Meal Prep Monday Podcast™

With rising food costs, host Allison Schaaf knows that finding high quality, budget protein sources that won’t break the bank is a real challenge. Prep Dish subscribers, make sure to check your subscriber newsletters every Friday for budget-friendly substitution ideas as well! Here are 5 Low Budget Protein Sources (Plus a Bonus!): Pork Chops - Make sure not to overcook them! Pork can be a little pink on the inside and still be safe to eat. According to the USDA, pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 F (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2011/05/25/cooking-meat-check-new-recommended-temperatures) Ground Turkey - Use this anywhere you would use ground beef! Tacos, marinara, etc. If you make turkey burgers, use a recipe with some add-ins like feta cheese, etc., so they’re not dry. Roasts - Roasts are budget-friendly, and also cut down on meal prep time! Since they make a lot of meat, it’s easy to serve them twice in two different ways. Cod - Cod is more sustainable than a lot of other seafood and has a mild taste. It works well as an alternative to salmon and is a lot less expensive than something like sea bass or halibut. Make sure not to overcook! You can often find nice frozen cod. Beans & Lentils - Similar to a roast, you can make a big batch and use for multiple meals. You can also freeze extra. You can find a big bag of organic black beans at Costco. There is a huge variety of types of beans. Explore and find the ones your family likes the best! You can also use beans to stretch meals with meat. If you’re making something with ground meat, add some beans to add extra servings. Bonus - Eggs! There’s no reason to limit eggs to breakfast, think about serving for lunch or dinner for a great budget-friendly protein. 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 Imperfect Foods: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep72/ Cook Once, Eat Twice (Video): https://youtu.be/rJIlLjI4LM0 Backyard Chickens: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep28/ Grocery Budget Part 1: Money Saving Grocery Tips: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep116/ Grocery Budget Part 2: Reframing How You Think About Food Costs Rising: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep117/ Rosemary Pork Chops w/ Grilled Nectarines: https://prepdish.com/recipes/rosemary-pork-chops/ Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna: https://prepdish.com/recipes/paleo-lasagna/ Barbacoa (w/ Chuck Roast): https://prepdish.com/recipes/shredded-beef-barbacoa-lettuce-wraps/ Southwest Buddha Bowls w/ Chickpeas: https://prepdish.com/recipes/southwest-buddha-bowl-vegetarian-gluten-free/ Green Shakshuka: https://prepdish.com/recipes/green-shakshuka/  

These show notes contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish! Whether your oven is broken or you just don’t want to turn it on because it’s too hot outside, these 5 recipes are perfect! Tacos - Tacos are a natural choice for the stovetop and there are so many variations! Use ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork or a big roast for carnitas. Mix up the veggies - I recommend trying poblanos! Stew in the Instant Pot - Imperfect Foods has some really good lamb stew meat. I combine it with root veggies and water or broth in the Instant Pot, sometimes with crushed tomatoes. Chicken stew is also great in the Instant Pot. Oatmeal - Steel Cut oats are great in the Instant Pot, especially with canned pumpkin and raisins! Hamburgers - These are great served with baked potato fries or sweet potato fries but if you don’t have an oven, you can serve with a salad or sauteed veggies. Snapper in Crazy Water: This one is from the February Week 4 Super Fast Prep Dish menu. It was so good! If you’re a subscriber or if you sign up for a free trial below, you can look it up in the archives and try it out! 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! Dragons Love Tacos: https://www.dragonslovetacos.com/ Slow Cooker Carnitas: https://prepdish.com/recipes/slow-cooker-carnitas-bowl/ Beef Fajitas: https://prepdish.com/recipes/beef-fajitas/ Imperfect Foods: http://imprfct.us/v/allison_8366 Slow Cooker Beef and Vegetable Stew: https://prepdish.com/recipes/beef-and-vegetable-stew/ Mediterranean Lamb Burgers: https://prepdish.com/recipes/mediterranean-lamb-burger/ Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado (BLTA) Burgers: https://prepdish.com/recipes/blta-hamburger-recipe/ How to Make Bone Broth: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep48/ These show notes contain affiliate links, thank you for your support of Prep Dish!  

These show notes contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish! Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf continues her two-part series on the best way to organize photos. Here is the process she uses, inspired by the POP photo course linked below: Pick a day of the month to go through your photos. I always do it on the first of the month so I don’t forget! Delete any random photos and screen shots you don’t need. This is optional. Once a month, transfer photos & videos to a folder for photos and a folder for videos. Organize folders by year and month. You can also do additional folders for each month for photos you want to include in an album and for any special events and trips. Upload to an external hard drive and Dropbox or another storage site for backup. Create photo books. You can also use photo boxes. Have fun with projects! Annual family photo books, calendars for grandparents, anything you’d like to make! It’s easy once the photos are organized. 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 Unhurried Life Podcast: https://jbrazeal.com/tag/podcast/ Check out the POP course: https://courses.jbrazeal.com/courses/photo-organization-plan?affcode=346371_gg9pblww This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish!  

These show notes contain affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish! In part one of this two part series, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares how she’s tackled photo organization over the past year. From a game changing photo organization course to a change in mentality, Allison gives tangible tips on how to tackle photo overwhelm. 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 Unhurried Life Podcast: https://jbrazeal.com/tag/podcast/ The Unhurried Life Podcast Episode 21 - w/ Prep Dish! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/21-practical-meal-planning-with-allison-schaaf/id1486179222?i=1000469344129 The Unhurried Life Podcast Episode 31 - 3 Steps to Organize Your Photos: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/31-3-steps-to-organize-your-photos/id1486179222?i=1000476503514 Check out the POP course: https://courses.jbrazeal.com/courses/photo-organization-plan?affcode=346371_gg9pblww This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support of Prep Dish!  

In this episode, chef and RD Allison Schaaf shares her favorite recipe blogs, as well as those of the Prep Dish team. Don’t forget, Prep Dish has a blog too! We add new content every Tuesday and you can find a lot of our favorite recipes there! 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 Blog w/ Search Feature: https://prepdish.com/blog/ Pinch of Yum: https://pinchofyum.com/ Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/ The Kitchn: https://www.thekitchn.com/ Epicurious: https://www.epicurious.com/ Paleo Running Mama: https://www.paleorunningmomma.com/ Trim Healthy Mama: https://trimhealthymama.com/ Skinny Taste: https://www.skinnytaste.com/ Skinny Taste Carrot Cake: https://www.skinnytaste.com/super-moist-carrot-cake-with-cream/ Against All Grain: https://againstallgrain.com/  

In this podcast, the host shares easy and healthy travel food ideas. She discusses convenient grocery store options, including Walmart, and suggests snacks like blue corn chips and pre-chopped veggies. She also talks about Beatnik meatballs with sweet potatoes and spinach. The podcast explores various travel food options like pre-cut vegetables, eggs, and dining alone. It highlights the benefits of finding quick and easy meals at grocery stores instead of relying on fast food.

Chef, RD and mom of 2, Allison Schaaf, shares 3 surprising foods her toddlers love. This is a great reminder to keep an open mind when feeding your kids! Healthy Toddler Food is totally doable when you consider all the options. 3 Healthy Toddler Food Options My Kids Love: Sauerkraut: This is an excellent item to add to your meal plan because it’s full of healthy probiotics. Meat on the Bones: This is great for baby led weaning too as babies and toddlers can easily hold it in their hands. Chicken wings and drumsticks are great for young kids. Sour Foods Like Lemons & Limes: There’s an interesting study on how many kids love the sour flavor profile. 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! There’s No Such Thing as Kid Food: https://prepdish.com/meal-planning/theres-no-such-thing-as-kid-food-what-to-feed-kids/ Baby Led Weaning at 9 Months: https://youtu.be/0QXlAkiod7I Baby Led Weaning at 10 Months: https://youtu.be/BzjAQgRSAVY Baby Led Weaning Meal Prep: https://youtu.be/skJNbWY4KXE 2021 Kids’ Favorite Recipes: https://prepdish.com/roundups/2021-kid-favorites-healthy-recipes-kids-love/

In part two of this series on grocery budget, Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf talks about how to reframe how you think about food costs rising. While rising food costs are concerning for many, it helps to remember your why for buying high quality food. Health, enjoyment, family time - whatever your reason, keep it in mind. Buying high quality food is an investment in your health. Health conditions can be very costly so if you can take steps today to help avoid future health problems, it is a worthwhile investment. There are ways to keep costs down without skimping on quality. Using everything you purchase and not being wasteful with the food you purchase are excellent steps to take. Processed foods, restaurant meals, and even meal kits have to take costs into account which means they’re going to fill those meals with cheaper foods. At home, you can choose to have a vegetable-heavy plate. That might cost a little more but if it’s important to you, it’s worth it. Reflect on your overall household budget. Keep in perspective how much of a difference a few extra dollars a week on groceries will make in your overall budget. Do you need to go to multiple stores to comparison shop every week or can you just look once and make an overall decision? You don’t need to have an underlying guilt about your food purchases. Know that you’re making an investment in your health and it is worthwhile. 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://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-will-teach-you-to-be-rich/id1577864998  

This post contains affiliate links, thank you for your support of Prep Dish! Today’s episode of Meal Prep Monday is the first in a two-part series on grocery budget. Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf shares tips on how to keep grocery costs down. From what to buy in bulk to how to stretch meat further to how meal planning can save money, these simple, practical tips can help you navigate rising food costs while maintaining the quality and nutrition of your meals. Grocery Budget Tips: Just using a meal plan lowers food costs. It helps avoid food waste and makes it easier to eat at home, which saves a ton of money. Eating at home more can help offset rising grocery costs. Don’t buy pre-chopped: Keep in mind time versus money but if you have time to chop, doing it yourself will save you money. Buy lower cost cuts of meat. Remember, you can always substitute! Stretch your meat: Stretch meat further by adding beans or extra veggies. If you’re using ground beef for tacos, do half beef and half black beans. Adding vegetables like mushrooms, onions, shredded carrots, etc. can help bulk up meals. Keep in mind though, veggies are lower calories so aren’t as filling. Adding beans to soups and stews can also help the recipes go further. Shopping at Costco, Imperfect Foods, Thrive Market and Butcher Box can help you get high quality products for less money. Buy in bulk: Buy a whole or portion of a cow to have a lot of beef in your freezer if you have a deep freeze. Buy bulk tea instead of tea bags - the cost per serving is so much less! Buy bulk beans, rice, dried fruits and nuts at Costco. You can also buy spices from the bulk section. Make your own: Making your own salad dressings, broth, sauces, etc. is both less expensive and high quality. Two things that don’t save money: Backyard chickens: Having chickens is really fun but the eggs definitely cost more than buying eggs. Same for bees: The honey from our bees is amazing but it is way more expensive than buying honey. 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 Use Imperfect Foods: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep72/ My First Costco Trip: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep67/ How to Make Homemade Salad Dressings: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep-54/ How to Make Bone Broth: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep48/ Backyard Chickens: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep28/ How to Start Beekeeping: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep98/ Imperfect Foods: http://imprfct.us/v/allison_8366 Thrive Market: https://thrivemarket.com/landing/partner/cj-d2m Butcher Box: butcherbox.com/prepdish This post contains affiliate links, thank you for your support of Prep Dish!  

Grab a piece of paper and a pen for this one because host Allison Schaaf is leading you through a reflection exercise to help you transform your mealtime routine. This works well as a New Years reflection or something to work through any time you're in need of a change! Try to choose just ONE thing to change today so it’s realistic, not overwhelming. Here are some things to think about. Write down anything that jumps out at you as something you might want to change. Meal Planning: Are you planning your meals? If so, are you happy with your system? Grocery Shopping: Do you have a routine that’s working for you or do you find yourself scrambling to fit in another mid-week grocery trip? Meal Prep: Are you prepping any foods in advance? Is there any additional meal prep you might want to add in? Foods You’re Eating: Does the food you’re eating leave you feeling healthy and satisfied or does it leave you feeling drained? Just as important, is the food you’re eating something you enjoy and look forward to? Breakfast: Are you happy with your breakfasts? Are they satisfying and delicious? How is the timing, do you feel like you have time for breakfast? Lunch: Consider timing, nutrition and the taste-factor for your lunches. Dinners: Do you feel rushed making dinner or is it a relatively calm time of day? Do you feel like you’re in a rut or are you happy with your meal plan rotation? Snacks: Do you feel like you have healthy snacks available? Think about the ONE area you might want to upgrade this year and please, feel free to message me @prepdish on Instagram - I would love to hear from you! Our Prep Dish meal plans are also an excellent way to address many of these issues if you’re not already using 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! AIP Meal Plans: https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/aip/ Alkaline Meal Plans: https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/alkaline/ Reset Meal Plans (Whole30-Compliant): https://prepdish.com/shop/specialty/reset/