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Is “what’s for dinner?” the scariest question in your day?
You’re not alone. Figuring out what to eat every night (and every morning and every afternoon) can be a serious source of stress, even for those of us who “do food” for a living. How can you plan your food for the week when you barely have time to brush your teeth and shower every morning?!
Here are a few tips to get you started down the path of never having to hide under your desk when you or someone at home asks “what’s for dinner?”.
- Stock your kitchen. Make it a priority to stock your kitchen with some essentials – like dried or canned beans, frozen vegetables, common spices, several different grains (like brown rice, couscous, or quinoa), and some other basic ingredients that show up in lots of recipes (soy sauce, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes, apple cider vinegar, red pepper sauce, garlic, etc.). This alone will make last-minute meal prep much easier. Here’s a shorter version of the pantry list I give clients.
- Make a date. Schedule 30 minutes in your calendar every week to plan meals, scan your pantry for missing pieces, and make a shopping list. Then, schedule an hour in your calendar every week to go grocery shopping. Make it at about the same time every week. I plan on Sundays/Mondays and shop on Mondays/Tuesdays…every week. It’s just as important – if not more so – than other regular meetings in my calendar.
- Cook once, eat three times. NEVER cook only one serving of a meal! That’s just crazy talk. Optimize your time in the kitchen by making enough food for at least three meals – for everyone in your house. That may mean investing in some industrial-sized pots for those of you with large families, but I promise it’s worth it.
- Buy food storage containers. Invest in some plastic and/or glass food storage containers in lots of different sizes. You’ll need them for leftovers that you can use later in the week (see #3).
- Hire a sous chef. Well, not exactly a sous chef; but it’s okay to order out one or two nights a week! Just choose your “sous chef” with care and make smart choices. A few places I like for less junky prepared food: Chop’t (NYC and Washington, DC), ZAW (Seattle), Whole Foods Market (nationwide), Dig Inn Seasonal Market/formerly The Pump (NYC), The Counter (California, NYC, Seattle, and several other cities in the U.S. and, oddly, Dublin, Ireland), Panera Bread (nationwide), and Pret A Manger (NYC, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and the U.K.).
What about you? How do you make it through a week of meals without going nuts? Share your tips in the comments.
xo,
