Meal Prep

I love to cook but will admit even I go through times when I have no idea what to make. This is why I meal prep, if I don’t then more often than not a restaurant will need to be in our weekly plans and that is not something I like to do during the week.

So I make a plan – I first list at least 7 meals my family loves and I look at what I already have at home in my veggie share for the week and in my pantry. Then I make a list of everything I will need and everything I have to make these 7 meals even though I know I will probably only make 5 of them – at least I am prepared and can change my mind to a dinner and still have everything to make it.

Once home from shopping, for me this is a Sunday afternoon I chop everything I will need for those meals and refrigerate them. If there is an item that may need a longer cook time like roasting vegetables or cooking chicken, I will cook that too so it is ready for a faster meal during the week. Sundays are always a home cooked meal that may take the longest and I always make extra for a great Monday lunch for everyone!

Some of the items I purchase seem to change on the grocery shelf and seem harder and harder to find. I am extremely picky with the products I buy so when they are taken off the shelf I need to find where else I can buy them. When I make plans for meals during the week not finding an ingredient or running to multiple stores is not how I plan to spend my Sunday.

So what to do….

I have done all the research for you, if you buy the same products I do I have cut out all the running around for you. When eating more naturally there isn’t always a similar option so I have found my favorite products online and would love to share them with you.

You will see that all of these products listed below I use in my recipes from my book, I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does.

Fire Roasted Tomatoes give the best flavor not only in sauce but in soups too! I have a love of Indian food and cook lentils many different ways; lentils are high in protein and to me a must when we are not eating animal products. Another item I need on hand especially when making Indian dishes is Coconut Milk. Farro is an interesting grain that we have come to love. And if I am making any Polish dishes, mostly around Easter time Mushroom Soup and Sauerkraut are a must in my pantry. I am extremely picky when it comes to animal products; I have researched and have found that this brand of Tuna and Salmon are the best! As you know I make my own salad dressings but on the rare occasion I do decide to purchase them I only purchase two brands because they make them the way I would make them. And the best ones my family loves are the  Greek Dressing, Ranch Chai Dressing from Hillary's and the Ranch Dressing from Annie's.

Happy shopping!                                                                                         

Andréa