Today we are conquering the kitchen for two, amidst busy work schedules and never enough time in the day.
Here are 10 tips to whip your meal planning into shape.
Let’s dive into the world of culinary harmony for two
1. Yes, Meal plan. I cannot stress this enough. You probably hate planning meals. It is because you are planning a dinner every night, or you are trying to come up with something you both like and it becomes a daunting chore and not a fun moment. The way you can win at this is use an app to help. I use the Paprika app. I look all over the internet for meals and once I find something I like I save it to the app. I click a few buttons and it is scheduled on the calendar, in my shopping list and meals are ready for the month. Yes I plan a month at a time. It helps me see what I need to have on hand, or what I need to pick up still. I also try a recipe and if it is not getting 4 or 5 stars at home, I delete them and the ones we like we put into our monthly rotation.
2. Sync Your Schedule.Coordinate your calendars to find dedicated meal prep time. Knowing each other’s commitments ensures that you plan meals that fit into your busy lives without compromising on nutrition or taste.
3. Don’t be afraid to buy things in bulk. Ok this sounds like I have lost my mind. Hear me out. We buy chicken from Costco. I know once you hear my next tip you are going to question this one. We buy the chicken Costco that is 8-9 lbs and they are broken down into 2-3 breasts per sealed area envelope of chicken. We cut out one pouch, use it and keep the others in the fridge. It makes it easy vs buying an entire 5lb pack of chicken breast and you spend the time prepping all the chicken to store for later.
4. Buy quality over quantity. Coordinate your calendars to find dedicated meal prep time. Knowing each other’s commitments ensures that you plan meals that fit into your busy lives without compromising on nutrition or taste.
5. Prep in Advance. Take advantage of downtime during the week to prep ingredients. Chop vegetables, marinate proteins, or make sauces ahead of time. When it’s time to cook, you’ll have everything ready to go, making the process smoother.
6. Don’t cook the same thing every week. When we first got married it seems like hamburger helper was the weekly rotation and now I can’t eat it again. On the other hand one of our favorite dinners to cook is a tomato basil soup. So instead of making it each week. We add it on the rotation once every month during cold seasons and once every 3 months for the warmer season. So find something that works and stop making the same frozen lasagna each Friday.
7. Sheet pan dinners can be your friend. Do not try to fill the entire sheet or you will be eating leftovers for a week. Let me explain. Use an eighth sheet pan instead of a half sheet pan. The smaller baking sheet measures 6.5×9. We use these all the time for personal nacho pans. We can share one of these packed with chips, cheese and toppings. Better yet it will help you with portion control. You can cut up one bell pepper and use two chicken breasts and half an onion on one pan or two smaller eighth sheet pans and that will give you the perfect fajita dinner for two.
8. Explore New Recipes Together. Make meal planning an adventure by trying out new recipes together. This not only adds excitement to your culinary routine but also allows both of you to expand your cooking skills and discover new favorite dishes. Introduce theme nights into your weekly meal plan to add a fun twist. Whether it’s Taco Tuesday, Stir-Fry Thursday, or Pizza Friday, having a theme can make meal planning exciting and provide structure to your culinary adventures.
9. Transform leftovers. I am not talking about turning your three day old lasagna into a surprise dish. Really it is about not wasting food like my friend Kate from the Full Freezer teaches. What we want is to be intentional on what you cook and how to make it work together.
Let me explain how to make leftovers enjoyable. Take two dishes and turn them into 4 separate meals.
A 2 lb chuck roast for Sunday dinner is a perfect way to start. It can cook all day with potatoes and carrots and some heavenly seasonings. Be mindful of how many potatoes you both eat and carrots so you don’t end up with extras you will throw away later.
This roast will almost always have extra. What now? You store the roast for 2 days. So on Tuesday you are now ready to make one of our favorites dishes. Barria tacos
The other idea is a rotisserie chicken from Costco or Sam’s club. You can even find them at most grocery stores also. Take the chicken and break it apart and take half of the chicken and use it for a chicken pot pie for Monday night, and save the other half for your dinner on Wednesday night for a delicious chicken salad sandwich. And use the chicken bones and cook your own chicken broth.
If you are making big meals for the two of you, you will continue to find your leftovers pilling up in the fridge and going to waste, or you can use the full freezer technique and freeze the other half of your meal for another night in a month. Just do not, I beg of you to freeze a meal and try to dig it out a year from now hoping that will satisfy your spouse.
10. Freeze The Extra. Freeze the extra portions for later use. This not only streamlines your cooking process but also provides a quick solution for those days when you don’t feel like cooking from scratch.
- Meal Plan
- Sync Your Schedule
- Bulk Buying
- Quality over Quantity
- Prep in Advance
- Don’t cook the same thing weekly
- Sheet Pan Dinners
- Explore New Recipes
- Transform Leftovers
- Use your freezer
In conclusion, meal planning for two can be a rewarding journey that brings you closer as a couple. By implementing these tips, you’ll not only streamline your kitchen routine but also create a shared space where you can unwind, connect, and savor delicious meals together. Happy cooking!
