Navigating Meal Planning

It’s that time of year again, when summer break winds down and the start of school, fall sports, after-school activities, back-to-school meetings, fundraisers, and fall events take over your life. When do you have time to cook and is meal planning right for you? Rest assured, we can help you navigate a manageable schedule to limit the pressure of determining what to eat every day.

Meal planning is all about creating realistic recipes to prepare for a sensible timeframe, such as a week, so that you can get back some leisure time for recreation and relaxation. It is a commitment, but doesn’t have to be labored, and the benefit of not having to plan meals every day is worth the obligation.

Consider the Options

Start with a strategy. The idea is to keep it simple and efficient, yet appetizing so that you can get excited about what you prepare. Make smart recipes that include ingredients that can be used in different ways. You want to be inspired to make this a periodic duty that becomes part of your routine.

Start with understanding how many meals you need to plan for and for how many people, allowing for days when you may want to eat out, take out, or heat a ready-made meal.  Then think about what you/ your family enjoy eating. Try recipes with ingredients that you have available and build from there. If you’re looking to prepare meals that can be stored in the freezer, some of the best options are curries, stews, chilis, sheet pan meals, stir-fries, and casseroles. Meals that can be pulled and dropped into a slow cooker so that it is ready in time for dinner, is always convenient, but if not, stick with recipes that can quickly be reheated.

Create a shopping list for the ingredients you need to prepare. Consider components that do well in the freezer. In fact, staples that are sold in the freezer aisle, are perfect for meal planning. Think frozen vegetables or protein like seafood and plant-based options. Don’t forget to check the prepared foods section of the store for easy options on days when you don’t have time to defrost. These meals can usually be kept in the fridge for several days. When your meal plan has been finalized, decide on a specific day and time to prepare the meals.

How to prepare

Once you have all of your ingredients and are ready to prepare your meals, make sure you have all your cookware and storage readily available.  Containers or bags that can be stored in the freezer and easily heated or transferred to a platter that can be heated are best. Be sure to have the ability to label your meals with the description and the date that they were prepared.

Start with dividing ingredients by how they will be prepared to organize your sequence of preparation. If you will be making meals with fresh produce, be sure to wash it, cut it, and portion it out. Similarly, if you will be using starches like rice, potatoes, etc., allow time to cook this through. For meat and proteins, you can either cook ahead of time so that you will only need to reheat your meal, or if you prefer your meat/ protein to be served fresh, set that aside for the future, but don’t forget to marinate, if needed. Sauces and curries can also be made ahead of time.

No shame in ready-made meals

Don’t be afraid to incorporate ready-made meals or takeout into your week. Depending on your selection, ready-made meals have come a long way and are now both filling and delicious. Food manufacturers like Cafe Spice have infused high-quality ingredients into their meals, making the complex flavor profiles exceptionally authentic. When you need to impart diversity into your week, consider Cafe Spice meals that are sold in the prepared meals section of the grocery store and are ready in minutes. To find out more about the assortment of prepared meal varieties, view some selections at www.cafespice.com