. Routines Establishing a bit of routine is really helpful when traveling with kids. We usually drove during nap times, which helped them get some rest. We also had a mealtime routine - more on that in the next episode! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! 5 Things to Prep for a Road Trip with Kids: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep96/ Roadtrippers App: https://roadtrippers.com/ Dry Farm Wines (): https://tracking.dryfarmwines.com/aff_c?offer_id=1&aff_id=1378

Prep Dish founder and Meal Prep expert Allison Schaaf shares 11 changes you can make at the grocery store to save money, without sacrificing quality. ‌ 1. Swap Packaged Snacks for Whole Foods / Larger Packages For example, swap apple slices for apple sauce pouches. Not only is this less expensive, it's also healthier and better for jaw development. 2. Switch Ground Meat for Beans I sometimes do half and half, or ¼ beans with ¾ ground meat to stretch the meal further. I've also added in mushrooms to bulk up a meal. 3. Buy Large Packages of Oats Instead of Small Packets There is a huge price difference here! 4. Swap for Cheaper Seafood If you're a Prep Dish subscriber and you see halibut on the menu, know that swapping out proteins is usually pretty easy. You could use any white fish in place of halibut. You can interchange trout and salmon as well. Just make sure to adjust the cooking times. Don't hesitate to ask the person behind the fish counter! 5. Substitute a Different Ground Meat If your freezer is stocked with ground beef, use that in place of bison or turkey! Again, make sure to adjust the cooking time as needed. 6. For Steak, Choose a Smaller Amount You can save money by buying a smaller amount of steak and bulking up the sides. You can also swap portobello mushrooms 7. Go Homemade for Salad Dressings This is SO easy, SO much healthier and SO much less expensive! Olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a super easy combo but we have a lot of great ones on our meal plans. 8. Buy Shrimp on Sale if Buying Frozen This applies to other items as well! Stock up when you see it on sale. 9. Purchase Ugly Fruits & Veggies There are a few companies now selling misshapen produce that would otherwise be tossed. I use Imperfect Foods. 10. Grow Your Own Herbs If you use our Prep Dish meal plans, you know we use a lot of fresh herbs. They provide a ton of flavor and elevate meals. Some are pretty easy to grow at home. Mint is pretty easy and rosemary is quite easy where I live. Ask around about your area! 11. Have a plan! This is the best way to save money at the grocery store. Our Prep Dish meal plans do this for you and make sure your meals actually use the perishable items on your grocery list so you're not left with half packages of produce. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! DIY Salad Dressing Tips & Recipes: https://prepdish.com/roundups/diy-salad-dressing-tips/ Video on How I Cook with Herbs: https://youtu.be/0E1Kxd_NZ1A

Today's episode is inspired by Ramit Sethi's book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich. What would a "rich life" entail for you? Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 3 small splurges that make her life feel rich. Identify these small items now, as they'd be lovely Mother's Day treats! ‌ 1. Fresh Flowers I used to seldom buy fresh flowers because it felt so extravagant but I've realized it's totally worth it for how much joy it brings me. Sometimes I even double up and buy two bouquets! ‌ 2. New Ink Pens in Different Colors I like handwriting certain things like planning and brainstorming and I love color coding. ‌ 3. Socks Every few years, I like getting all new socks, all matching. This makes laundry so easy! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Ramit Sethi's I Will Teach You to Be Rich: https://www.amazon.com/I-Will-Teach-You-to-Be-Rich-audiobook/dp/B07QR7GYF7/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=580750738778&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9018993&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=15617017042697245632&hvtargid=kwd-679898583771&hydadcr=22594_13493210&keywords=i+will+teach+you+to+be+rich+ramit&qid=1682361526&sr=8-1 Batching is Freedom - How to Create More Time in Your Day: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep141/

Meal Prep expert Allison Schaaf is talking all things salt today, from both a culinary and a nutritional perspective. ‌Nutritional Considerations for Salt: Most canned items, unless "no salt added," are high in sodium Store bought broth is often quite high in sodium as well Soy sauce, even reduced sodium soy sauce, is high in sodium Processed meats are high in sodium Potassium, found in veggies, helps balance out sodium ‌Culinary Considerations for Salt: Salt meat before you cook it for best results Hold your hand up high when salting food for even distribution Taste as you go - this is so important! Finishing salt serves a purpose too ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! HU Salty Chocolate: https://hukitchen.com/products/hu-salty

Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares a personal update on the many animals living at her country home. Chickens - We're up to 19. We find that 15-20+ works well for us. We replenished with 12 baby chicks in the fall and they're now almost fully grown. Goats - Our first goat was a surprise! She showed up at our house and we couldn't find out where she came from and we kept her. We now have three goats. We may try to milk in the future if one of the females has a baby. Bees - We did lose one hive in a freeze but still have 5 or 6 going strong. I'm looking forward to getting the boys involved as they get older! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Backyard Chickens: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep28/ How We Got Our Pet Goat: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep104/ Our Surprise Baby Goat: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep110/ Our Beekeeping Adventures: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep98/

Meal Prep expert Allison Schaaf shares 5 simple food waste solutions to help you throw away less food at home. 1. Make a Soup This is an excellent way to use up leftover veggies! If you have leftover cooked veggies, I recommend throwing them in a blender and making a pureed soup. You can of course use leftover proteins or rice or pasta in a soup as well! 2. Freeze for a Smoothie This works well for any fruit and for many vegetables, like zucchini, as well. Try to catch the fruit right before it goes bad and throw it in a freezer for a smoothie. 3. Make Broth You can use scraps like onion and garlic peel, carrot and celery scraps, etc. to make broth. I like to keep the scraps in the freezer so they're ready whenever I want to make broth. 4. Feed to the Animals! If you have animals, you may be able to offer scraps to them! Our goats love banana peels and apple slices. Almost anything the goats won't eat, we give to the chickens. 5. Composting Anything we can't give to the animals, we compost. Bonus - Prep Dish meal plans (or any intentional meal plans) will help you not to buy food you won't use in the first place. We put a lot of time into making our meal plans strategic so you're not buying anything you don't need. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! 7 Meal Planning Tips to Avoid Food Waste: https://prepdish.com/meal-planning/avoid-food-waste/ How to Use Leftover Carrots, Celery & Onions: https://prepdish.com/meal-planning/leftover-celery-leftover-onions-leftover-carrots/ How to Reduce Food Waste: https://prepdish.com/meal-planning/reduce-food-waste/ 5 Earth Day Tips for Your Kitchen: https://prepdish.com/meal-planning/earth-day-tips/

In episode #165, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 7 no-prep vegetables she's loving lately. The inspiration for this was a personal favorite, whole roasted carrots! (Watch a reel on how to do this on Instagram @ prepdish if you'd like to see!) ‌ 7 Super Easy Veggie Sides ‌ Whole Roasted Carrots Wash, drizzle w/ olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for an hour to an hour and a half at 325F. You can do a higher temperature for less time if you have something else in the oven (e.g., 375F for an hour) but make sure they don't burn! These are also great as a base for carrot soup. 2. Baby Greens Baby spinach or baby kale are so nice to have on hand because you can just toss them into a sauce or with meat in a pan with no prep. They also cook quickly! 3. Whole Roasted Spaghetti Squash Similar to the carrots, this takes a long time but very little effort. I like to combine this with actual spaghetti and find that it mixes in quite nicely. I roast it completely whole on a baking sheet - it's tough to cut raw! Make sure to let it cool before cutting. Scoop the seeds out and serve! 4. Cherry Tomatoes & Sliced Mushrooms I like to combine these because they cook for a similar amount of time. These are nice roasted together. They're also tasty sauteed, such as with a pasta or an omelet. 5. Baked Sweet Potatoes I throw these in any time the oven is already on. Sweet potatoes are a popular side dish in my house and I also love making sweet potato pancakes on Saturdays. 6. Baked Potatoes Similar to sweet potatoes, this is such an easy no-prep side dish. 7. Roasted Garlic I slice off the very top of a head of garlic, drizzle it with olive oil and salt, wrap in foil and roast for about an hour at a lower temperature. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! 15 Easy, Healthy Side Dishes: https://prepdish.com/roundups/easy-healthy-side-dishes/

Chef and meal prep expert Allison Schaaf shares the disadvantages of air fryer cooking and why she does not personally use an air fryer, despite its popularity. Disadvantages of Air Fryer (Allison's Personal Experience) I couldn't picture where an air fryer would fit into my cooking routine. Most air fryers have nonstick coatings. PFAS (also known as "forever chemicals") are contained in many nonstick coatings. Many studies show that PFAS can lead to serious health issues. I did find a glass air fryer, but didn't love it. It only fits a small amount of food. For me, I'd rather make a larger quantity of food for efficiency's sake! I will say it is often quite hot in Texas, so I do get the appeal of not heating up the house. Toaster ovens could be a good alternative for this though. I feel better about sticking with cast iron, glass and stainless steel, rather than researching all of the new alternative non-stick materials to see if they're really safe. Have a different opinion or an air fryer you love? Pop into our Facebook group and share! I want to know what you think. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

Today meal prep expert Allison Schaaf shares 4 tips she's been using for easy, quick meal prep. 1. Ask yourself, is there an easier way to do this? As you're chopping and prepping, think through whether there's a more efficient way to chop. I personally love seeing how other people chop things so I can try out which method works best for me. If you're like me, check out my YouTube playlist where I demonstrate how I chop different items: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZFbto5QrmmjJxk57t9G11lr1YahPZTea 2. Make one sauce and use it twice. For this meal plan, it was a tinga sauce that we used for two different dinners. If you're going to go through the effort of making a tasty, homemade sauce, why not use it twice? 3. Start with lengthier prep items. For example, if you need to bake some chicken breast, get that started right away so you're not waiting around at the end. For my meal prep, I stuck some chicken breast in the oven before even doing my mise en place. I would do the same thing for sweet potatoes, spaghetti squash, rice, etc. 4. Do meal prep right before a meal. I love doing my meal prep before dinner to gain even more efficiencies. I'm already in the kitchen, already doing dishes. It just flows easily into serving a meal. Just make sure it's not too rushed! Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! How I Chop Various Items (videos): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZFbto5QrmmjJxk57t9G11lr1YahPZTea

In today's episode Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares 5 small kitchen upgrades that have been making her happier in the kitchen. Many of these upgrades involve switching from plastic to stainless steel, for both health reasons and simply for quality. Stainless steel is easier to wash, more durable and you don't have to worry about chemicals leeching into food. 5 Small Kitchen Upgrades: Multiple Stainless Steel Bowls - I love having the small and medium size on hand for food prep. They're also easy to store as they all stack. Ice Cream Scoops - I love getting several pints of ice cream for people to choose from when I have dinner guests and I wanted an ice cream scoop for each pint. I bought several stainless steel ice cream scoops and I've been loving them! Stainless Steel Baking Sheets - Stainless steel is a lot more food safe than many other materials and I love not having to worry about it. The ones I got fit in to the dishwasher which is wonderful. I have three or four of them so I don't run out when I'm doing my meal prep. Stainless Steel Cups, Bowls and Silverware for the Kids Tea Strainer - I buy almost all of my tea looseleaf in bulk. I have stainless steel tea strainers and love them. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Stainless Steel Baking Sheets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078JG1KSP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Chef & Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares her tips for choosing quality kitchen knives, including her top 3 picks. This page contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish! Purchasing quality kitchen knives is an investment, but a small investment in terms of what you get out of it in both speed and fun in the kitchen. Cooking is so much more enjoyable when you have quality tools. So many people use a small paring knife for all of their chopping. If that's you, you can halve your meal prep time by getting a good quality chef's knife! It's easier and actually safer to use a sharp, larger knife. I actually bring my own knives on road trips now to avoid this issue! My 3 favorite quality kitchen knives are: Wusthof Shun - You can send them your knives to sharpen almost for free! Nakano Look for a knife that feels good in your hand. Make sure it feels balanced in terms of the weight of the blade and the handle. You also want to make sure the blade goes all the way through the handle instead of two separate pieces that connect. Keeping your knives sharp is also very important. I sometimes sharpen my knives at home but do think taking them somewhere to professionally sharpen is worthwhile every 6 months or so. You can sometimes find a vendor who sharpens knives at a farmers market or a knife store. There are also companies where you can mail in your knives to be sharpened. ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Wusthof: https://www.wusthof.com/ Shun - You can send them your knives to sharpen almost for free! https://shun.kaiusa.com/ Nakano - https://nakano-knives.com/prepdish () Knife Aid Mail-in Knife Sharpening: https://knifeaid.com/pages/shark-tank This page contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish!

Today I'm sharing 10 of my go-to healthy portable snacks for kids. These work great for adults too! My priority in selecting these was low mess, easy prep items my kids are actually excited to eat. I'd love to hear your go-tos as well! Message me on Instagram @prepdish or send me a message in our Facebook group, linked below. 10 Portable Healthy Snacks for Kids & Adults Apple Slices - I place these in silicon bags like Stasher bags Popcorn or Rice Cakes - These can be a bit messier! Oranges - I love that we can bring these and just keep them unpeeled to save for another day if they don't eat them. Meat Sticks - I get mine from Imperfect Foods. They have a grassfed meat stick as well as a turkey one. Cucumbers - These are a great low mess, easy prep veggie. Bananas - This is another one we can just keep unpeeled if they don't get eaten. If they get bruised, I just throw them in my weekend batch of banana pancakes! Cashews - This is a nice shelf stable one I can just keep in my purse or in the car. My kids love pumpkin seeds as well. Cheese Sticks Plantain Chips - These are definitely a favorite! Blueberries Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Banana Pancakes: https://prepdish.com/recipes/gluten-free-banana-pancakes/ Prep Dish Facebook Group (Just request to join and I'll approve you! You don't have to be a subscriber) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1537447836539716/ Stasher Bags: https://www.stasherbag.com/

Healthy habits build on each other. Host Allison Schaaf talks about the habit of reading (and how to watch less tv) today. I've been quite intentional about adding more reading into my life over the past year. As a bonus, I've found that when I read at night, I automatically watch less tv and spend less time on my phone. This is the same mindset I recommend with adopting a new way of healthy eating. This is especially true if you're doing AIP or another restricted diet for medical reasons. If you focus on eating plenty of the foods you can eat, there's no room left for the restricted items. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! AIP Meal Plan: https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/aip/ Alkaline Meal Plan: https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/alkaline/ Reset (Whole30-compliant) Meal Plan: https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/reset/ Books I've Been Reading: Hold on to Your Kids: https://www.amazon.com/Hold-Your-Kids-Parents-Matter/dp/0375760288/ref=asc_df_0375760288/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312130960442&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3153010068446577494&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9018993&hvtargid=pla-457209788354&psc=1&region_id=674469 Tranquility by Tuesday: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=tranquility+by+tuesday&gclid=CjwKCAiAioifBhAXEiwApzCztnFGQfO5jrWvYhiteER-h-t44LXjUwoCgsYH4tcNUBM9Hv-g-bWutxoC3jIQAvD_BwE&hvadid=602349333266&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9018993&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9757593861283886920&hvtargid=kwd-1664592213304&hydadcr=24956_9954751&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_3090178aa8_e Finance Books Greenlights (Matthew McConaughey) on Audible: https://www.amazon.com/Greenlights/dp/B08HLW2JXD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18VY96L4OKSSV&keywords=greenlights+book&qid=1675768374&sprefix=greenlights+book%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-1

This page contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish! Today's episode is all about a much requested topic - easy kids lunch ideas. Prep Dish founder and mom of 2, Allison Schaaf, shares her go-to kids' lunches. No kids? No problem, these work great for adults too! If you're looking for easy, healthy kids lunch ideas, leftovers are one of the very best options! Double or even triple a dinner recipe to have on-hand for lunches. That said, you likely won't always have leftovers on hand. These are some great choices when you need to cook up something quick: Proteins: Frozen Salmon (or any fish!) - Once it's defrosted, it cooks so quickly Frozen Ground Meat - Use for tacos, burgers, meatballs, etc. Frozen Chicken Wings - I get these from Imperfect Foods. Wings cook so quickly and my kids love them! Veggies: Salad Green Beans Cucumbers Zucchini Frozen Broccoli Starches: Sweet Potatoes Potatoes Rice Quinoa Specific Meals: Salmon w/ Dill Mayo w/ Frozen Broccoli & Rice Burgers w/ Potato Wedges & Cucumbers Chicken Wings w/ Baked Sweet Potatoes & Green Beans Mix & Match: Tacos - This is such a versatile option. Use what you have on hand! Different veggies like peppers & onions, any ground meat or leftover roast, salsa, avocado, etc. Bowls - This is a great way to use up leftovers! Use rice or quinoa as a base, some meat, beans, veggies and a sauce. Tzatziki or salsa work! Homemade ranch is also a delicious choice. With the kids, I keep the items separate. Stir Fry - Shrimp or other protein, any veggies and rice, quinoa or rice noodles. We have a simple stir fry sauce linked below! ‌ Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 ‌ Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Stir Fry Sauce: https://prepdish.com/recipes/easy-stir-fry-sauce-recipe/ Homemade Ranch: https://prepdish.com/recipes/paleo-ranch-dressing/ Imperfect Foods: http://imprfct.us/v/allison_8366 ()

Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares a concept from author Laura Vanderkam. This episode will get you thinking about how you view your time and how you want to fill the 168 hours you have each week. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Tranquility by Tuesday: https://lauravanderkam.com/books/tranquility-by-tuesday/ 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think: https://lauravanderkam.com/books/168-hours/

Entrepreneur and meal prep expert Allison Schaaf shares what she's learned from detailed time tracking. Most Things Take Way Less Time Than I Think When I time my work tasks, I realize that many tasks take just a few minutes. Set a Timer If there's a task I'm avoiding, I set a time for 20 minutes and see how much I can get done in that time. Many times, the task is complete before the time is up! Filler Tasks "Filler tasks" actually take a lot more time than you might realize. This includes things like scrolling through your phone, last minute errands, washing your cutting board every night if you didn't have a chance to meal prep, etc. Feeling "Time Abundant" is a Choice Tracking the time you spend working can help you see how much time you actually get to spend doing other things like spending time with the kids or taking time for yourself. Where You Spend Your Time Reflects Your Priorities & Values Seeing how you spend your time in numbers can provide insight on whether how you spend your time is reflecting what you value. Batching tasks like meal prep can also help you find more time in your day! Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think: https://lauravanderkam.com/books/168-hours/ Batching is Freedom - How to Create More Time in Your Day: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep141/

Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares her other passion project today, Miscarriage Hope Desk. She founded Miscarriage Hope Desk after experiencing multiple miscarriages herself and strives to provide miscarriage support, science-backed articles and an extremely supportive community for anyone struggling with miscarriage or infertility. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Miscarriage Hope Desk: https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/ Miscarriage Hope Desk Podcast: https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/podcast/ Allison's Fertility Journey: https://miscarriagehopedesk.com/about/allison-schaaf/

Do you have some big dreams you want to work toward? Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares how writing down her goals and intentions has made a big difference in achieving them. She shares both professional goals for Prep Dish and personal goals like traveling to 40 countries before turning 40. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

Prep Dish founder and mom of two, Allison Schaaf, shares how she adjusts the weekly Prep Dish meal plans to meet her family's needs. She walks through the January week 3 Super Fast meal plan and how she makes substitutions and edits quantities to make the most of the meal plan. Meal Planning Tips - How to Customize a Meal Plan to Work for You Quantity - My go-to is to double most of the recipes. My family eats most of our meals at home so we generally eat each meal once for lunch and once for dinner. There are some items I don't double though, like garlic and fruit, as I usually already have those items on-hand. Subs for Preference - I often sub lettuce for collard greens for wraps as it's easier for my kids to eat. Kid-Friendly - I sometimes add extra carbs to make sure the meals have enough carbs for the kids. For example, I like to do a 50-50 mix of cauli rice or broccoli rice and regular rice. Protein - I sometimes switch up the protein based on what I have from Costco or Butcher Box. I also double or even triple the amount of protein to meet my family's needs. This is also a great place to comparison shop in terms of prices for different cuts of meat that week. Sauces - I often double the sauce recipes because I love to have a homemade sauce on-hand to liven up meals. Allergies / Intolerances - I sub walnuts and pecans due to an intolerance. We include subs for common allergies, like nuts, in our weekly subscriber newsletter. Spices - Over time, you won't have to buy the spices every week as we use many of the same spices from week to week. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Prep Dish Super Fast Meal Plans Video: https://youtu.be/qzuuAn1jGgo ( How to Make Homemade Broth: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep48/

In episode 151, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares tips on customizing the Prep Dish meal prep meal plans to make them work for you. This includes lots of tips and advice straight from real life Prep Dish subscribers! Meal Prep Tips from Subscribers: One subscriber adds meat to vegetarian meals and adds a carb to any low carb meal. Adding in a favorite side dish is a great way to make meals your own or stretch meals further for a bigger family. Using separated recipes instead of the meal prep instructions works well for one family. Another subscriber uses the gluten free meal plans because she loves the recipes but subs non-gluten-free items for gluten-free. One subscriber said she doubles all of the recipes. She also subs pork chops for fish and subs ground beef or pork for ground chicken or turkey. She subs a whole chicken for a specific cut of chicken to save money. Finally, she's found a friend to do Prep Dish as well, which has made it a lot more fun! A low carb subscriber said she adds carbs for her husband and kids. Adding in some rice or bread to make the low carb meal plans work for kids is a great tip. One person said she used a scale for the salad dressings for a while to get the ratio more exact, and now she can just eyeball it. Another subscriber subs veggies based on what's on sale and also swaps for allergies. Our weekly subscriber newsletter always includes tips for subbing for allergies! Deconstructing meals can make them even more kid-friendly. This also makes it easier to mix and match to make new meals! Adding legumes to recipes is an excellent way to bulk up a meal in a budget-friendly way. Including half legumes and half meat is a good way to do this. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Prep Dish Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1537447836539716/

In this episode, Prep Dish founder, Allison Schaaf, shares how she's using time as the foundation for new year goal setting in 2023. In thinking about goals for the new year, I ask myself, what are my values? What is really important to me? These are the things I'm reflecting on and reevaluating as we head into a new year: Date Night: This has become so important to me after we had kids. Knowing I have a regularly scheduled time when this can happen and getting it on the calendar has made this doable for me. Movement: Again, scheduling this in at a regular time makes this easy and takes away the constant mental effort of trying to fit it in. Daily Walks: I've built in a minimum 20 minute walk into my daily schedule and it really energizes me. Meals: I base my meal prep time on grocery pickup as we live far from the grocery store. I know that Tuesday works best for me for grocery pickup so I plan around that. I periodically reevaluate and make sure our weekly rhythm is still working for us. Reading & Learning: To make more time for reading, I've cut back on tv time. I've also tried to be more flexible with fitting in more learning and growth-based reading earlier in the day. Travel Planning: I want to be better about planning trips in advance and getting them on the calendar. Flow of the Week: I like to reflect on my weekly rhythm and the flow of the week and make sure it's still working for me. Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/ Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777 Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans! Ep #137 - Strength Training: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep137/ Ep #141 - Batching: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep141/ Tranquility by Tuesday: https://www.amazon.com/Tranquility-Tuesday-Ways-Chaos-Matters/dp/0593419006/ref=asc_df_0593419006/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=564685171189&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10429607676466212358&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9019256&hvtargid=pla-1634736753566&psc=1