Freezer meals have long had a negative connotation, but if you embrace it, your freezer will come to hold the most useful stock in your kitchen. Stacie & Meghan go over what to freeze, what not to freeze, and how to freeze it to make weeknight cooking quick and easy.
Read MoreHummus, hummus, the magical dip, the more you use it, the more you … get to relax about dinner, because, you guys, this stuff really is magic. It’s kid-friendly, high in protein, and good for way more than a snack or lunch. Once you start using hummus as more than a sandwich spread or a dip for veggies and pita chips, a world of 10-20 minute dinner options opens up before you. From how to turn it into a pasta sauce to using it to transform a boring rotisserie chicken into an exciting meal, we share our favorite ideas for turning hummus into a legit family dinner.
Read MoreOn some level, we all know it: Pasta is a kitchen hero. But have you grasped the many reasons why that’s so? Or how to put it to best use? Or how to cook it perfectly (which is key, if you ask us)? In this episode, we share ALL the pasta tips, recipes, and ideas, from ones that will help you have more fun in the kitchen with your kids to others that will get you out of the kitchen faster. Because pasta can do both, and so much more too.
Oh the pastabilities!
Read MoreInspired by our IRL time together (including a sleepover), we dig into sleepover dinner ideas and ways to make cooking for a gaggle of kids easier. We also touch on “Mommy Juice” culture, because who doesn’t joke about escaping to a big ol’ glass of wine after taking care of kids all day — and into night. Well, lots of people, including sober parents. So is the whole “Mommy Juice” trope problematic, or are we taking things too seriously? This time, we have a strong opinion. #SorryNotSorry
Read MoreWe almost titled this "53 Minutes of Meghan Complaining," but agree with writer Cleo Wade: Complaints have no magic. Still, we have a lot to say about the weight that comes with the responsibility of feeding our families—and we have a hunch we're not alone. That's why it feels important to have this conversation. So here it is, but with only the complaints that lead to compassion and helpful ideas. Because the real magic happens when families—kids included!—find some semblance of balance that works for them, whatever that might be.
Read MoreWe want to be good citizens, but reducing waste in the kitchen can feel like an overwhelming task — unless you take the balanced and mindful approach shared with us by Roe of Brown Kids. Roe talks to us about the connection between reducing our footprint, minimalism, and financial freedom. From how to shop to the Jar Method of storing produce to last longer, we dig deep into practical tips that are good for the Earth and even better for you, your wallet, and your sense of freedom and joy.
Read MoreWay back in episode five, we revealed the inconvenient truth about eating out with kids. Take all of that — dealing with the mess, feeling obligated to tip more to compensate for your children’s behavior, worrying about that any-second-now-meltdown, setting your money on fire because holy expensive to eat out — and let’s do it early in the day so that you can go home buzzed and have to CONTINUE PARENTING FOR HOURS.
Sound fun? We don’t think so either. But if you insist, we have some tips for how to survive brunch — or maybe even make it fun. Or at least easy and delicious.
Read More“What is the best way to teach the world of spices to young ones?” is not only a question we ponder often, but an actual question that came from our listener’s group a few weeks ago. Luckily, we’ve got an in with the Chief Spice Mama. This week we explore the spices in our kitchens with renewed vigor and insight after talking with Kanchan Koya.
Spices — dried and ground or even fresh herbs and aromatics — are actual magic ingredients just sitting in our cabinets ready to make vegetables taste better, to add flavor without extra fat or sugar, and more. Here’s how we’re spicing up our families food with just a handful of ingredients and without a bunch of fussy recipes.
Read MoreThe hellish few hours between school and dinner, marked with relentless begging for snacks, might break us! Figuring out snack time is hard enough — how to keep our pantry stocked with healthy, kid-friendly options that work at home and on-the-go without breaking the bank — but also walking the line between keeping the kids sated, while not ruining dinner is enough to drive you mad. So we go over ALL the tips, ideas, recipes, and products to help you figure snack time out once and for all.
Read MoreWhat can be served plain or in soup, with pasta or in a sandwich, covered with sauce or with dip on the side, packed with vegetables or even leftovers… shall we go on? We can. Because meatballs? They’re magic for a family cook. We know that making them can end up a production, but we have all the tips to ensure that it doesn't. Follow them, and meatballs will become a weeknight go-to. You'll even have leftovers.
Read MoreIntentional leftovers, dubbed nextovers by our guest David Tamarkin, digital director of Epicurious and author of the Cook90 cookbook, are extras that you make intentionally while cooking one dinner, with the express intention of turning them into a different dinner on another night. Cooking the 1st night takes the usual amount of time, but cooking on the nextover night takes a fraction of the time. How’s that for a busy parent game changer? In this episode, we talk about everything from how to stock your pantry to choosing the right recipes to become a nextover master.
Read More
