Meal Prep Monday Podcast™

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 (

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/