Dini Klein - Prep And Rally An Hour of Prep, A Week of Delicious Meals

To Andi, Jolie, and Solomon

For all the fums up and happy dances, this book was made with you and for you. Im the luckiest mama to have you three!

W hile every parent believes that feeding their family is part of the job, feeding families literally is my job.

Growing up, I always thought a career in fashion was my calling. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, I decided to completely pivot and become a private chef. While it may sound glamorous, it was incredibly taxing work; running around different grocery stores in all weather conditions, in and out of cabs, schlepping food up and down New York City apartments, prepping large menus for 25-person dinner parties, stocking fridges to accommodate special diets, and cooking for ultra-picky eaters. While the job itself was challenging, finding time to feed my own family proved even harder.

I struggled to balance cooking for my clients and getting a simple dinner on the table for my own family. I was just so tired of cooking. People always assumed that because of what I did, my own family must eat so well. But it was actually the opposite. You know how they say the shoemakers kids have no shoes? It was that bad.

One day, as I was eating a bowl of cereal for dinner, it struck me like a ton of bricks: For some of my clients, I was prepping staple dishes that, with my direction, they would then mix and match to create different meals for the following few days. I had unwittingly created a system for my clients that could work for any family, especially my own. The solution was right in front of me all along.

I took it one step further and created smart meal prep menus consisting of staples that I could bang out on Sunday and then mix and match to feed my family throughout the week. I designed my meal plans to be most efficient, allowing me to shop once and get in and out of the kitchen in about an hour so that I could still enjoy my Sunday!

Roasted chicken, rice, and broccoli became chicken fried rice one day and chicken burritos the next. Why would we eat the same food each day if I could reinvent those staples into different dinners every night? It saved time and loads of money, and I loved the creative process of giving leftovers a new life. I suddenly had a happy and well-fed family and young kids who were all great eaters. The constant switch-up and variety of food was their normal, which made them always up for trying new things. They also loved getting involved in the process of cooking or even assembling a DIY-style dinner with those staples. It only got sweeter when I realized that even Mike (my husband) could assemble the staple dishes for our family and serve dinner with just my written instructions. (This is a man who rotates between cereal, yogurt, and an occasional egg when asked for something to eat. We all have our strengths!)

It occurred to me that if this system worked for my family, it could also work for other busy families frantically getting through the busy workweek.

Prep + Rally was born.

In 2018, I left private cheffing because I knew this newfound system could help far more people. Since then, the Prep + Rally digital meal prep system has helped feed thousands of busy families throughout the week. With a well-thought-out game plan you can Prep staple recipes and meal components on Sunday and then Rally by creating quick, delicious meals using those Prep recipes. This helps you get through the week with extra time, more money in your pocket, and less stress about what to feed your family.

Ive taken my method and poured it into these pages to show you how meal planning can de-stress your week and feed your family with minimal time, effort, and money. My hope is to give you the tools to become a savvier cook so that you can enjoy different meals every single night with a little creativity and thoughtfulness heading into the week. With a mix of classic kid favorites and some new soon-to-be favorites, I can assure you that each recipe is flavorful, simple to make, and smart/efficient in the way its prepared. It will also inspire you to repurpose items in a whole new way.

Youll notice that one dish can feel elevated for the grown-ups and can be tweaked simply to appeal to the kiddos. You dont need to eat chicken nuggets or plain noodles just because you have kids. We will change that.

This isnt a diet meal prep book, nor is it geared toward a specific way of eating. One quick meal prep Google search turns up many keto, weight loss, vegan, and paleo books and services. But how about the people who need this most: PARENTS! This method is about feeding your family wholesome, crowd-pleasing meals that are easily modified as desired to work for everyone.

You wont find anything complicated here, or recipes that require too many steps. My goal wasnt to reinvent the wheel, rather to create a better wheel. I wanted the recipes to be somewhat familiar but prepared in a more efficient way. I tested out giant dumplings and even Indian dosas but immediately nixed them because we just dont have time for that, am I right? I wanted every recipe to be practical, versatile, and an all-around crowd-pleaser. I had all my kids taste-test every single item in this book and kept tweaking the recipes based on their feedback. Of course Mike got some say as well, because I want adults to enjoy these meals just as much as the kids do. Hes usually the toughest critic of all, and although I sometimes hate the honesty, it really served me here.

I love drawing inspiration from around the world and re-creating recipes that I know will be family-friendly. In these pages, I share my shortcuts and modifications to traditional recipes in the hopes of getting dinner on the table stress-free. I hope to inspire you in the kitchen, spark your creativity, and show you that you can:

• Eat like a grown-up even if you have kids.
• Learn to repurpose leftovers to reduce waste and create fun new meals.
• Do a little prep at the start of the week to save time and stress.
• Save money by shopping once for the whole week ahead.
• Gain the confidence to start cooking without a recipe and balance flavors on your own.
• Learn to cook in a thoughtful order to maximize time in the kitchen and minimize mess.
• Modify meal plans and learn to create your own menus.
• Make one dinner for your whole family, with some creative modifications to please everyone.

Lets just say you can have it all, and Im here to teach you the tricks of the trade. I believe that feeding your family shouldnt consume you. With a smart plan in place, and armed with the tools to get the job done, you can enjoy your week the way you choose.

Im here to take away the stress that too often accompanies meal preparation and show you how to Prep + Rally!