a peek inside the fishbowl

It’s GUEST POST WEEK here at the Fishbowl! Julie Broczkowski, owner and head chef at The Magic Fridge, has been cooking professionally for ten years, and in her own kitchen for her friends and family for over 20. Julie – bless her heart – said she’s “ecstatic to be contributing a guest post to A Peek Inside the Fishbowl” (isn’t that nice?) and “hopes it will empower the intimidated home cook – food at home is not as difficult as the magazines and cookbooks make it seem!” If you’re a really busy person (like meeeee!), Julie and her Fridge Fairies can help. Check out www.themagicfridge.com for more details on her personal chef service. Thank you Julie!

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Meal planning…. it’s one of those things that we *know* we should do, but somehow never get around to doing it. But just like diet and exercise, it really works when you do it whole-heartedly. Here are a few Do’s and Don’ts to make meal planning fun, easier and more satisfying.

DON’T try to fix it if it ain’t broke… list all the meals you cook now that are big hits with your family and make them the backbone of your initial meal plan. This is your YES list.

DO try new things, but not all at once. Add one new meal to your plan each week, and if the family likes it, add it to your YES list.

DON’T be the only one who works on your plan. Get input from other family members. You’ll have fewer ideas to come up with, and your family will be more open to the process and the meals if they have contributed.

DO cook once, eat twice. This can be as simple as planned leftovers for lunch the next day, or as all-encompassing as OAMC (Once-a-Month Cooking) and freezer-feeding. I land somewhere in the middle. If I have a less busy suppertime, I will cook two suppers that day, and put one in the fridge for the next day when I am busier. Or I’ll cook a big roast knowing the second half will become fajitas later on in the week.

DON’T get caught up in the idea of following recipes. They’re great for ideas and guidelines, but can be overwhelming with all their techniques, details and fancy touches. For example; you see a recipe for, say, chicken with apples and squash, and it appeals to you. Then you look at the recipe and it’s a page and a half long with seventeen steps and three pans. Why not just cook some chicken with apples and serve it with a side dish of squash? If there is a particular spice or seasoning mentioned in the recipe, add it to the chicken while you’re cooking it.

DO use your family’s skills and interests to your advantage. Got a computer-obsessed person in the family? Ask them to make a meal planning spreadsheet and work with you to update it once every week or two. Put an active child in charge of taking the menu poll once a week, running around asking each family member if they have an idea to add to the meal plan – if they are old enough to write, issue an official notebook for taking down the suggestions. Is someone crafty? Show them this pretty, easy menu board project from MakeAndTakes.com.

DO get inspiration from other places…. lots of blogs and websites post meal plans, so check them out and adapt them for your own family.

DON’T freak out if you stray from the plan, and then decide that this meal planning stuff doesn’t work. One night ordering pizza isn’t going to hurt anyone. At least you have a plan for the other four weeknights, right?