by Vicki Peel | Mar 28, 2022 | Food |
In the previous blog post, demonstration of a sheet pan meal showed just how quick and easy it is to prepare a sheet pan meal.
You don’t even need a recipe!
In this post, you will receive all the tools you need to create your own quick, easy, and delicious sheet pan meals. And you will be able to create your own sheet pan meal recipes!
All the printable instructions you need can be downloaded HERE. Just download and unzip the file. There are two sets of instructions. One has been created in pastel colors and the other has been created in gray with a gray dotted background. Both files are exactly the same. You simply have a choice as to whether you would rather print the instructions in color or in gray.
Below are examples of the downloads you are receiving. From this point forward, the individual downloaded instructions will be referred to as “printable or printables”.
The Sheet Pan Meal Recipe Template is your basic recipe to make a sheet pan meal. It guides you through the steps for preparing a sheet pan meal, and you create the recipe by adding your choice of protein (beef, pork, chicken or fish) and your choice of vegetables. The result will be your own sheet pan meal recipe!
Sheet Pan Meal Construction lists the components needed to construct your sheet pan meal, along with tips for selection and use of each part.
The Sheet Pan Meal Vegetables Tip Sheet is a list of vegetables that roast well in a sheet pan recipe, and some recommendations for vegetables that pair well for roasting.
Follow the steps for How to Oven-Roast Vegetables if you want to roast just vegetables, without the protein that makes a complete meal.
To add more flavor to your sheet pan meals, the Sheet Pan Meal Specialty Recipes printable provides four different rub recipes for your chosen meat. Use these to spark ideas and create your own rub recipes.
You can take the flavor up a notch with toppers to serve over your prepared sheet pan meal. Use prepared sauces or dressings, a favorite topper recipe, or mix your own favorite flavors to create a new topping.
In addition to the instruction printables, Sheet Pan Meal Recommended Tools includes some of my favorite tools for making perfect sheet pan meals. I use all of these exact tools, except for the sheet pan, which I already owned. However, after reviewing the specifications of the included sheet pans, I recommend either of them.
Click on the image of each tool to see product and purchase information. These are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
All the printable instructions you need can be downloaded HERE. Just download and unzip the file.
Now, you have everything you need to make quick, easy, and delicious sheet pan meals your family will love. If you have comments, suggestions, or requests, please leave them in the Comments section below.
And take pictures of sheet pan meals you prepare and recipes you create! Send them to me at vicki@herlifehacks.com. I want to feature your creations in a future post!
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 24, 2022 | Food |
You can’t get much easier than a sheet pan meal. And there are so many ways you can change it up to make it with your favorite foods. You really don’t need a recipe. But I’ve got one to share with you, just to get you started!
This short video shows just how quickly you can get a sheet pan meal on the table. The video is only a little over 6 minutes, and the only thing left out is about 5 minutes to gather my ingredients and equipment and the 25 minutes it takes to cook!
Have you tried sheet pan meals? Do you cook them regularly? If so, let us know what you prepared and how it went. I’d love for you to share a favorite sheet pan recipe and pictures next time you make it! I want to feature you in a future blog or email.
Easy peasy! Try out my recipe or create your own! Click HERE for recipe with gray dotted lines background and click HERE for recipe with colorful abstract fruit background.
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 22, 2022 | Food |
Meal planning has never been easy for me. I’ve repeatedly tried to plan weekly family meals but was never able to create a sustainable process. There were too many moving parts – menus, ingredients needed, ingredients on-hand, grocery lists, time to plan, time to prepare, energy to do it all at the end of a busy day. It just never came together like I envisioned meal planning should be.
And therein lies the problem – I envisioned the end result, which was a home-cooked family meal at least once a day. I never got beyond the vision. I often found myself staring into the abyss of an uninviting and limited-options refrigerator.
But you don’t start out with anything as an expert. You start at the beginning. Preparing a meal a day is a habit. And habits start with tiny steps, repeated again and again.
To help you get started, I’ve prepared a Meal Prep Cheat Sheet of tips. You can download it HERE.
I am excited to share with you the quick and easy Level-Up Meal Planning System! You don’t start out preparing made-from-scratch home-cooked meals on a daily basis. Nobody has the amount of free time to do that, much less plan and implement it!
With my new system, you start at Level 1. You start with what you know and what you can reasonably accomplish within your available time.
The goal is one meal per day prepared and served at home.
Even if it’s not the complete home-cooked meal your mother or grandmother used to prepare. Almost any meal prepared at home will be healthier than the fast food you’re likely to pick up when you realize you don’t have a meal plan in place.
The one and only goal of Level 1 in the Level-Up Meal Planning System is to prepare and eat one meal a day at home with your family. Can you do it? Think it through
Here are some basic steps in the Level-Up Meal Planning System, Level 1:
- Look at your calendar or schedule for the coming week and consider when your family will be at home together. Your schedule may not allow you to prepare a meal at home every day. That’s okay. And you may have to deal with a staggered eating schedule for family members. That’s okay.
- Decide which meal of the day you will have time to prepare at home.
- Complete the basic Weekly Meal Planning, Level-Up 1 planning sheet. Keep it simple.
- Fill in your menu for the day.
- Identify any part of the menu that can be prepped the day before to save you time and write that in the Pre-Prep For the Following Day. For example, it may be as simple as gathering the equipment and non-refrigerated ingredients and have them ready to go when you start your meal preparation the next day.
- List any ingredients you need to prepare each daily menu on the Grocery Shopping List – Level-Up 1 checklist. It may be a good idea to list every ingredient and then check to see what you have on hand and cross those items off the list. That leaves you with a final grocery shopping list.
- Do your grocery shopping. That has become simpler with delivery and pick-up options.
- Implement your plan.
Download your Level-Up 1 Meal Planning Worksheet now to start creating your own system. You can get it HERE.
I also created a Grocery Shopping List – Level 1 for you. Download it HERE.
Here are a few suggestions to make the system work for you:
- First, don’t start out feeling like you have failed if you can’t prepare one meal a day at home, especially if you’ve not been doing so regularly.
- Try eating the same food (or a choice of 2 food options) for the other two meals of the day for the week. If you want a daily snack, plan on eating the same snack or a choice of two snacks for the week. That will simplify your planning process by keeping decisions to a minimum.
- Try planning the home-prepared meal for each day around a weekly theme. For example:
- Meatless Monday
- Taco Tuesday
- Soup and Sandwich Wednesday
- Pasta Thursday
- Stir-Fry Friday
- Pizza Saturday
- Some other options might be a night for loaded baked potatoes, breakfast-for-dinner, casseroles, leftovers. There are a lot of variations of menu items you could prepare for each themed night. Create your own nightly theme based on your family’s favorite foods.
- When time is limited and your energy is low, have a preplanned menu for a Takeout Night. By planning ahead, you will be able to make healthier choices.
You can stay at Level 1 as long as you like. If you get bored or ready to stretch yourself in the kitchen, you can always move up to Level 2. (More about that one later.)
The more you follow this system, the easier it becomes to plan and follow through. You’ll be able to serve your family healthier meals than if your lack of planning meant a quick dash at your favorite fast-food restaurant.
When you follow a system that works for your family, you are developing a habit of commitment to planning healthier food choices.
What have you got to lose? No – the question is what have you got to gain?
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 17, 2022 | Food |
How many times have you made a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier this year? And how many times have you failed?
I have to admit it – that’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do – eat healthy! Are we so addicted to processed foods and sugar that we can’t get off that hamster wheel?
In 2019, the United States tied for 10th place (with Lithuania) among the world’s unhealthiest countries. And the reason for this is the rate of obesity and chronic health conditions.
We are doing something very wrong. And we’re not helping the next generation out of this mess.
So what can we do? First we need to become more aware – aware of what we are doing to ourselves and our children and grandchildren. I think if most of us were presented with a variety of foods, we could identify which ones were better for us to eat than others. But, we’re not choosing to eat them.
The next thing we need to do is develop tiny habits. What is one thing you can do today – one choice you can make that is a step toward eating healthier food? It’s unlikely that you or anyone will start today with good choices and be able to continue that as a habit. Just start with one thing today. Tomorrow is another chance to work on developing a healthier habit. Tiny steps turn into big results if repeated.
Here’s a quick and fun way to start becoming more aware. What type of eater are you?
Which number did you pick? Click HERE to see what type of eater you are!
Now – what is your next thing to do? Leave your comments below!
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 15, 2022 | Food |
Don’t think you have time to cook a family meal? Muffin pan recipes are one solution to that problem.
Muffin pan recipes allow you to prepare meals faster because you are cooking the food in smaller amounts. The less food you cook in a muffin pan cup, the faster it cooks. It’s that simple.
Watch me prepare two muffin pan recipes in under an hour! Of course, the video doesn’t include cooking time. I demonstrate all the preparation steps for cooking Mini Meatloaf and Mini Scalloped Potatoes. In addition to video time, add 12 minutes for assembling ingredients and equipment and 25 minutes cooking time. Under an hour!
Click HERE to view “Muffin Pan Meal in Under an Hour”
Want a copy of the recipes? Click on either of the titles below:
Muffin Pan Recipes (on a colorful fruit background)
Muffin Pan Recipes (on a gray dots background)
Please share your comments below!
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 10, 2022 | Food |
Simple home cooking. Is that your daily routine or does it sound like a pipe dream to you?
When I was growing up, we rarely ate out. My grandmother and mother cooked three meals a day – every day. And while I recall being served biscuits and green beans – we called them string beans – at every meal except breakfast, remembering the whole family gathering around the table brings back warm and comforting memories.
Fried chicken was about as fresh as you could get it. Grandmama raised chickens, so we never had to go to the grocery store for that! And fresh eggs daily were as close as the chicken coop.
Cooking at home is one of the healthiest things you can do for your family. It’s much easier to make healthier choices at home. Eating more vegetables and far less sugar and salt than takeout means better overall nutrition for the people you love.
Home cooking brings us together as a family. It’s a chance to create new memories, find out what’s going on in the lives of our family members, and share things that strengthen family bonds.
I want to cook more meals at home. I know I can save money and eat much healthier. Does that resonate with you?
But it’s hard to do. It requires planning, planning, planning. And preparation time. So, at the end of another busy day, it’s so much easier to order a pizza or pick up a family meal at your favorite fast food restaurant.
Let’s start with a few general meal planning tips.
- If you’re not sure where to start with planning your meals, you can make it easy by taking stock of what is in your kitchen. Take note of everything in your pantry and refrigerator, write it down, and see what meals you can make from those ingredients.
- Start small by preparing home-cooked meals only a few times a week. You’ll start to get the hang of it and want to cook more often once you realize what a time saver it really is.
- Make extras. Plan for leftovers and how you’ll use them in another meal. And instead of making one casserole, or enough soup for one meal, make enough for two or even three and then freeze the extras.
- Enlist the help of family members. When I had my knee replacement surgeries, my husband was forced to learn to cook. And to my surprise and delight, he really got interested in preparing new dishes and looking for recipes to try.
- Be open to new ideas and new ways to prepare meals. And document what you do along the way. Instead of sharing pics of your meal at a local restaurant, take pictures of the meals you prepare and share them with me. I want to include you in my posts and emails!
For the next four months, HER Life Hacks will be focused on FOOD. Look for new blog posts every Tuesday and Thursday. Topics will be alternated among the three category areas that you, my readers, helped me plan: Meal Planning; Meal Prep; and Healthy Food Choices.
For your reference, here is the agenda scheduled for March – June 2022. This post is Week 2B. If you’d like a copy to download, you may download it HERE.
Share this post with your friends and invite them to join us as we journey through this FOODS agenda!
by Vicki Peel | Mar 8, 2022 | Food |
If I guessed that eating out for you means a dash through a fast food drive-thru, would I be correct? I would bet on it.
Since the COVID pandemic, even your favorite restaurants have turned themselves into fast food restaurants. And they did it just to survive.
What about the choices you are making at your favorite fast food restaurant? How aware are you of what you are actually eating? And think about this – how do you feel afterwards?
Eating healthier is harder than ever. As the price of food (along with everything else) skyrockets, it is understandable that your food choices reflect your desire to save money. And that means fast food is at the top of the cheaper food options. And when most restaurants closed their doors to the public, it was so much easier to just pull up to the closest drive-thru.
Even as restaurants began to reopen to the public, many people were hesitant to return to enclosed public places.
But can you really make healthy food choices at a fast food restaurant? Yes, you can. But it isn’t always easy.
So, I created an infographic of the best and the worst foods at 10 popular fast food restaurants.
This is a look at the best and worst food to eat at Arby’s, the first restaurant of the 10 included in the infographic.
You can download your free copy of the entire infographic HERE! This one is a two-page spread, the first of which covers restaurants from A to H – Arby’s to Hardee’s. The second page covers K to W – KFC to Wendy’s.
I also created a one-page, two-column infographic, which can be downloaded HERE. I suggest that you fold it in half for a quick and easy reference. I used a glue stick to glue the back of the folded copy together so I could simply flip back and forth between A-H and K-W information.
Have your eating habits changed? Been eating too much fast food?
Use the Comment section below to share your concerns about eating habits. Are you happy with yours?
by Vicki Peel | Mar 3, 2022 | Food |
The amount of foods tossed out by Americans is staggering. Are we being safe or simply wasteful?
“Ninety Percent of Americans misinterpret the dates on labels, according
To the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and they throw out
Food that could still be consumed or frozen for later use.”
If you thought there were federal regulations on date labeling, you’d be wrong. Baby formula is the only federally-regulated food item.
So what do those date labels mean? They are often manufacturer’s best guess as to how long their food will taste fresh. They really don’t mean anything about whether it’s safe to eat. It’s about food quality, not food safety.
Here are what a few of the food labels currently mean:
- Best If Used By/Before – guarantees the date by which the product will retain its best quality or flavor
- Sell By – is set by manufacturers to alert retailers when to remove a product from their shelves
- Use By – guarantees the last date by which a product will retain its best quality
- Packed on – indicates when an item was packaged
You can take measures to maintain freshness of food as long as possible. First, store foods at the proper temperature. Refrigerated foods should be stored no lower than 40° F and frozen food should be kept at 0° F.
So, how do you tell if your food is safe to eat? The best option is to apply the tried-and-sometimes-true “sniff, taste, and see test”. How does it smell? If the food smells different from what it should, consider that one indication of safety. Of course, you can see some indications that food has gone bad. Mold or discoloration are a definitive sign. And taste will tell you when something is wrong.
Generally, canned goods can last 2-5 years. But cans with dents and bulges should be discarded.
Grains and dried goods can probably be used well past their expiration dates, but meat, dairy and eggs have shorter shelf lives.
The Cleveland Clinic suggests these general guidelines for freshness:
- Milk – 7 days (keep in back of refrigerator where it is the coldest)
- Eggs – 3-5 weeks (also store in back of refrigerator)
- Ground meat/poultry – 1-2 days
- Cooked meat/poultry – 3-4 days
- Lunch meat – 2 weeks unopened, or 3-5 days opened
- Dry pasta – 1-2 years
- Steaks – 3-5 days
- Fresh poultry – 1-2 days
- Canned fruit – 12-18 months; 5-7 days in refrigerator after opening
- Rice and dried pasta – 2 years; 3-4 days in refrigerator after cooking
Recommended freezer shelf life for best quality:
- Hamburger/other ground meats – 3-4 months
- Chicken of turkey (whole) – 1 year
- Soups and stews – 2-3 months
- Lunch meat – 1-2 months
As a concerned consumer, you can:
- Stay aware of the dates on your food and store them properly.
- Use your good judgment (and eyes, ears and nose) to determine whether to eat questionable foods.
- Freeze food to prolong its shelf life when possible.
- Read labels and educate yourself about what they mean.
I’m Vicki Peel, former home economics teacher and educational administrator. If you are not receiving my emails, coupons, and freebies, look for the Subscribe block (below right) and submit your contact information. I will not share your information with anyone, and all the content you will receive as part of our community is free. I may occasionally promote someone else’s paid content, offer a product for your consideration or share an item that I think might be of use to you. However, you are under no obligation to purchase anything – ever. So, sign up now so you won’t miss anything during our March – June foods extravaganza!!
https://HERLifeHacks.com
by Vicki Peel | Mar 2, 2022 | Food |
What do Ted Lasso and a meal prep post have in common? BISCUITS. Of course, not the Southern kind of biscuits like my grandmother taught me how to make. No, we’re talking about British biscuits – or cookies.
If you are a Ted Lasso fan, you know that every day Ted would take a little box of biscuits to his boss, Rebecca. Eventually, we found out that Ted made them himself. And now, Ted’s recipe has been released to the world.
And so – take a look at how to made Ted Lasso Biscuits!
Click HERE to watch video!
This makes a very tender shortbread, but it is also pretty plain. You could try other options to liven it up a bit, such as adding butterscotch or semi-sweet bits onto the hot biscuits and spread them as icing upon melting. Or you could add some vanilla or almond extract into the mixture before patting in pan to cook.
Ready to try it for yourself? Click HERE to get a copy of the recipe.
And leave your comments below about how your recipe turned out! Or email me with comments and pictures! I want to feature you in future posts or emails!
by Vicki Peel | Mar 1, 2022 | Food |
Practically everything about our lives has been disrupted since the pandemic took control, even our food acquisition, preparation, and consumption. Certainly, I have eaten at home much more, ordered groceries online, and am on a path to reducetarianism (more about that later).
According to food experts, there are several food trends predicted for 2022. Some of these trends started at the beginning of the pandemic. Others have evolved in response to economic, agricultural, and global changes. Some may be fleeting, while others may be here to stay.
In general, 2022 trends include:
- Still cooking at home;
- Snacking throughout the day;
- Eating foods to make you feel better;
- Experimenting with new flavors and textures;
- Creating new beverage rituals; and
- Choosing products that are better for the planet.
Here are 15 specific food trends that may be likely to impact you and me.
- Reducetarianism
Although you may not be familiar with the word, you’re probably aware of the concept. Reducitarians are those who are reducing their consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs without cutting them out completely.
My husband and I have discovered that we don’t need as much meat as we were used to consuming. Therefore, we often share a plate at restaurants and cook less meat at home. We also are buying better quality meats, which include grass-fed animals and organic eggs from pasture-raised chickens.
- Hibiscus
Hibiscus is an edible hot pink flower with a high Vitamin C content. It is already being used in seltzers and teas. Expect to see it coming out in fruit spreads and yogurts.
- Sunflower seeds
OK, you’re familiar with sunflower seeds, which are also found in trail mix and granola. Sunflower seeds consist of high-quality proteins and unsaturated fats, making them a hearty and healthy snack food. More foods are now incorporating sunflower seeds in crackers, ice cream, and dips.
- Tumeric
I’m sure you’re familiar with the health benefits of turmeric, which has been on the food radar for years now. But food companies are adding turmeric to soups, smoothies, and packaged foods. That expands your opportunities to include turmeric in your diet.
- Mocktails
Many people have been trying to reduce their alcohol consumption, and mocktails, which are cocktails without alcohol, allow them to do that without sacrificing the flavor.
- Plant-based protein
The increased popularity of plant-based protein correlates directly to less meat consumption. It has been touted as a healthier alternative to meat, and many are getting aboard the trend.
- Condiment obsession
People have become tired of the same old flavors, and food companies have responded with condiments that have bolder flavors, especially spicy and hot.
- New green kitchen
Buyers are spending more on environmentally-friendly products, especially now as the cost gap between those and conventional foods is shrinking. This includes things like reusable bags for food storage and composting.
- Underground ordering
When restrictions were imposed that excluded eating out in restaurants, many states loosened their restrictions to allow restaurants and chefs to sell “cottage foods”. That meant people could order specific foods via direct messaging and social media, and pick up their order at varying locations.
- Fishless fish
With our oceans in trouble environmentally, the production of plant-based seafood is growing. Aquaculture, raising farmed tilapia and catfish, did not prove to help the environment, as their emmision of greenhouse gases were as high as those for beef. As a non-fish lover, I don’t think I’ll be trying plant-based seafood!
In addition, you might also hear more about lab-grown (as opposed to plant-based) sushi-grade “fish”. Not interested in that either!
- Grocery loyalty
With increasing grocery prices and more people engaging in online ordering and delivery, national and regional grocery stores are banking on annual memberships to keep customers loyal to them. They are offering incentives and benefits that help offset the increasing grocery prices, and promoting how they are helping customers to save money.
- Cannibas
There has been a marked increase in Cannabis in many products, and chefs are also adding it into their dishes.
- Coffee alternatives
Coffee prices in October 2021 were at a 30-year high. So, naturally other options were developed and advertised. People were looking for caffeine-free products that tasted like coffee.
And Amazon sells coffee alternatives, such as Teecino Caramel Nut Dandelion Tea, which is described as rich and roasted herbal tea that’s caffeine free and prebiotic with detoxifying dandelion root.
Another Amazon product is Crio Bru Ghana French Roast, a natural healthy brewed cacao drink, which is a great substitute to herbal tea and coffee. It is 99% caffeine-free, gluten-free and advertised as low-calorie honest energy.
- Allergy-friendly food for kids
Statistics show that 1 in 13 kids has at least one food allergy. This has been a basically untouched market, which is just now becoming more commonplace. Mo’Pweeze is a 100% allergen-free and vegan bakery, which is available online. Partake Foods also sells online products such as allergy-friendly cookies and mixes.
- Eating to Support Mental Health
Hippocrates first said “Let food be thy medicine”. Science is constantly publishing information about how different foods affect your mood, mental health, and wellness in general. More people are focused on mindful eating and making food choices in line with this concept.
What about you? How has the pandemic changed your cooking and eating habits? Have you embraced any of these emerging food trends? Please respond in the comments section below. I’d love to see how you and other people are responding in this area of their lives.
