100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission: Meal Planning Tips for Busy Parents and Professionals
By Anthony Badeaux-Shepherd
We are Two Chef Mission- personal chefs, parents, and business owners here to give you the clarity and confidence to navigate your own kitchen at home.
We're here to show you how fun and easy cooking at home can be alongside the craziness of life, parenting, and entrepreneurship.
Be your best home chef with our meal planning tips, kitchen hacks, and insider chef tips and knowledge.
Join us weekly as we dig into our pantry of experience and let the meal planning stress melt away!
100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission: Meal Planning Tips for Busy Parents and ProfessionalsApr 22, 2024
Kitchen Essentials for Baking
Does the thought of baking at home seem a little overwhelming? No fear--we've got you! As professional chefs, we want to help make baking at home just a little easier for you. Get ready to pick our brains on baking essentials!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Baking kitchen tools
- Our top baking tips
- Bonus baking equipment
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Managing Stress in a High Stress Environment
Managing stress in the kitchen is very common, as we all need to eat and eat well, and the pressure to get it right can definitely increase your burden. Rest assured, we've got some amazing tips from years of professional and personal experience on how to manage in the kitchen.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Finding the sources of stress
- Tips for managing meal planning stress
- What we've found to work best
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
The Importance of Kitchen Organization (and Tips to Get There!)
While it's still spring, and you may still have cleaning on your mind, let's chat about organizing your kitchen. We know, not the most glamorous, but it is super useful and we're going to give you some of our favorite hacks to make it easier.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What exactly kitchen organization helps with
- Kitchen storage solutions
- Labels and categories
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Get access to our Confident Kitchen Kickstart!
What is Mise En Place and Why Does it Matter?
Have you heard of the term Mise en Place when it come to preparing your next meal? If not, you're in for a super informative and practical listen!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why it's important
- How it fits in with your home kitchen
- Seeing it in action
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Kitchen Essentials: Top Tools, Utensils and Gadgets Explored
Navigating your home kitchen and meal planning is sooo much easier with the right tools. We're sharing some of our top kitchen tools and utensils to get you started or back on the right foot!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Kitchen tools like spatulas, thermometers, and sheet trays
- Kitchen gadgets like blenders and mixers
- More advanced, but useful tools like mandolines and blow torches
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas | Part 2 on the Benefits of Breakfast
Couldn't get enough of our breakfast ideas? Great! Cuz we're back with more :) Make sure to follow us on social media to get access to all our recipes!
In this episode, we discuss:
- 7 of our top breakfast recipe ideas
- Incorporating nutritious and nutrient dense items
- Feedback on some of our breakfast favorites
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Kitchen Essentials: Cookware Essentials, Uses, and Tips
Welcome to another Kitchen Essentials episode where we go over tips that any great home chef should know about. This week we're cookware essentials, what a well-equipped kitchen means, and how it makes a difference.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The variety of pots and pans
- Cooking materials like nonstick
- Getting creative with the equipment you have
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Kitchen Essentials: Mastering Knife Skills
Welcome to another Kitchen Essentials episode where we go over tips that any great home chef should know about. This week we're covering knife skills and getting into the nitty gritty of not only safety, but also techniques and more!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Proper knife holding and finger placement
- Different skills and cuts like dice, julienne, and chiffonade
- Different types of knives and equipment
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Read the blog: Perfecting Your Knife Skills Part 1 and 2: https://twochefmission.com/2023/10/24/tips-to-perfecting-your-knife-skills-part-1/
The Benefits of Creating a Healthy Breakfast
As your first meal of the day, it's really important to be mindful of getting your body started off with the right energy and nutrients. Join us as we discuss our top tips for creating a balanced breakfast.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How to boost your energy levels
- Supporting your cognitive functions
- Components of a healthy breakfast
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Why Does Grocery Shopping Need Strategy
Did you know that grocery shopping is the mid-step to your weekly meal plan? We're loading in all the tips to think about your shopping plan more strategically :)
In this episode, we discuss:
- Organizing your shopping list and sticking to it
- Doing an audit of what you currently have on hand
- Being flexible for unexpected changes
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
The Top 7 Things we Have Learned About Starting Your Own Business Over the Past 7 Years
If you're interested in dipping your toes into the entrepreneurship pond, this episode is for you.
We firmly stand that being business owners is not easy, but it is completely worth it over and over again.
Because we're all about transparency over here, let's dive on in to our top tips for being a business owner.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The importance of flexibility and being open to making adjustments
- The ever-present risks of being in business for yourself
- How making connections is vital to a thriving business
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
The Top 10 Essential Grocery Staples Every Kitchen Needs
Let's get back to basics and focus on ingredient and pantry staples. We want to make meal planning easier and simpler for you and this is one of the ways to do just that :)
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why using grocery staples is important
- How to ID your essentials
- Our top 10 selections
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Handling Criticism in Business and Life
Criticism is something we'll all face in life. It's never easy, but help to make us better humans, business owners, and parents. We're going to share some of our recent experiences and how we've handled them.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Good
- The Bad
- Learning Points
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
How to Build a Weekly Meal Calendar
One step you can take to making meal planning easier for you is to create a weekly calendar. Sometimes that is easier said than done, so we'd like to break down some things you should take into consideration when creating a weekly meal plan.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Building a meal planning calendar based on your schedule
- Selecting a Meal Planning Day
- Utilizing or Creating Meal Templates
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Why Family Involvement Within Healthy Eating is Important
If you've ever attended one of our Confident Kitchen Kickstarts, you know that mindset around food is extremely important. A diet isn't about restrictions, as it is more about the food you are taking in every day.
If you can change your mind to focusing on health, wellness, and nutrient density, you will be more excited to actually implement healthy eating decisions for yourself and your family.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What exactly healthy eating means
- How to get the family started with healthy eating
- Our top tips for sticking with a healthy meal plan
- and so much more!
Interested in learning more about Confident Kitchen Meal Plans? Check it out HERE!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Your Questions Answered: Confident Kitchen Meal Plans
We recently launched our Meal Planning Subscription- Confident Kitchen Meal Plans and want to spill all the beans on all the hacks we offer to make meal planning easier every week for you.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How often we'll be adding new recipes to the meal planning subscription
- The difference between regular and VIP
- How to incorporate the meal plans with special dietary needs
- and so much more!
Check out Confident Kitchen Meal Plans HERE!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Navigating Food Trends as a Small Business
Have you ever heard that quote..."the only constant in life is change"?
It affects everything including our food trends, which in the past recent years have included things like sous vide, fat free everything, molten chocolate cake, and more!
We're going to dive into some of the current trends, as well as how to navigate how to stay on top of them like professional chefs like us :)
In this episode, we discuss:
- The changes and shifts in consumer preferences and behaviors related to food and beverage
- The factors that drive these behaviors
- Our top tips for staying up-to-date with the trends
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Top Tips for When it's Hard
We totally get that life happens and can get hard sometimes, but we work to not stay in the hard moment for long.
We're sharing our top tips for how to keep moving forward, even when you're not feeling like it right now.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Giving yourself grace when you're in a slump
- Changing your mindset to understanding perfection doesn't exist
- How we all feel like this way at times
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Snacks on the Go
We talk about meal planning a lot around here, but what about that time in between meals?
Sometimes planning for snacks ends up being equally as important as meals because they tend to be more on the fly than a sit-down meal does, so we wanted to provide some tips to help!
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why snacking is important with a busy lifestyle
- Snack tips for nutrition, portability, and convenience
- DIY vs Store Bought options
- and so much more!
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Tips for Involving Your Kids in Meal Planning and Prep
Do you also have little ones at home?
Ours LOVE to help around with the kitchen and we wanted to give some tips in this episode, to help you involve your children with all areas of meal planning and prep at home.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Ingredient Selection
- Snacking
- Favorite Meals
- Easy Recipes
- Setting the Table
Enjoy and happy cooking!
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
5 Top Tips for Balancing Family and Business
*Spoiler Alert*
We didn't have kids when we first started our business, and we quickly had to adapt family life with entrepreneurial life to succeed at both.
Balancing parenthood with business ownership is extremely challenging, but also extremely rewarding and we can't wait to share with you how we do just that.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Maintaining a Schedule and Boundaries
- Weekly Family Days
- Setting up your Meal on a Routine
- Taking Time Off
Enjoy and happy cooking!
The next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live. No worries, we will have replays available to watch later. Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
How to Implement More Meal Variety Without the Stress
Does meal planning stress you out?
Rest assured, you're not the only busy parent or professional that feels that way, which is why we've got some core tips on how to get some variety in your meal, without adding stress.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why variety in your meal planning is important
- Finding the source of your meal planning stress
- Simplifying your kitchen processes to lower stress
- Creating a core set of go-to recipes
Enjoy and happy cooking!
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission. We love getting to share meal planning and cooking tips with all of you. Please like and subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend that would find value in it.
Connect With Us\Follow us: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Don't forget the next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live? No worries, we will have replays available to watch later.
Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
What is the Difference Between Meal Planning and Meal Prep?
Have you ever wondered why some people say meal planning and others say meal prepping?
Well not-so-shocker for you, they're actually two different things, but still very important things when it comes to preparing meals in your home kitchen.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The difference in timeframe between meal planning and meal prepping
- The various scope of activities for each
- The efficiencies that make each act in home cooking unique
Enjoy and happy cooking!
The next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live. No worries, we will have replays available to watch later. Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
Connect With Us on Social: @twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
6 Tips for a Memorable Valentine's Date | Date Ideas for Any Budget
Valentine's Day is just a few days away! In this episode we share our top tips for making a memorable date for your significant other.
- Plan Ahead: This makes it more meaningful, memorable and fun.
- Create Ambiance or Atmosphere: Don't overthink it. This could be something as simple as music, flowers, or lighting.
- Choose a Fun Activity: Such as Cooking Together
- Choose Special Ingredients: Don't play it safe. Valentine's Day is a great time to try something new.
- Personalize the Menu: This could be a meal or the activities for the date personalized to you and your loved one.
- Be Present: Have fun together and enjoy each other's company!
Want a free 3 course date night menu for 2? Grab your copy HERE!
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission. We love getting to share meal planning and cooking tips with all of you. Please like and subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend that would find value in it.
Connect With Us\Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Don't forget the next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live. No worries, we will have replays available to watch later. Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
Benefits of Meal Planning | Our Top 6 Advantages in Planning Ahead Explained
Meal planning is an important aspect of efficiently getting your meal done for the week. The best part is that it's customizable to your specific needs and there isn't a one size fits all, so there is always room for adjustment. In this episode we dive into some of the top benefits of why having a meal plan helps.
Our Top 6 Benefits of Meal Planning:
- Long Term Time Savings- the streamlined process allows for better time management over time and way less last-minute rushing.
- Its Super Cost Effective- it allows for strategic planning and shopping around a budget, as well as reducing food waste over time.
- Build Healthier Eating Habits- meals at home allow you to control what goes into them and the ability to take a hold on your portions.
- Reduce Weekly Stress- having a plan set in place creates less questions left up in the air which in turn lowers your stress trying to quickly figure things out last minute.
- Customizations Available- like stated above making your own meal plan allows you to adjust it to your needs, whether that means allergies, restrictions or specific health goals in mind.
- Promotes Family Time and Bonding- eating at home allows you to spend more time together around the table. It also opens up the availability to get your family involved in the planning, set up and cooking.
Meal planning may take some time to implement but the benefits speak for themselves as to whether it's worth it or not. If you want more tips on how to get set up, we have our free Confident Kichen Kickstart coming up or we have some great resources for meal planning help.
Blog: Mastering Meal Planning for Busy Lifestyles
Podcast Episodes: 5 Strategies for Meal Planning on a Tight Schedule
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission. We love getting to share meal planning and cooking tips with all of you. Please like and subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend that would find value in it.
Connect With Us\Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Don't forget the next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live. No worries, we will have replays available to watch later. Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
What is the Confident Kitchen Kickstart?
In this episode we share a bit more information on our new free workshop for 2024, the Confident Kitchen Kickstart! It is a virtual workshop where you get to learn from the comfort of your own home, and we dive into jumpstarting your meal planning with the basics.
Day 1: Mindset
- We teach why a mindset on food effects your goals and execution in meal planning.
Day 2: Organization
- Flow in the kitchen allows for your planning to flow into set up, prep and cooking.
Day 3: Meal Plan Basics
- We teach you the basics on how to plan your meals efficiently and effectively.
Day 4: Cooking
- Join us in the kitchen where you get to cook virtually with us!
The next Confident Kitchen Kickstart starts February 21st! Not able to make it live. No worries, we will have replays available to watch later. Ready to join? Sign up HERE for free! Have a question about it? Send us a message.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Kitchen Mishaps and Lessons Learned
Working in professional kitchens is quite honestly pretty chaotic. Not only is everything hot, but it is very fast paced and easy to make mistakes. The goal is to have as few issues as possible and to catch them before they become major, but overall, there are bound to be some mishaps in the kitchen. In this episode we dive into some behind the scenes of when this has occurred, what we learned and how we handled it.
What kind of mishaps mainly occur?
- Individual's Mistakes: This could be a number of things from trying to catch a falling knife, grabbing hot pans and burning yourself or forgetting ingredients in recipes. This could be the fault of your own or someone lacking communication. We cover a few of these throughout the episode.
- Ingredients Missing: This could be needing to adjust for a restriction or allergy, missing ingredients because of unavailability or forgotten within ordering. This has definitely helped grow the ability to think and adjust quickly as needed so that it can be fixed quickly where no one would notice on the receiving end.
- Equipment Mess Ups: This could be a piece of equipment malfunctioning or being broken and this can happen in a number of different ways in the kitchen. This could also be user error when using equipment which is what we cover in this episode.
Top Lessons from the Kitchen:
- Learn to Think on Your Feet
- Grow Skills in Adjusting Quickly
- Communication is Key
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission. We love getting to share some funny stories from behind the scenes. Please like and subscribe to the podcast and share it with a friend that would find value in it.
Connect With Us\Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
How to Implement Trying New Things | Ingredients, Recipes, and Foods
Part of building a diverse diet with variety in ingredients, recipes and meals it is inevitable that you will need to start trying out new things. This can be a challenge for your family if you have picky or more selective eaters or it can be challenging for yourself as it is new and different. In this episode we offer some insight and tips on getting others and you involved in the trying new things process.
Tips for Getting Kids to Try New Things:
- Lead by example: our children look to us for what to do. If you want them to start adding in more to their normal diet, do it for yourself first. They are watching and they will be interested.
- Get them involved: involving your kiddos lets them experience for themselves and gets them more excited to try. This could be through picking out items or meals or through having them cook with you.
- Make it fun: kids learn through play so a easy way to get them interested is by making it fun and creative. Utilize easy snacks or meals that they can help cook.
- Keep a positive outlook and response: this will not be easy, clean or organized. Kids are chaos, so expect a little of that in getting them in the kitchen with you so that you can lessen the stress of hoping things go super smoothly. As you do it more it will get easier.
Start with Familiar Flavors
- Mix go-to recipes with new added ingredients when possible.
- Trying new items with familiar favorites lets you dip your toes in to see what you like without the overwhelm of fully launching into massive change.
- It may seem small but, baby steps are still steps forward.
Explore New Flavors with Learning about Different Cultures
- This definitely brings in some of the fun side of food we talked about above.
- Learning about different regions and cultures through their food makes it more immersive, interesting and it also helps you grow your skills in the kitchen while also getting you to try new recipes and flavors.
Try Shopping at a Farmers Market or a Specialty Grocery Store
- Exploring your local farmers market will let you not only see some different produce to try but there are also tons of vendors selling new and exciting food items to try.
- Doing this will also get you to see more of what is in season throughout the year.
- Specialty grocery stores also generally have a tom more variety in things to explore and try out.
Always remember that when you are implementing new things into your meals that it is a change, and it takes time to get used to. Some things may take more time than others to be accepted as you try out new ingredients. It also takes more than one time of trying an ingredient before you truly know whether you like it or not (about 12 times for kids), so be patient with not only your family but also with yourself. And always remember to celebrate the wins of getting new variety added in, even if it doesn't go to plan.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Fruit and Cheese Snack Kits | Snacks for on the Go
The poll selection from the group is in and the winning choice was Fruit and Cheese Kits! We're excited to share some super easy, filling and delicious snack pairings. In this episode we dive into our top 4 fruit and cheese kits and some tips for quick grab and go snack prep. We also have access to our 24 Fruit and Cheese Kit Combos down below.
- Sliced Brie with Honey and Sliced Apple: for added crunch you could throw in some crackers.
- Quick Watermelon Feta Salad: chopped watermelon, feta, arugula, and your choice of seasoning or dressing (our tops: balsamic or red wine vinaigrette).
- Tomato Caprese Toss: mixed grape tomatoes halved, mozzarella pearls, chiffonade basil, and your choice of seasoning or dressing (our top: balsamic vinaigrette).
- Sharp Cheddar and Berries: we used raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Want more fruit and cheese kit ideas? We have a list of 24 combinations for you to have for easy prepping. Grab your free 24 Fruit and Cheese Combinations Download HERE. We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
How Travel Influences Culinary Creativity
Travel is not just about vacation for us. It's also a big way to continue our growth within the culinary field. While many examples we have are from outside the U.S., there is still a ton to learn throughout the different states. In this episode we do a deep dive into how travel has directly influenced our professional lives as chefs.
Learning and Immersion:
- New Flavors and Ingredients
- How To's and Learning New Methods
- Learning the Different Cultures and Immersing Yourself in it
(For Tony's comment on gluten: my research did not turn up with any helpful articles on this, but there are many on guides to eating gluten free in Italy)
Why is it Necessary for Learning in Culinary?
- Things are always growing and shifting within culinary, so there is always something new to learn to keep up with what is going on in the industry.
- It gives you more skills, knowledge, and ideas to implement.
- It helps grow your passion and makes it fun.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
New Year, New Habits: Tips to Setting Up a Nutritious Snack Station
If you're parents like us you probably have snacks in your house. Our kids are big snackers, so we are always looking for ways to make sure they are having snacks that are also nutritious. Those are the ones that we make sure that they have easy access to. In this episode we share our tips to how to set up a snack station.
Areas of Focus:
1. What snacks do you want them to have?
- healthy options, protein and fiber to feel full longer, energy boosting.
2. Where will the snacks be located?
- will it work in the pantry or do you need to find a space.
3. How will it be organized?
- this provides structure.
- bins, cart, rotation
4. What you see is what you will eat.
- out of sight is out of mind, so make the snacks that you want to be eaten easily accessible.
Remember to join the Facebook group if you want to join in on the snacks this coming Friday, Jan. 26th!
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
How to Balance Convenience with Nutrition
We think we can all agree that there is a ton of information that can be found on food and some of it can be conflicting or confusing. Don't eat this or that, x is the healthiest, if you don't do it this way you will fail. We have heard a lot on convenience foods and their good or bad qualities. In this episode we talk about how to utilize convenience foods while also still being aware of what is going into your meal.
What are convenience foods?
- Definition: food that has been further processed to make it easily consumable. It may be entirely prepared or a type of food that is convenient to eat in nature.
- With so many choices the important things to know is that the selections are not all created equal when it comes to looking for something convenient, but also nutritious.
Why is reading labels important?
- This allows you to take more ownership on what you are selecting by being mindful of what is in the item.
- Look for items that are mostly whole ingredients and don't have a ton of unknown ingredients.
- When in doubt do some research on the added ingredients in your favorite items to learn more of what is going into it.
Look for whole ingredients.
- This could be precut produce, nuts, grains, rotisserie chicken, shellfish (already peeled) and so much more.
- Using these items is a great way to have convenience but still get fresh and whole foods into your meals.
Why frozen fruits and veggies?
- Because they are picked at the peak of season frozen fruits and veggies are at the top flavor wise and nutrition wise.
- These can be super helpful to add to a meal when you may be pressed for time.
Canned items.
- Canned items can still be nutritious and are a good added support items to your meals.
- The "canned" taste can be removed through the cooking and seasoning process.
- They can also be especially helpful with items such as beans that would usually take hours to cook.
Our Top Choices
- Frozen Fruits and Veggies
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Salad Kits (Sometimes)
- Canned Tomato Products and Beans
- Yellow Rice
- Frozen Meatballs (Kids Favorite)
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Why is a Mealtime Routine Important?
Having a mealtime routine is important. Not only does it help set up and close the day, but it also gives you important time together as a family. In this episode we focus on some of the top reasons to get a routine set up.
- It Helps Build Structure in The Day: meals start and end the day, so this is a great time to get a jumpstart to a great day and a good close to the night.
- It Allows Family Connection to be Built: this is especially true as kids get into school age and they are away for most of the day.
- It Creates Memories That Will Stay with You: time spent together is not only shared time, but also shared experiences, stories, and memories that will shape and grow your family.
While meals together may not happen every day as we know activities can fill up space in our schedules, it's important to make a structure around setting the time to make it happen when it can. Here are some additional tips on making a mealtime routine a bit more of a priority:
- Be in the moment and focused on those around you. Remove external distractions.
- Plan meals together around how the weekly schedule will be. Find the busy times and open times and block them out.
- Schedule it or it probably won't happen.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
5 Strategies for Meal Planning with a Tight Schedule
While the holidays wrap up, it's time to get back to our regular daily schedules, which we know for many of you are packed with work, kids, and activities. In this episode we share some great strategies to speed up your meal planning while also keeping it super simple for all of you have tight schedules.
- Master Recipe List: these are your go to recipes. They are reliable, quick and easy.
- Theme Nights: this can help simplify your decision making. It also offers variety without complexity
- Monthly or Biweekly Menu Rotation: this can help with decision fatigue. It also will hugely simplify your planning and shopping.
- Separate Meals by Time: this can help you categorize your super quick meals from your longer recipes, ex) 15 min. Recipes, 30 min. Recipes, 1 hr+ Recipes.
- Recipes That Utilize Appliances: these use items such as a crockpot, instant pot, or air fryer. This helps reduce hands on time which can save time with you physically being in the kitchen.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
The Importance of Flexibility in Meal Planning
Flexibility with meal planning will help customize it to your preferences, schedule and life. In this episode we talk about the top ways to utilize it and how it helps.
1. It makes your meals more adaptable.
2. It helps with stress management.
3. It allows for adjusting recipes for the season.
Our Top Tips for Flexibility
1. Look into and use batch cooking.
2. Have a backup meal plan or emergency meal in the freezer.
3. Use versatile ingredients that fit into multiple meals.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Holiday Appetizer Tips
During the holidays we know there are lots of gatherings, whether for family, friends or work. Join us in this seasonal episode while we dive into our top 5 tips on Holiday Appetizers.
- Think about balance in your appetizers: This could be textures, flavors, hot vs cold, and diversity of ingredients.
- Utilize make ahead appetizers or platters: These are great for a less stressful meal addition and are great for your cold apps.
- Add in seasonal ingredients and/or flavors: For fall into winter think warm spices and hearty flavors.
- Budget plays a part: Think about whether homemade will be best or will store bought be more budget friendly. Sometimes homemade is better and sometimes not, depending on your group size.
- Collaboration for the win: This can also be helpful with stress during the holidays, if you ask your guests to contribute to bringing items.
Bonus Thoughts: (If you want to add a little something extra)
- Go Global in Flavors
- Add in Some Drink Pairings
- Play with Festive Presentations or Garnishes
We hope these tips find you well in this post and can’t wait to share more tips for the season! Remember to have tons of fun while cooking this holiday season, we know from experience that it makes it all more enjoyable, especially if you have friends and family helping. We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
Why is Batch Cooking Helpful?
This week we are talking about how utilizing batch cooking can be super helpful for parents and busy families when meal planning.
In this episode we discuss:
- What is batch cooking?
- Our top ways it can help you.
- Meal plans can always be adjusted and customized to fit your specific needs.
Batch Cooking Can Help With:
- Efficiency
- Consistency
- Lower Stress
- Variety
- Schedule Flexibility
We hope you enjoyed this episode of 100% fresh and would love to answer any questions you may have. Connect With Us Follow us: @twochefmission Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live each week to discuss different cooking and meal planning topics.
5 Tips for a Stress Free Holiday Meal
Since we are in the holiday season, we wanted to share some tips to help simplify your meal planning for a stress free holiday meal. Here are our top 5.
- Don't try to do everything on your own: delegate as needed.
- Avoid trying out something new for the first time: stick with what you know.
- Use the KISS method for your menu: keep is super simple.
- Shop early: beat the holiday shopping chaos and traffic.
- Prioritize your favorites first: these are the most important items.
We hope these tips help you have a great holiday season spent making tons of memories with family and friends.
Connect With Us!
Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our group: Meal Planning for Busy Parents where we go live weekly talking about different cooking and meal planning topics.
Chef Bite: Meal Planning Missteps
When getting into meal planning it can be easy to get overwhelmed and/or to try to do too much at once. That's why we are here to help offer tips on meal planning that can help you avoid them or at least to talk through them as all of it is a learning experience.
In This Episode We:
Talk about some of the biggest meal planning missteps that happen when getting into planning out your meals.
- Planning to do too much: This is especially easy to do if you are just starting out and try to throw every meal in (breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner)
- Over complicated meals: Keep things simple as you start and get comfortable with the basics. Add on more and different ingredients as you go.
- Planning out too far in advance: This goes for planning your meals out weeks or months in advance or getting too much on ingredients too far ahead. This can cause a bit too much structure that you may feel can't be changed and it can cause ingredients to spoil and be wasted.
- Freezing the wrong things: For some freezer meals may be an easy way to have meals on hand, but not all ingredients do well freezing. It can also cause an issue if you freeze too much at once because even in the freezer things only last so long.
We hope you enjoy this episode and as always, please let us know if you have any questions we can help answer. We are currently working on getting our meal plan site up and running and can't wait to share more of the details on it with you! Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Podcasting Equipment:
Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link)
Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Growing Your Passion for Cooking
I think we can all agree that we don't just start out with a huge passion for everything. We find things that grow our interest and then begin to learn more about them. This same principal is very much how growing your passion cooking at home starts. It has to start somewhere and that may be working to be able to plan meals for your family.
In This Episode We:
Go over where to start with growing your passion for cooking. This Includes:
- Learn the Basics: Start off simple and learn the techniques to create a base for your cooking skills.
- Try New and Unique Ingredients: Start to explore different flavors to learn more once you have a base ground.
- Research and Start Learning: To grow your knowledge and skills dive a bit deeper into learning more about cooking.
- Get Others Involved: Whether it's family or friends, getting others involved (even just to hang out with you in the kitchen) can do wonders to staying motivated.
While not all of these steps have to be utilized, we would definitely recommend the first and last because they can really help out with keeping you motivated in the kitchen. Some of the other steps may be of more interest later on.
We hope you enjoy this episode and as always, please let us know if you have any questions we can help answer. We are currently working on getting our meal plan site up and running and can't wait to share more of the details on it with you! Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Podcasting Equipment:
Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link)
Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Behind the Scenes: How to Get Unstuck
We all feel stuck sometimes, but the important thing is not to stay in the stuck zone. Whether it's in business or something as simple as what to have for dinner. This can definitely happen when you have a lot on your plate since then you are trying to decide on what to focus on and when. Since this is something, we are currently going through in our business, we wanted to share some tips on how we move through feeling stuck.
In This Episode We:
- Share that being stuck is something that is totally normal and can play a part in many areas of our lives.
- Offer tips on getting unstuck.
- Talk through different ways and times that we have worked through this.
Tips to Get Unstuck:
- Step away and change your energy: Maybe go for a walk.
- Come back and assess how you are feeling: Decide whether you feel like this is something you can work through.
- Ask for help if needed whether it's for free or through finding a professional: Google, YouTube, Fiverr, Upwork, Facebook Groups
- Are there others that may be able to help: Friends, Networking Ops, Business Contacts
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
youtube.com/@twochefmission9399
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Podcasting Equipment:
Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link)
Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Chef Bite: Why is Meal Planning so Hard?
Getting into anything new can be challenging, so meal planning isn't any different. The main thing is to start. Create a roadmap and plan it out. Going step by step through the process will get you going and as you go to each new step you are more likely to continue. Habits take about 90 days to form, so don't expect it to get easy overnight. Keep going and if you need it get help along the way.
In This Episode We:
- Talk about how starting anything new can be a challenge.
- Offer some steps that can help in alleviating the process.
- Talk through a rough draft process of starting to get into meal planning.
- Offer a few resources that can help in saving time and stress on meal planning.
We hope you enjoy this chef bite episode for meal plan tips and as always, please let us know if you need any assistance. We are currently working on getting our meal plan site up and running and can't wait to share more of the details on it with you!
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Podcasting Equipment:
Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link)
Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Boiling Point: The Difference Between a Home Cook and a Culinary Professional
There is so much information on social media and the internet about food related topics, diet and recipes, but where is it coming from? What is the source? Is it coming from someone with a background in nutrition or the food industry or is it coming from an influencer or home cook? We have seen some recent videos, recipes and food information that has definitely inspired this episode.
In This Episode We:
- Talk about some of the recent misinformation we have seen online.
- Do a deep dive into what makes a culinary professional and how it is different from a home cook.
- Offer some tips on how to do your own research to find who you are getting your information from.
While we are not saying that every home cook is spreading bad information, it is important to know where your information is coming from. As chefs we take everything we do very seriously, to ensure the safety of our clients. Because of this we also want to be able to offer insight into these topics here, so that we can shine a light on some of the muddled information that can be found online.
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Podcasting Equipment: Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link) Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Why Two Chef Mission?
Since we have wanted to share more of our story growing through business, we decided to take you all the way back to the beginning with why we chose to start. For this episode we also went completely unplanned to give our full feelings on why we created Two Chef Mission. We hope you enjoy a little of our backstory.
In This Episode We:
- Talk about the beginning of Two Chef Mission and why we started it.
- Go over the versions of what we started as Two Chef Mission and where we are now.
- Offer a bit of insight on challenges with a start-up business as well as being a microbusiness.
- Explain that the growth process is still continuing and never stops as you build a business that you want to continue to succeed.
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Faceboook.com/twochefmission
Instagram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Podcasting Equipment: Ffine Mic: https://amzn.to/44aHABM (affiliate link) Sades Mpower Headsets with Mic: https://amzn.to/40K5GAF (affiliate link)
Chef Bite: 5 Tips for Meal Planning
In This Episode We Share 5 Simple Tips for Beginning Meal Planning:
- Start Small and Keep it Simple: Include some of your favorites.
- Shop Smart: Seasonal and focus on whole foods.
- Utilize Your Freezer: Backup meal and weekly meal prep.
- Have a Well-Stocked Pantry
- Plan for a Night Off: Utilize your back up meal, leftovers or eat out.
Bonus Tip: Let someone else do the planning for you: utilize meal plans done for you or meal delivery.
- If having a meal plan done for you is what you need, we can help. Just send us an inquiry on our contact page: twochefmission.com/contact/
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Facebook.com/twochefmission
instgram.com/twochefmission
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
It's Spring Time! | Seasonal Cooking and Ingredients
Spring is now in full swing, and we are so excited to play around with new recipes highlighting the flavors of SPRING! Spring runs from March 20th through June 21st, so we've got plenty of time to get some great ideas out to all of you.
In This Episode We:
Go over what is in season:
- Fruits: rhubarb, strawberries, meyer lemon, kiwi, honey dew, cherries, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, and apricots
- Vegetables: asparagus, artichokes, beets. fiddlehead ferns, fava beans, spring onions, new potatoes, morel mushrooms, carrots, greens (spinach, frisée, dandelion, arugula, watercress, kale), ramps, radishes, peas, and herbs (dill, parsley, chives)
- Proteins: lamb, softshell crab, salmon, and trout
Offer some ideas on seasonal cooking:
- Focus on light and bright flavors.
- Work for a cohesive balance in dishes.
- Utilize the fresh ingredients as the star of the dish.
Share some tips of shopping and cooking with the season:
- It's budget friendly.
- Ingredients are at their best so their flavor is also top notch.
- Quality ingredients are going to be found easiest when going with seasonal items.
We hope that this episode gives you some ideas on how to get some great cooking in during this spring season! If you have any questions on seasonal cooking or ingredients, please send us a message.
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Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
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Local Flavors: Disney Springs Dining Guide
As personal chefs, annual pass holders, previous cast members, and Orlando locals we are in the Disney area a lot of the time. Through the years we have eaten at a number of locations at Disney Springs, so we wanted to offer some of our top picks.
In This Episode We:
- Go over each area of Disney Springs and offer some tips and insights into our experiences at different locations.
- Offer some of our top picks for places to try.
- Share some ideas of where you can find unique experiences, good places to take the family, and some nice date night ideas.
We hope that this episode gives you some ideas on places to try when you are on your trips to Disney Springs.
Want the free Disney Springs Dining Checklist and Recommendations Guide we made? Get yours HERE! :https://bit.ly/3LWTo4d
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How We Create Menus
As personal chefs, we are always creating new menus. It is not only part of our job, but also something that we are highly passionate about. In order to do this, we have to focus on a few areas: who is it for, theme, and season. Join us as we talk a bit more about how we have done this throughout our careers.
In this Episode We:
- Give insight to how we come up with new menus from start to finish.
- Talk through each area of focus.
- Offer examples of how we put this into practice with some of our recent menus.
Because we love coming up with new menus, if you are ever looking for something custom please reach out to us for any assistance.
Connect with Two Chef Mission:
Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
If you are looking for some of our themed menus with recipes and shopping lists check out our Etsy Shop! We are getting ready to add some more options soon.
Please like and subscribe to 100% Fresh with Two Chef Mission and please share it out with anyone that may find value in it. Thank you for your support!
Chef Bite: How to Find a Meal Plan That Fits
In this chef bite we launch our mini-series on tips of meal planning. For this episode we are sharing a how to on finding the meal plan that fits you. From strict, to flexible, to even meal kits or meal delivery there is a plan that works for everyone. It just takes going over a few questions.
Do I want to select meals each week that I will fully stick to?
Do I need the structure of knowing exactly what I am going to be eating?
How much time do I have to cook?
What is my budget?
Do I have a picky eater or allergies to worry about?
From there we discuss how your answers will fall into each category. An additional resource that may help is our blog post on this same topic, which can be found here!
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Join our Facebook community Around the Table with Two Chef Mission
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Knife Safety
Knife safety is very important when working in a kitchen. Whether it's in a professional setting like we have had to use or in our own home kitchen we utilize safe knife practices everyday. During this podcast we go over some of the dos and don'ts of knife use that can be used in everyday life cooking in your own home.
In This Episode We Cover:
-Keeping Your Knife Sharp: efficiency, precision, and safety
-Honing vs Sharpening Your Knife: steel vs a whetstone
-Safety in the Kitchen
- Knife Holds
- Curling Your Fingers
- Never Catch a Falling Knife
- Cutting Board Length
- Communication: "Knife Behind or Behind"
- Knife Storage
-Using the Right Knife for Each Job
- Chef Knife: is a very versatile knife used for complex cuts, slicing, dicing and so much more.
- Paring Knife: has a short handle and blade which makes it good for peeling fruits and vegetables or other small tasks.
- Boning Knife: used for trimming around bones to get the most meat as possible.
- Utility Knife: it's in between a paring knife and chef's knife so it is good for items that are too long for a paring knife.
- Cleaver: good for cutting through big hard vegetables, large chunks of meat and some smaller bones.
- Carving Knife: good for carving thick pieces of meat.
- Filet Knife: has a thin and sharp blade, making it great for breaking down fish.
- Bread Knife: a pretty self explanatory knife for slicing or cutting bread.
-Knife Covers: help protect your knives and yourself
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