This week we're talking about planner personalities! After years of talking to Plan to Eat customers, answering dinner dilemmas, and reading your emails, we've noticed some pretty distinct patterns in how people approach their planning. We put together five meal planning personality types, and we think you're going to recognize yourself in at least one of them. We walk through each type, the pros and cons, and make the case that most of us are actually some combination depending on the season...

This week we're trying something a little different! We each picked a topic to deep dive into without telling the other person what it was, and we're sharing what we learned live on the podcast. Riley kicks things off with a deep dive on food cravings. What they actually mean and what your body might be trying to tell you. We talk through what common cravings like sugar, salt, carbs, red meat, and dairy could signal about your nutrient levels, and why kids might actually be the best at ...

Sometimes, the meal plan doesn't make it to the end of the week, but in this episode, we're getting into the reasons why and what you can do about it so your whole week doesn't go off the rails. We walk through six of the most common reasons meal plans fail, from not planning at all to planning so rigidly that there's no room to breathe when life gets in the way. We talk about why looking at your schedule matters so much, how to include your family in the process, and why somebody else's meal...

This week, we're talking about one of our favorite parts of summer, getting together with people over food. In this episode, we're getting into all things potlucks and group gatherings, from the nostalgia of food to the practical side of actually hosting a group meal. We talk through what makes a potluck successful, what dishes hold up well (and which ones you might want to reconsider), how to handle dietary needs for your guests, and why a themed potluck might be the best idea you have...

This week, we're talking about the full lifecycle of food in our homes, from the moment it's planned all the way to the moment it's eaten (or thrown away). We talk through the most common breakdown points in the planning, cooking, and shopping, and why every ingredient needs a clear purpose. We also cover how to shop your fridge and pantry before you head to the store, how to build flexibility into your meal plan, and what it looks like to treat your leftovers with the same intention as...

In this episode, we’re talking about the pros and cons of weekend meal prep vs. weeknight cooking. We’re breaking down the different ways people make dinner work for their schedules, energy levels, and preferences. We talk about food fatigue, leftovers, decision fatigue, unpredictable schedules, and why there’s no “right” way to meal plan. Whether you love prepping meals on Sunday, prefer cooking fresh every night, or fall somewhere in between, this episode will help you figure out which appr...

This week, we’re breaking down how to actually get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. We talk about quick recipes, but also systems we use that make weeknight cooking faster and less stressful. We discuss what slows dinner down, common mistakes, and how to simplify your approach. From using convenience ingredients to prepping ahead and building a go-to list of fast meals, this episode will help you think about how you approach meal planning and cooking so it works for your busy life. Connect ...

This week, we’re diving into why meal planning is so easy to procrastinate, even when we know it makes life easier. From busy schedules and mental load to perfectionism, habits, and not knowing where to start, we break down the real reasons meal planning gets pushed off. We also share practical ways to get unstuck, including starting small, lowering expectations, using templates, and building a system that actually works for your life. If meal planning has been sitting on your weekly to...

This week, Hannah Van Ark joins the show again to talk about family meal planning and creating systems that make feeding your family easier. After becoming a mom, Hannah realized that most families don’t need more nutrition knowledge; they need practical systems that reduce stress and get balanced meals on the table. We discuss flexible meal planning, how to serve one family meal without being a short-order cook, navigating picky eating, and creating calm at dinnertime. Hannah also shar...

This week, we’re talking about why meal planning can feel more exhausting than other household chores. Tasks like vacuuming or folding laundry can usually wait, but feeding yourself or your family happens every single day, multiple times a day! From deciding what to cook, grocery shopping, managing preferences, and actually making the meal, the mental load adds up quickly. We explore the invisible work behind feeding a household, why thinking about food can feel so relentless, and how the emo...