Planned, Prepped, and Productive: Real Food Cooking for Busy Moms

Meal planning and meal prep are tools, not solutions.  Learn how I use these tools differently at different seasons in my life in a behind the curtains look at how I'm transitioning from summer meal prep to the school year. Announcement:  The planned, prepped, and productive podcast will be going on a hiatus until further notice.  See resources below for how to keep up with planned prepped and productive while the podcast is away. Resources:Summer Lunch Menu Meal prep in minutes course (get now before it closes!)Follow on instagram: @plannedpreppedandproductiveFollow on facebook: /plannedpreppedandproductiveSign up for email updates: callmebetty.com/subscribe

Want to up your protein with out eating copious amounts of chicken breast? Look no further!Listen in as I go through my favorite ways to up protein throughout my day! Resources: Ultra-filtered milkAbbey's kitchen whipped egg white oatmealBuilt bars (puffs)Cottage Cheese DipsProtein PowderProtein recommendationsSkinny Dipped Almonds

Please tell me I'm not the only one who ends the week by throwing away too much sad wilty produce? I have gone so far as to avoid planning certain dishes because I know the produce won't last long enough to actually make them. I decided it was time to learn how to *actually* take care of and store produce, and the results have been astounding! Listen to the episode to save your produce from certain death today ;)Resources: How to store tomatoesHow to store celery

I've been drooling over the home edit's projects for two years now, and it was finally time to do it myself! I gave my kitchen the home edit and I'm here to tell you all about what I learned, what was worth it, what wasn't necessary, the whole shebang! Resources: Everything large binEverything narrow binThe bathroom editStacking produce binsClear egg containersDish pansThe Home Edit BookBetter Homes and Gardens pantry containers

Cooking in the summer is a drag, no one wants to do it! Listen in to this week's episode where I share my favorite recipes that don't require you to turn on the oven, stove, and in most cases even the microwave!Link to Recipes: Charcuterie boardsRotisserie chicken ranch wrapsSushi bowlsCeviche tostadasTurkey BLTSCaprese sandwichRotisserie chicken cobb saladItalian sub sandwichRotisserie chicken cucumber avocado saladBlack bean corn and rice salad

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a crazy to-do list, why not learn to take advantage of the family rhythms that you already have to perfect your days and find more peace and productivity. Family Rhythms 101: Improve productivity and find more peaceDo you ever feel like you are drowning under your to-do list (please say you are raising your hand, because I know I am!)How many of the things on your list are things that you actually find yourself doing time and time again.  What if you started to lean-in to the family rhythms and routines you have to help you know what to expect and find time to do the other things on your to-do list? Well that's what my guest Sarah Dalton of your simply big life has to share with us on this weeks episode of the podcast. Inside this episode on family rhythms you'll find: The biggest problem facing individuals (especially moms) when it comes to finding productivity and feeling peace in the homeThe simple framework for creating simple and sustainable rhythmsWhat an effective weekly planning rhythm looks likeHow to make your planning rhythm fit into our current seasonAbout the guest Sarah DaltonSarah Dalton is the founder of Your Simply Big Life, an online community that empowers women to step out of overwhelm and take ownership of their day. Her mission is to help busy moms make the most of their time and energy so that they can go after their big goals and be present for their family.Sarah is the creator of the Peace and Productivity Planner as well as her online course Peace and Productivity Foundations, which help moms to gain clarity around their priorities, design rhythms, and learn how to stay focused throughout the day so that they can get things done, have time for themselves, and enjoy the life they are creating.Sarah is also the host of The Peace and Productivity podcast where she has weekly conversations with like-minded women, in addition to weekly solo episodes where she offers inspiration on all things time management, productivity and living an intentional life.Resources:COURSE: https://www.yoursimplybiglife.com/course Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-simply-big-life/id1513416972 Instagram: @Your_simplybiglife Free resource: Find your core values 

Top 10 mealtime tips from the planned, prepped, and productive podcastMeal prep isn't just for dieting (and there's lots of different types) -Meal prep is a tool to save your sanity, and while it can also help you maintain a specific diet it's about so much more than that! You also don't have to stick to matchy matchy containers of chicken and broccoli, anything you can cook you can meal prep to save your sanity! Other episodes that talk about meal prepTypes of meal prepHow meal planning and meal prep helps you avoid food wasteThe key to mastering family mealtime is to make meal planning and meal prep a habit, slowly over time-Habits are so underrated, and while more time-consuming than big goals, they are easier to create and stick to if you have the patience and perserverance to stick it out!Other episodes that talk about habitsKeystone habitsWhy you should focus on habits instead of goalsUse paper recipes and don't let your phone in the kitchen-This is my biggest productivity tip in the kitchen.  you say you're using your phone to cook, but really you're shopping that cute new swimsuit online, don't let the distraction kill your productivity and frustrate you.  Paper recipes for the win!Other episodes about productivityWhy moms should minimize information overloadFinding purpose in productivityLeftovers aren't the enemy, in fact when managed properly they can save you loads of time in the kitchen-Don't dread leftovers, plan for them and plan them into your life, learn to repurpose them, and watch how much easier meal prep becomes when you are using everything instead of wasting things!Other episodes about leftoversHow to handle holiday leftoversSmall changes add up to big results-No change is too small, check out the episodes above about habits for more!Ditch all-or-nothing thinking, some is always better than none-All or nothing thinking is the enemy of success in the kitchen (and tbh in most aspects of mom life) don't be a victim to it.  Make this your mantra.  Some is ALWAYS better than none.Other episodes about mindset and mindfulnessHow to make dinner when you don't feel like itMaster mealtime mindsetYou choose what and when, your kids choose if and how much-This comes from Ellyn Satter and this advice is gold.  If you can stop defining your success by whether or not your kids (or ahem your spouse) likes what you cook, you will already feel so much more effective in the kitchen. Other episodes about feeding kidsKids in the kitchenCreating healthier f

There are a lot of reasons you may feel like you might hate cooking, and while everyone is entitled to their opinion, changing your mindset or finding solutions for this chore that is likely going to be a part of your life, well, forever will likely serve you better than complaining. Listen on for 10 reasons you might hate cooking, and what you can do about it. This episode was based on this article from scary mommy. Resources: How to feed your whole family the same mealHow to manage leftovers

Ever wonder why it's so hard to change your eating habits?  It seems like no matter the reason, no matter the solution, that you always end up back where you started. All of the conflicting information out there about "how to do it" just makes it harder! In this episode of the podcast I'm welcoming dietitian Sallyanne Pisk to talk about her revolutionary way of eating in the way that will be just right for you. We'll talk about all of the reasons why we eat, and how the reasons we eat play a role in whether or not you succeed in changing your habits. We will give you a way to eat mindfully in a way that feels good. I learned so much in this episode and I hope you do too! Let's dig into mindful eating! About SallyanneSallyanne Pisk has worked in health for 30 years as a practitioner, researcher and manager. She is an Accredited Practising Dietitian, mindfulness practitioner and author. For the past 10 years she has been devoted to helping women transform their eating mindset and relationship with food.Over her career, she has presented at health conferences and participated in over 200 radio interviews, including talkback. She is a health and wellbeing presenter for the new Feisty, Fabulous & 50+ community radio program and podcast.Sallyanne founded Eating for You, an online business, to help women reclaim themselves and their lives through mindful eating and living. The Eating for You approach is based on scientific research, Eastern nutrition and Sallyanne's own experiences of transitioning from dieting to mindful eating herself, as she realised that healthy eating wasn't meant to be so hard. Sallyanne has a private community of over 2000 members. Resources: Eating for you bookEating for you coursesEating for you community

Do you feel like your kitchen is stuffed to the brim, and yet somehow you don't have what you need when you need it? Let's chat about what you actually need in a well-stocked kitchen, what you don't, and what the best versions of items you do need are so you can stock it well once and for all and then forget about it! Link to shownotes: 

This episode was such a treat for me, and I hope it will be for you too! Chef Dennis is charming, and knowledgeable and is here to share some tips and secrets he learned in the industry as a professional chef to help our home kitchens feel just a little bit less daunting.  Inside this episode you'll learn: How Chef Dennis went from a professional chef to a successful food blogger, and what he learned along the wayAbout the unique program Dennis created when he worked for an all-girl's catholic school AND how you can use the same techniques he taught then to improve your homecooked mealsHow you can stay calm in the kitchen (whether that be on a large or small scale)What to do when you feel stuck in a rut when cooking for the family and how you can get out of your comfort zoneWhere to find inspiration in the kitchen when it's seriously lackingAbout Dennis LittleyChef Dennis was classically trained as a chef's apprentice. After completing his training, he went on to work at white tablecloth restaurants, corporate executive dining and finally at an all-girls Catholic high school. After 3 years at the school, he created a Culinary Program that brought acclaim to the school and was used as a model for other schools around the country via the foodservice company he worked for.Chef Dennis started cooking at a very early age and drew his early inspiration from Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet.  He credits an old family friend Mama Jeanette with teaching him his core values and how to listen to food. After retiring from professional cooking, Dennis became a food blogger, where he would become known as Chef Dennis by his fans and readers worldwide. At this time Dennis has over one million followers on social media and his blog gets 8.5 million page views yearly.Facebook: facebook.com/AskChefDennis/Instagram: @askchefdennis Website/Blog: askchefdennis.com

Is dinnertime dread hitting you hard?? You may be in need of a good declutter session!  Often the REAL reason we don't want to cook is the mess that comes before/during/or after.  Learning to manage your stuff in your kitchen will make kitchen so much less of a chore. 

Managing family meals can be difficult with so many different moving parts.  This week on the podcast I'm welcoming a guestwho wants to help us simplify the process with simple family mealtime solutions that work. This week's episode of the planned, prepped, and productive podcast is all about creating family mealtime solutions that work. As a mom of 5 kids and an introvert, Alyssa knows a thing or two about how to make simple meals happen while still allowing mom time to recharge, as well as how to get kids involved in the prep process so they're helping in the way you need them. Combine all her knowledge and you'll have some great advice for creating family mealtime solutions that work. Takeaways from this episode: Simple ways to save your sanity in the kitchenHow to make meal prep work when you have a lot of mouths to feedHow mealtime tasks can be delegatedTasks that kids can help with and how you can motivate your kids to helpAbout Alyssa WolffAlyssa Wolff is a minimalism junkie, God follower, introvert, and perpetual bookworm. (Oh, and mom of 5.) I have 11+ years' experience balancing multiple kids while still getting time to recharge. Which is why I specialize in simplifying life for introverted moms (aka your stuff, your sanity, and your schedule). Because afterwards? You get to go make a difference in the world (and enjoy your kids a heck of a lot more!).Find Alyssa Here! Blog/Podcast: https://yourunbusylife.com/blog/5-day challenge to get kids to clean their rooms

Culture's expectations of women are often that we can (and should) do all the things all the time.  But we know that's unrealistic, and that it would be much better to take a "some" approach instead of all or nothing. One of the hardest times to maintain our normal standards is when we are adjusting to a new baby in the house.  In this episode I'm outlining some of the ways I'm using grocery store shortcuts to make homemade-ish meals through this transition. Resources: Shredded Chicken

Dig into this exciting interview with Laura Fuentes with me! We're talking all things family meals from how to logistically make family meals happen, to how to handle it when your kids aren't liking the changes.  Top Insights from this episode:>The difference between traditional meal prep and family meal prep >Why meal prep is so useful for families>How to handle it when your kid refuses dinner>The mindset shifts to help you handle picky eatingLaura Fuentes is the creator of MOMables, where she's helped thousands of families improve their health and wellness by establishing healthier eating habits as a family with her Family KickStart Program and weekly meal plan.She's the Author of 5 Cookbooks, a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, spokesperson, makes regular television appearances like on TODAY and Good Morning America, has competed on Food Network and won! Her 100K + YouTube subscribers make her an “official YouTuber” according to her 9-year-old that is.Laura is bilingual, born and raised in Spain, and currently lives outside of New Orleans with her husband and 3 kids. In her spare time, Laura reads, sleeps, and works out. What she loves most is taking her family on travel adventures.Download a Free clean eating handbook that includes a sample weekly plan, a pantry and fridge list and tips to help you simplify your family's meals week after week here.You can find more about Laura on LauraFuentes.com, on Instagram @LauraSFuentes and @MOMables.  You can also watch her on Youtube.  

Last week we learned all about why a planner is so effective for habit change. This week we dive into how, learn my 2 -step system for creating any habit using your planner in this week's episode of the planned, prepped, and productive podcast. Link to shownotes

Find out how using a planner will help you actually stick to those new year's resolutions! Want to learn more about habits and goals? Check out this episodes!Why changing your habits is more effective than setting goalsKeystone habits

Holiday treats are fun, but can have you feeling overloaded with sugar.  You'd hate to throw away all that goodness though, so how can you enjoy them in moderation? In this episode you'll learn how to freeze or otherwise store your holiday treats so you can enjoy them in the months after Christmas instead of all at once! 

Routine is KEY when it comes to making an effective meal planning system. Find out what my 5 go-tos are each week, how I use them, and how YOU can use them. More importantly, learn how to find your own go-tos to make meal planning and prep easier and more routine. Resources: Staples Meal Prep in minutes Mini Course

Forget pumpkin spice, it's soup season! Listen in for 4 soups you can meal prep this fall with tips and tricks and recipes to enjoy your fall bounty in wonderful bowls of comfort! Resources: Restaurant ContainersSouper CubesChicken and Wild Rice SoupButternut squash soupSweet Potato Lentil Chili (Enjoy my very early food blogging photos on this one ;))Freezer Sweet PotatoesMinestrone

Want to feel more peace and *actually* accomplish your mom tasks? Learn to master planning sessions! Listen in to learn what exactly they are and how to make them effective and watch as you accomplish so much more with your weeks! Resources: PlannersBlock SchedulingHow to preserve your fall harvest

The weight loss industry LOVES meal prep, and for good reason, but what if you just want to get healthy NOT lose weight? It meal prep for you! Listen to find out! Resources: Steve Jobs IphoneBalanced MealsEmotional EatingDecision Fatigue

Join me as I describe my struggle with information overload and the effect that had on my peace as a mother and individual.  Resources: Digital MinimalismEssentialism

A food philosophy is a wonderful tool to help you get clarity on how you feel about food and to help your beliefs guide your decisions about food in your home, making food choices so much easier! Read on for more on how and why you might want to try it! The planned prepped and productive food philosophyWe believe that all Foods FitWe believe that a healthy diet is made up of a sum of it's components and not any one individual food.  Because of this we understand that no one food can break the diet and we don't support the idea of bad foods. We remain neutral about foodWe do not label foods as good or bad.  Food is food and we try to keep the food police at bay by not moralizing food or food choicesWe believe in feeding our bodies regularly We know that we are at our happiest when we are fed, so we strive to consider how we will keep our bodies fed throughout the day and to eat regularly. We strive to include protein and a fruit or vegetable at every mealWe know that certain foods keep us feeling our best! In order to stay feeling full and fueled mentally and physically we attempt to include protein and a fruit or vegetable to make sure we are meeting our needs. We believe that foods and meals should support the physical and mental/emotional healthWhile we absolutely believe in the power of whole, nutrient dense foods, we also believe that food helps us connect and love OR that it can help us in times of stress.  We are happy to eat foods that are less nutrient dense if it supports family bonding or togetherness or if we are in a time of emotional distress and we need extra support.  We try to follow the 80/20 rule and eat foods that support our physical bodies 80% of the time.  We also understand that foods that are good for our physical bodies can also help us out of emotional ruts when we have to time and energy to prepare them.We believe in cooking from scratch most of the time (but also in using shortcuts that make sense)Pre-cut veggies? Sure! Sauces that are about the same nutritionally from the store as when they're made from scratch? Sign us up!  We try to cook when it matters and cheat when it doesn't. We believe in planning and preparing so food prep can be a small part of life instead of being all consuming and we are willing to eat a B level meal that saves us time and energy for more important things. We know we can eat well even when we keep our meal plan simple, and even if we repeat meals often.  We don't want food and meal prep to consume our lives so we try to keep meal prep to 30 minutes or less on weeknights and we try to choose meals that are simple to prepare and don't cause immense stress to prepare. We know that food can be fun, taste great, and be nourishing at the same timeThrough strategic planning and prep we can enjoy great food without stress and overwhelm. Resources: To abstain or moderate Jody MooreDecision Fatigue

Mealtime is a huge source of stress for many families, but sometimes a little shift of expectations can be all you need to make the experience so much better! Listen on for 10 expectations that might be causing you to feel stressed and overwhelmed about dinnertime that you can totally just let go of. Resources: Expectations of kids at mealtimes based on age

Link to purchase the Meal Prep in Minutes Course! Introductory price of $27!!!Meal Prep in Minutes CourseMeal prep can be a huge timesaver, or a time-suck if you aren't careful. As a mom, I KNOW you don't have 4 hours on a Sunday to dedicate to the inspirational but, ahem, freaking unrealistic #mealprepsunday movement. Don't worry about it, you can still hop on the meal prep movement train. Start out with these 5 secrets to super-fast meal prep! Then purchase the Meal Prep in Minutes course where you'll see exactly how I prep a week's worth of meals in 60 minutes or less!  The course includes everything YOU'LL need to replicate the meal plan yourself too! Resources: Mentioned in this episode of the podcast is the amazing Megan Porta of Eat, Blog, Talk and Pip and Ebby.  Find her episode of the podcast here!

Feeding kids in summer is a whole new beast.I don't know if it's boredom, or heat, or simply having the kids home 24/7 but 1 week in I knew I couldn't handle it without some serious strategy. I figured if I was struggling, you all might be too so I created a steal-able lunch and snack prep plan for kids to put feeding your kids on autopilot this summer (and let me tell you, it's been LIFE-CHANGING)Because I know you're a smart mom, I know that you definitely want to get your hands on this plan. Listen to the basics in this week's episode of the podcast, and grab the free printable guide here! FREE Summer lunch & snack guide for kids: put feeding kids on autopilot this summer! 

Preparing, serving and storing food safely isn't the most fun or attractive part of meal prep, but it is one of the most important! Dig into guidelines, FAQ, and how to implement it all without making your head spin so you have the confidence to meal prep! Also, the meal prep in minutes mini course will launch June 30! Hop on the waitlist here so you don't miss it! See how I prep a week's worth of dinner's and try it yourself for a week all for less than a day of takeout! Resources: Temperature ChartIs the freezer ruining my meal prep?The Lazy Geniushttps://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foods-linked-illness.htmlhttps://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/leftovers-and-food-safetyhttps://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts

Sharing responsibilities in the home can be a loaded topic. We all have our pre-conceived notions of what our jobs "should" be where in reality our roles are ever-changing as our families grow and change. Join my husband, Kyle Spackman and I as we attempt to uncover how our views about family responsibilities and roles have shifted over time and how we attempt to keep the peace in our home while both feeling like our needs are being met. 

You go to bed completely exhausted again, crusty dishes fill the sink you can't remember your last shower and your pretty sure you can't take another day. Survival Mode as moms happens to the best of us, and while it's definitely not an ideal place to be there are some things to consider that may at the very least make you feel better until you are thriving again. Listen on for 5 truths for surviving better when you're in survival mode. 

Ya know what most moms hate the very most about cooking?All of the clean-up! And no wonder, it's stressful as heck to put together a meal only to have another hour of clean-up while trying to get kids to bed and do all the other mom things left for the day while you're done and exhausted from a day of hard work. The good news is, there are some simple habits that will take you from a messy cook to a clean cook in no time.  It's about cleaning smarter not harder my friends. Give this episode a listen for all the details on becoming the cleanest cook in the land. 

Why is it that convenience food is so enticing.  We all know it's not because it tastes amazing...it's because it's so, well, convenient.In this episode we'll talk about how to make homemade pizza as convenient as your favorite frozen pizza...3 different ways! 

The first time I cooked meat I literally felt like the ground beef might actually come back alive and attack me with the way it seemed to menacingly stare at me. Luckily the process wasn't so hard (after some friendly advice from my mom #momsarethebest).But what if you ARE the mom, and cooking meat is still super intimidating? There's a lot to know, but there's some quick rules of thumb that will make it easy! Listen on for a crash course on cooking just about any kind of meat you can think of! Bookmark the shownotes so you have this as a reference whenever you need it! 

The holidays are fun, but dealing with all the food after can be a pain! Find out the three-step system for handling holiday leftovers like a pro in this episode of the podcast to take care of your leftovers safely and in a way that they'll actually get eaten! You may also be interested in: How to prepare, freeze, thaw, and reheat meal prep so it tastes amazing

You KNOW that meal planning and meal prep would help you immense you, but you're just super overwhelmed about where to start. Well this episode is for you my friends. Find out the simplest ways to start that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Sign up to get the 4 pillars of successful family meals guide: https://www.callmebetty.com/4-secrets-subscribe/Sign up for the master mealtime course waitlist:https://www.callmebetty.com/waitlist/Link to the shownotes: https://www.callmebetty.com/family-mealtime-strategies-for-when-you-dont-know-where-to-start/

Productivity is touted as a huge badge of honor, but for what purpose? Finding purpose of productivity will help you use it as a tool instead of a goal in and of itself.  Learn six facts about productivity that will help you put things in perspective and use productivity as a tool. 

Cooking can feel stressful enough, but make it vegan and suddenly there's so many options and unfamiliar choices that it can be overwhelming. Don't get overwhelmed, instead learn from this week's guest on the podcast Brigitte Gemme. During this episode of the podcast we'll cover loads of exciting topics about vegan cooking including: Meal prepping veggies and preserving them so they taste great whenever you get to themHow to ease family members in who are hesitant about plant-based eating (in a way that they love)Managing multiple types of eaters without making several different meals each night. Techniques to ease into a more plant-based lifestyleBrigitte Gemme is the Chief Meal Planner and founder at VeganFamilyKitchen.com. She is passionate about how the simple (and often hated!) question "What's for dinner?" connects us to the health of our families, communities, and planet. Brigitte was born on a farm near Montreal (Canada) and became passionate about reducing our environmental footprint. After moving to the West Coast and becoming a mother, she decided to adopt a fully plant-based diet. In 2015, she left her career as a research manager in academia to become a vegan food educator. She uses her free challenges and vegan meal plan subscription service to teach beginners the art of meal planning and batch cooking, so that busy people and families can enjoy more plant-based meals without the headdaches.

For me, a paper planner for a mom is a irreplaceable. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for some awesome electronic planning tools as well. Listen to this episode to figure out which electronic planning tools help me keep all my "mom hats" (and head) on straight! Link to shownotes

Before you can master meal planning and meal prep, you've gotta master "life planning" and to do that you're going to need a planner. But with so many planners out there on the market, how do you choose one that will be right for you? In this episode I'll be sharing 6 questions to ask yourself to help you choose the planner that will fit seamlessly into your life and help you get yourself organized! Link to shownotes

Do you want to make better food and health choices, but feel frustrated because nutrition is so confusing! I've been there, and I'm a dietitian. It's so hard to know the right choices to make to give us the best chance at a long, healthy, happy life, but I promise it's not as hard as it seems. Find out why nutrition is so confusing and then use that information to become a good judge of nutrition information and learn to make nutrition choices with confidence! Inside this episode we'll dig into the common misconceptions that make nutrition advice so confusing, and hopefully prove to you once and for all that you absolutely can make better choices for your family without it being stressful and overwhelming. Sources high BMIs are associated with an increase in risk in chronic diseaseweight loss not proven to be effective in preventing chronic disease risk in otherwise healthy obese individualsBMI and all-cause mortalitylong-term maintenance of weight-losslong-term effects of weight cycling or yo-yo dietingEffect of diet high in fruits and vegetableshealthy eating for blood sugar controlthe effect of dietary fiber on digestion

Do you feel like your responsibilities feeding yourself and feeding your family 3 square meals a day plus snacks brings out all of your worst negative feelings? You're not alone...there's a lot of resentment from moms about their kitchen responsibilities. But...did you know that the way you think about the kitchen has a direct effect on how you FEEL while you are in the kitchen? Yup, mental health in the kitchen is a thing and we're here to talk about it today! The cool thing about your mental health in the kitchen is that it totally goes both ways. So if you let negative, perfectionistic thoughts or unrealistic expectations creep in you're probably going to have a less than stellar experience. BUT if you recognize the power of a little meal planning and meal prep you can actually start to use the kitchen as a tool to improve your mental health instead of constantly being a place that you dread. This week I'm teaming up with Mallory Gleason of Mallory Jo Mindfulness (who also happens to be my sister) to discuss all things mental health in the kitchen. Mallory is a young adult who was tired of anxiety running her life. Through training her brain and her thoughts she found relief and she is eagerly sharing that with others on her platform @malloryjomindfulness as she trains to become a certified life coach. Inside the Mental Health in the Kitchen Episode of the podcast:How our expectations lay the foundation for how we will feel about cooking and meal prepSneaky ways perfectionism shows up (even if you don't think you fit the description of a perfectionist)What self-care *actually* looks like and why it's not as simple as bubble baths and chocolateHow a little meal planning can be the best thing you can do for YOU today

I don't think there are many people that would turn down a piping hot cinnamon roll, do you? But making them at the crack of dawn so you can enjoy them for brunch or breakfast? That's a drag for sure! That's why I tested 4 different methods for making cinnamon rolls ahead of time so you can have the best of both worlds. Listen on to find out HOW you can do it and which method will be the very best!

Let's do a deep-dive into how to meal-prep a recipe, shall we? Any recipe can be meal-prepped in some way....and that my friends can save you loads of time when it comes to dinner-time and is the key to making you a meal-time master. Follow along with this episode where I'll tell you exactly how I meal prep this teriyaki meatball stir-fry to fit into my busy life. Want to make it yourself? You can find the recipe right here! Recipe: Teriyaki Meatball Stir-fry

Ever feel like there's something you're missing when it comes to meal time? Maybe it feels like you spend three times as long cooking as you plan on, or that the clean-up just never ends and it's not worth it. You've probably tried things to make it better, but in the end you're still as frustrated and burned out as ever from feeding your family. Well my friend, you are most definitely not alone. I've been there! Making meals every single night while simultaneously doing all of the other "mom" things can be enough to make anyone want to scream. Out of desperation (and because I couldn't afford to get takeout every night) I started to make changes and I discovered that it really is possible to work smarter and not harder in the kitchen. To do so you'll need to implement the 4 habits discussed in this episode! Listen in to see how your evening and mealtimes transform when you implement the habits! Resources: Master Mealtime WaitlistMealtime mindset worksheetThe 4 secrets to mastering mealtime guide

So you want to change your diet. You don't want to fail (again)...so what are you going to do? You know that doing the same thing and expecting different results is completely crazy talk, right? So what if this time you try something, different. Not something harder, just different. Listen now to find out the 5 ways you can make your healthy eating habits stick, like for good this time. Resources: Keystone Habits EpisodeHow to get in the right mindset to make dinner GET THE FEEDING YOUR FAMILY EBOOK! Use the code PODCAST10 for $10 off!

Today I want to welcome my amazing guest, Catherine Ryan Gregory of to and fro fam. Catherine is a family travel expert, and let me tell you, she definitely taught me a thing or to about meal prep & planning and made me more excited to travel with my young kids in the future. Catherine shares travel hacks and kid-friendly destinations to de-stress family travel. She founded the family travel website To & Fro Fam and is the author of Virtual Travel Activities for Kids and Road Trip Games & Activities for Kids.Inside this episode we are talking all about meal planning and meal prep for a road trip. Catherine's advice is real and gleaned from experience (she's a mom of two young girls herself, and is managing not only pickiness in her kids but some food intolerances as well, so she knows a thing or two about food. Inside this episode we talk about: >The real challenges facing families with young kids who WANT to travel, and actionable strategies to overcome these roadblocks. >Rocking cooler packing tips to ensure what you need is where you need it when you need it (bonus, your car won't double as a gigantic trash can anymore either)>How you can manage family preferences, intolerances, and hunger while also getting to enjoy a blend of eating out and in for a seamless food experience. >How you can manage your time to have food ready when it's needed without planning every single second of your vacation. >How you can meal prep a few things to make a world of difference in your vacation stress levels. This episode was so fun, and Catherine really knows her stuff! I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed chatting with her!Hopefully vacations are right around the corner friends, until next week happy (vacation) planning! (a girl can dream, right?)Resources: https://toandfrofam.com/freebies/https://toandfrofam.com/courses/Cooler packing tips https://toandfrofam.com/how-to-pack-a-cooler-for-camping/Didn't talk directly about this but would be helpful RE conversation on picky eaters https://toandfrofam.com/make-kids-eat-vacation/

The time after the holidays can be stressful as you try to figure out how you ended up with so much stuff. Minimalism is a super hot topic, but we don't often talk about the things we could minimize in our minds or our lives as much as we talk about minimizing our stuff. This episode of the planned, prepped, & productive podcast will dive into all of these topics helping you find more peace at mealtime with a simple and minimal kitchen and a cleared up mindset. Featured Episodes: Everything you need to know about kitchen knivesThe top kitchen tools for meal prep

Looking for a unique gift or a way to really serve those you love this holiday season? Food is a great way to show love and giving the gift of a home-cooked (or even storebought) meal during the busy Christmas season might be just the thing. Inside this episode we'll dig into why you might want to consider serving those you love more, why food is the perfect gift, and 5 unique ways you can serve others with food this season. Resources: In Helping others, you help yourselfFeeding America: Impact of Covid-19 on Food BanksHappy Money Saver: Freezer MealsReview of hellofreshHow to parbake breadWholefully-Soups in a jar

I'm so excited to welcome my special guest to the podcast, Alli Kelley of Longbourn Farm. Alli is the creator of Longbourn Farm where she shares simple homemade recipes. She believes that family meals create special moments and those moments become treasured memories. In addition to tried-and-true kitchen favorites, she shares practical farm and garden tips for the hobby farmer or avid gardener.In this episode of the podcast we're chatting all about kitchen organization and how mastering kitchen organization can help you put homemade meals on the table more often, without stress. Alli also announces her new cookbook (available now!) full of homestyle slow cooker recipes (so naturally we had to throw some slow cooker tips in as well!) Inside this episode you'll find: >What keeps most moms from cooking more often>Why kitchen organization is the answer you didn't know you were looking for>The top 3 ways to get organized in your kitchen right now>How to utilize your slow cooker without settling for bland, mushy mealsLearn more about Alli and check out her resources here! At this link Alli offers: -Cooking at home course-The ultimate guide to keeping chickens-Garden consulting -Blog consulting And remember, you can get her cookbook here!

The holidays are never quite what we envision. We want love, peace, and family togetherness, but so often we get stress, overwhelm, and drama. Part of the reason for that is because we need to tighten our boundaries. This episode will go over: -What boundaries are-Why they are important-How to effectively set boundaries-What specific holiday areas you might want to look at tightening your boundaries. Don't let the holidays get you down, instead feel like you did when you were a kid again by letting go of the unimportant things, and enjoying the things you actually do care about!

25 Socially-Distanced Christmas ideasChristmas Money Drop Off-Check out the link for a clever way to drop off moneyLarge tip at a restaurant, for your doordash driver, or your grocery delivery person-3 King's Day-Puerto Rican holiday! Leave straw and carrots out for the 3 king's camels and wait for them to bring you giftsGingerbread Houses-Make them or buy them, either way is fun! Christmas Cookies-We love using squeeze bottles to make this less messy and fun for kids!Drive-through Christmas Lights-If you're local in Utah, try the Willard Bay Christmas lights for a safe, drive-through option! Watch a Christmas Movie-Christmas Porridge-A swedish tradition! Read-a-thon-try youtube for some book readings of holiday books you don't haveHot Cocoa BarRead Luke 2Eat a traditional meal of your country of heritage-we're having a traditional Puerto Rican meal of Pernil and Arroz con gandulesMake Teacher giftsMake mailmen giftsService Exchange-Do this in your own home! Encourage your kids to come up with a service they would be good at and exchange as a familyMake Christmas CardsBuild a snowmanChristmas Jammie sleepoverChristmas Karaoke-Again, youtube is a great resource for free karaoke songs. Put them on the big screen and sing your heart out! Christmas scavenger huntTake all your spare change to the salvation armyChristmas giving treeMake your own ugly sweaters Do a Christmas CraftDo zoom christmas caroling