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Subscriber Spotlight: Jessica March

Sep 17, 2015 | Subscriber Spotlight | 0 comments

Have you considered using a meal plannign service? Prep Dish customer Jessica describes how it's helped her family.

Recently, we put a call out for a Prep Dish subscriber who would be willing to be interviewed on the Jess Lively show. The response was overwhelming and, unfortunately, we couldn't choose everyone. Instead, we decided to start a “Subscriber Spotlight” on the blog because we just had to share one subscriber's story with you. We were moved by the effect Prep Dish has had on her and her family's life;  not to mention the great tips she has. If you'd like to be considered for a Subscriber Spotlight, please shoot us a quick intro email!

And now, please meet Jessica March….

Jessica March Prep Dish Subscriber

Tell us a little bit about you…  I am a marketing professional and cycling enthusiast from New Jersey, and new mommy to a little gal named Ella Pearl.  My husband and I focus on living a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise, cooking delicious and fresh paleo-ish meals, and getting enough sleep (which is kind of tough with a newborn!). Our family also includes the most adorable beagle/hound mix named Roxie!

Meal Planning

What made you want to subscribe to Prep Dish?  I was about 3 months pregnant and in need of a plan to watch my weight gain, eat whole and healthy food, and keep myself organized so that I wasn’t exhausted at the end of the week from work and feeling tired from being pregnant.  My husband and I were falling into the bad habit of eating out after work because we were so hungry (and feeling VERY pregnant) but didn’t have any meals planned at home. Luckily, I stumbled on an article about Allison and PrepDish. I really liked her philosophy of planning to eat whole food that was either paleo or gluten-free.  I was struggling with ideas for new and healthy recipes each week and it was the perfect solution!

Who does the “Prep Day” at your house and when do you do “Prep Day” (day/time)? I usually do the online order of our groceries on Friday or Saturday, and then prep on Sundays.  My husband generally takes care of the “dish day” work….and he does the dishes! 🙂

Jess and Ella at the Beach
Jessica and Ella at the beach

Do you have any favorite time saving tips for meal planning?   Since having a baby 10 months ago, I have to meal plan or else we don’t eat! I’m now meal planning breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week and it’s helping me stay organized. Before grocery shopping, I pick 2-3 dinner meals I want to make for the week, one breakfast for the week (like baked oatmeal or muffin-tin omelets, and one lunch (usually a big green or grain salad, or soup in the winter). Now my baby is starting to eat more of our foods, making meal planning even more necessary so I can make sure I have enough food for all of us to eat!

Do you have any time saving tips for meal planning?  I buy our grass-fed meats and fish in bulk about a  month out and defrost the week ahead. That way I can just focus on getting fresh fruits and veggies from the store.  I also have all of the tools for labeling and storing food so everything is organized in the refrigerator. I really enjoyed the recipes that Allison shared for freezer meals.  We used every single one of the freezer meals during the 4 weeks after our daughter was born and that saved us from having to worry about prepping and going to the store for a whole month.

Have you seen any health benefits from using our meal plans?  I have been able to lose weight in a healthy way after giving birth in April (I have lost over 40 pounds so far)!  I also feel much less stressed about eating and I have more energy and time dedicated to exercising and spending time with my family.  I have found that the key to healthy eating is planning and having fun with it!

Are seeing a difference in your food budget since using our plans?  We are saving hundreds of dollars a month now that we use Prep Dish.  I never realized how much money we were wasting each week going out to eat for lunch and dinner!  We decided to put the savings into a future college account for our daughter.

And now for some fun….

Peachy Pork Tenderloin
Peachy Pork Tenderloin

What has been your favorite Prep Dish meal so far? Every week we have a favorite! We loved the Peachy Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Roasted Zucchini from July, Wk 1.  I also love the Turkey and Zucchini Lasagna!

What is your favorite GF/Paleo food? Bacon, Eggs, Avacado.

Do you have a favorite GF/Paleo recipe? Are you willing to share with us ;)? Sure! We make bone-in chicken thighs with a mustard and sage sauce. You use ½ stick of butter, 2 TB grainy mustard, ½ tsp sage and ½ tsp of salt and cook for 45 min at 425 degrees.  It is so easy and so good!

What is your favorite kitchen tool? The Zoodle spiralizer!!!

If you were stranded on an island, what is the one food you couldn’t live without? Bacon and eggs.

What is your favorite go-to, quick & easy breakfast?  We usually have yogurt and fruit on hand, but I LOVE making sausage and spinach frittatas.

Beginner Menu Guide

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Allison Schaaf Chef, Prep Dish

Prep Dish is a gluten-free, paleo, and keto meal planning website. Celebrity personal chef & dietitian Allison Schaaf thoughtfully crafts each plan using her own well-tested recipes. Each meal plan allows you, the home cook, to spend only 2-3 hours preparing a week’s worth of crave-worthy, healthy meals using seasonal, whole foods (nothing processed!). We aim to save you time while keeping your family’s taste buds happy.

Along with a weekly menu, you’ll get a printable grocery list and recipes for prep day — just one day of preparation yields scrumptious, good-for-you dishes all week long. Learn more…

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