Meal Planning Wisdom!

I want to welcome you to a new series of articles that I am writing with my 13 year old daughter Mia, about involving the family in the kitchen. Over the next several months, we are going to share some stories, do a bit of Q & A and provide helpful tips in articles focused on planning and shopping, prepping and cooking, and finally enjoying family meals and cleaning up.

It all starts with a plan… Whenever I grade my students’ diet studies, meal planning comes up over and over, as a critical strategy for improving their nutrient intake and enabling them to be consistently nourished throughout the week, no matter what is thrown at them (the unexpected that is likely around the corner). Meal planning has such a wonderful return on investment (ROI), no matter if you are single or have a family! For every meal that is planned, not only do you save time (food will be at your fingertips when practice runs late or you are called into work to start your shift earlier than expected), but you can save money because you aren’t wasting ingredients or resorting to going out or getting food delivered (that money spent adds up VERY quickly).

Mia and I brainstormed about the benefits of involving the family in meal planning along with the steps involved and aspects to consider:

1. Find a time that works for all (or most) of the family members. Thursday night might be good, as shopping can be done on Friday after work or Saturday morning. Saturday morning might be better for some families, while others may find Sunday afternoon is best if they can spread the shopping and prep over the week. For our family, I like to plan my shopping trips strategically so that we can be ready to do our prep on Saturday and/or Sunday.

2. Review the week’s activities/events, at least those that impact meals. Does someone have a late sports practice, a dinner meeting with clients, a fundraiser, travel, guests coming over or big homework projects? While this part of the discussion can be focused on coordinating meals with events, it is also a great way for everyone to connect and talk about the upcoming week, especially if kids need a ride or parents want to be sure they can attend a school/sports event.

3. Be sure that every member’s voice is heard and they get to contribute ideas. While it likely won’t be feasible for everyone to have all of their favorite recipes prepared during a given week, it is important that each person has some food they will look forward to eating.

4. Items to consider: What do you have on hand? Is there something in the freezer to thaw (soup/chili/sauce)? Do you have an abundance of any particular ingredient (your zucchini plants are producing like crazy or your neighbor just dropped off a big bag of collard greens from their garden)?

5. Think about creating planned-overs to use resources efficiently while also ensuring variety! We like to make at least two rounds of pancakes on Sunday morning to have some available for weekday mornings. I always make a double or triple batch of soup, since it only means one pot to clean. However, I don’t want anyone to grow tired of the flavor, so I divide it up into three containers and put two in the freezer.

6. Variety can be important for keeping everyone satisfied and is the key to supporting gut health (the variety of plant-based foods consumed directly impacts the health of your microbiome), so alternating meals works well – for example: Tortilla Soup or Pozole Con Hongos on Monday and Wednesday, Winner-Winner Spaghetti Dinner on Tuesday and Thursday and Thin Crust Kale Pizza on Friday night – (put leftover spaghetti sauce in the blender with some fresh basil and some steamed carrots and greens to make a tasty pizza sauce). (all of these recipes are available here on my website)

7. Ensure that the basics are covered… Planning meals for the week (or at least for the next several days) provides an opportunity to ensure everyone is getting a variety of needed nutrients by including different fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

8. Plan for food that is going to be ready to eat when needed. Since you started with reviewing the week’s events, if you know that your daughter has late soccer practice on Monday night, planning to heat a bowl of Tortilla Soup to enjoy with some Kale, Apple and Celery Salad with Cranberries (both made on Sunday afternoon), works out great!

9. Don’t forget to plan for snacks/mini meals, or you may end up munching on junk food! When we think about our week, we make sure that we have a few items that are available instantly when one of us is hungry in between meals or if our schedule gets thrown out of whack. In addition to having several different types of fresh fruit from which to choose, a few of our favorites include my 7-Layer Dip, the delectable Cowboy Salad, both with bell pepper dippers, and hummus that I flavor in a variety of ways and we enjoy with carrot sticks, cucumber rounds and zucchini planks. (Find these recipes on my website and/or cookbook.)

10. Recruit help ahead of time. If you know that you will be attending a parent meeting on Tuesday night, you can ask your teenage son ahead of time to boil the pasta and start heating the spaghetti sauce, so that dinner can come together and get on the table as soon as you get home.

11. Enjoy the peace that comes from knowing “what’s for dinner” and saving money on those unplanned, regrettable fast food runs.

12. Display the plan for everyone to see the meal and snack options. We use two large pantry cabinet doors in our kitchen that we have painted with chalkboard paint. This may even reduce the amount of time family members stare into the fridge, “thinking about what to eat.”

If you have been following me for awhile, or have met me in person, chances are, you have seen me eating one of my Crazy Salads! When we do our weekly meal planning, I ALWAYS ensure that we will have what we need to make incredible Crazy Salads throughout the week. Having a dressing that I love and that loves me back is key!

I like to create dressings that use items I have readily available. I keep mango, ginger and turmeric root in the freezer, and mustard and dates in the fridge. Chia seeds, beans and vinegar are pantry staples, while limes are on my weekly master shopping, which we’ll discuss in the next article in this series!

Timaree’s Refreshing Mango Lime Dressing

This delicious dressing is one that I make* on the regular, as I never grow tired of it! It always tastes fresh and compliments every fruit and vegetable combination that I have assembled! I add the dressing to the lunch container full of my Crazy Salad, secure the lid and shake, shake, shake (for little pre-meal workout!)…

Ingredients

1 cup of frozen mango, thawed
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Zest* of 1 lime
1/2 tsp mustard powder (or 2 tsp spicy or Dijon mustard)
Juice of 2-3 limes (~1/3 cup)
1 inch piece of ginger
~1/2 inch piece of turmeric root*
1/4 tsp black pepper
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed and set aside*
Generous handful of fresh cilantro or parsley
1-2 Tbsp chia seeds (or flax seeds)
~1/2 cup water (more may be needed to thin)
1/4 cup white beans, cooked (or canned – drained, and rinsed) optional*
1 Medjool date, pit removed (only if needed* for sweetness)

Procedure

Chop/press/mince garlic and let it sit* while you gather the other ingredients. In a high powered blender, combine all of the ingredients (except the date) until very creamy. Add more water if needed to reach desired consistency. If the dressing needs a bit more sweetness, add the date and blend again. This dressing will last several days in the refrigerator in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, so I typically make a double batch.

The Nutrition Professor’s Shop Smart, Prep Smart, Eat Smart Tips:

*Learn how to create your own dressings and set up your own Foodie Bars in my book, The Foodie Bar Way www.FoodieBars.com (ebook and printed book available).

*Not only does citrus zest add a flavor boost, it can help protect us from skin cancer! Be sure to zest one of the limes with a Microplane before slicing it In half to squeeze for juice.

*Fresh turmeric root is available at the grocery store next to the ginger in the produce aisle (freezes fabulously, as does fresh ginger!). Dried turmeric powder can also be used (~1/4-1/2 tsp)

*To maximize the cancer-fighting benefits of the garlic, be sure to press or mince your fresh garlic and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before exposing to acid (lime juice and vinegar) or heating (in other recipes). If you desire a less pronounced garlic flavor, use 1 tsp of granulated garlic powder (NOT garlic salt).

*While the beans are optional, they add even more creaminess, along with fiber and protein!

*Since the sweetness level of frozen mango can vary, I making the dressing without the date and taste it first, since the sweet-tart balance can often be perfect without it!

Timaree Hagenburger, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), certified exercise physiologist with a master’s degree in public health, has over 20 years of experience as a nutrition professor. She is a sought after speaker, media personality and author, who works with private clients, and in corporate wellness, has contributed to several cookbooks and published her own cookbook, The Foodie Bar Way: One Meal, Lots of Options, Everyone’s Happy (www.foodiebars.com)! Timaree is also the founder of an incredible online membership community, The Foodie Bar Way of Life, that makes loving the food (and living a life) that loves us back… simple, satisfying, sustainable AND FUN! You can contact her about working with her through 1:1 dietitian nutrition coaching, for hands-on cooking instruction and to inquire about arranging a speaking engagement.