The Chalkboard

The Ultimate Guide to Meal Planning

The Kitchen Chalkboard Way

Is your late afternoon hectic? Maybe you are racing around to take your kids to activities or getting home from a crazy day at work. The hours between 4-7 can be nuts. You get home and stare at the refrigerator and think, what the heck am I going to make for dinner? I hear you and I’m here to help.

I used to do the same thing and we wound up eating a fair amount of takeout food. Until I started meal planning. Ever since then, I saved money and time. Dinner is no longer something I worry about. I still think about it obsessively because I love food (wink) but I do not worry about what’s for dinner.

Now you may have wanted to meal plan before and never got around to it. Or you just don’t know where to start. I get it! I am here to help. Read on to find the step-by-step instructions on how to meal plan and stick to it. I’ve done this method for years and it works.

Let’s go to the chalkboard.

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Mother’s Day Kitchen Gifts

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Struggling with what to get your mom, wife, or grandma for Mother’s Day? Are they someone that loves to cook, bake or eat? I’ve got you covered. Check out our list of the best Mother’s Day Kitchen Gifts.

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

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How to Organize Your Recipes in 2019

by Kristen Leave a Comment

I have been watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix obsessively and now have this unrelenting need to get organized and downsize. As I was purging closets and deciding what “sparks joy,” as Kondo advises one to do, I started thinking about the kitchen. (All roads to lead to the kitchen with me). How to organize recipes came to mind.

My first foray into organzing recipes was to simpy create a folder on my computer and bookmark the recipe. Two clicks and it was saved. This method is great for it’s simplicity. It falls down a bit when you are looking for a recipe and you have no idea what it is called. You have to be online to access the website and rely on the recipe still being in the same location it was when you found it. I found, over time, websites shut down or recipes were placed behind a paywall making it difficult to access. There had to be a better way so off I went to find the best way to organize recipes.

I tried the Paprika Recipe Manager, Pepperplate, Pocket, and Pinterest. There are pros and cons to each one but to me there is standout method.

Which one is right for you? Let’s go the chalkboard.

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Gift Ideas for Someone who Likes to Cook

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Gift giving is hard. I’m here to make it as easy as possible. Check out the items below to bring a smile to not just the cooks but everyone on your list.

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How to Make Pumpkin Puree

by Kristen Leave a Comment

It all started with Curious George.

Storytime in our house is always an interesting time. It usually involves me reading while my little ones ask ten thousand questions. The conversations can be about anything from what are clouds made of to the most recent, what’s pumpkin pie taste like?

Curious George was eating a pumpkin pie and my husband pipes in, “Can you make a pumpkin pie?” I was ecstatic! My family never asks for any specific food. Let alone a vegetable! I’m counting pie as a vegetable in this instance. It’s an ingredient, right?

Before we make a pie, we need to make the pumpkin puree. Let’s go to the chalkboard.

Here’s how to make pumpkin puree from scratch

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I Tried Seven Ancient Grains

by Kristen Leave a Comment

This summer the unthinkable happened. I got sick of cooking! I know, I know! The girl who loves to eat and can talk about food all day long got sick of cooking! But the spark was gone. I knew my family needed to be fed but just couldn’t think of what. Sick of the same old stuff, I needed to change things up.

So I went to trusty Pinterest for inspiration. I pinned and pinned and pinned recipes. When looking at the board, there was clearly a trend. It was full of grain salads. They were colorful and not too complicated and because of that, I was sold!

As I read the recipes, I saw ingredients I had never tried before — namely bulgur and farro. I found that they were ancient grains after a quick search. I was intrigued. What were they? Where could I find them? Most importantly how did they taste? I needed to know everything and as a result, I tried seven ancient grains.

Here’s what you need to know.

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Online Grocery Shopping Comparison

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Comparing Grocery Delivery Services

I needed to run to the store to grab a few things and I took the boys with me. As we were walking through the aisles my youngest said, “Woah they sell food here? This is unbelievable,” he marveled as we walked around. The women in the store were having a good laugh. It was at that moment that I realized just how much I grocery shop online.

I’m forever on the quest to simplify my life. I love to use technology to make things easier, and with two kids, it is a necessity. Based on my son’s reaction to the grocery store, one may even say I’ve gone too far. I’m not alone in my obsession. According to industry estimates, online grocers are said to be worth $100 billion by 2025.

That estimate was proof that I’m not alone in my thinking — online grocery shopping the greatest invention ever. Being able to meal plan and shop anywhere, at any time? Amazing!

But which service should you use? After using three different services over the past few years, I have seen their strengths and weaknesses. So without further adieu, here’s a comparison of three popular services, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Peapod.

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How to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

by Kristen 2 Comments

I don’t know about you, but I am always trying to get my kids to eat more vegetables. Fruits haven’t been too much of a problem but anything green? No way! Even though when you ask my little guy what his favorite food is he will almost always say “peas”. Seriously. If he ever tells you that, do NOT believe him. I’ve called his bluff many times and given him peas. His reply, “I’ve never said that.” Bless his heart.

I’m always on the hunt for a new way to get my boys to eat more vegetables. That, coupled with my obsession with food, had me recently take a class on Child Nutrition. It was a fairly basic class but there were a few good takeaways.

Here’s how I got my kids to eat more vegetables

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Well-Stocked Pantry

by Kristen Leave a Comment

When I moved into my first apartment, I decided I needed to learn how to cook. I loved to eat and nurture so cooking was a natural fit. Slowly cooking through the only cookbook I had, The Campbell’s Soup Cookbook, I learned a ton and I was sold.