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The Dinner Plan

Figuring out what to make for dinner can be exhausting. The Dinner Plan helps you start every week with fresh cooking inspiration, thanks to Maggie Hoffman and a roster of top cookbook authors. You’ll get dinner ideas for every season, advice on how to make weeknight meal planning easier, smart budget cooking and grocery shopping tips, and easy dinners to make when you’re short on time and energy. Guests on The Dinner Plan include experts like Molly Baz, Melissa Clark, Justine Doiron, Hetty Lui McKinnon, J. Kenji López-Alt, Hailee Catalano, and more. Guests answer questions like: What store-bought shortcuts make your weeknight dinners more flavorful? How do you meal prep or ingredient prep without getting bored? What weeknight dinner recipes would you text to a friend? Where do you find dinner ideas when you don’t feel like cooking? To get each guest’s cookbook recommendations, plus a free recipe of the week from that guest’s latest book, subscribe to The Dinner Plan newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com—that’s also where you’ll find our list of 99 dinner ideas you didn’t have to think of.

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Copyright: © Margaret Hoffman

Latest Episodes:

Going Camping? Here’s What to Cook Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

Camping food doesn't have to mean freeze-dried meals you reconstitute with water. On this week's episode of The Dinner Plan, Emma Frisch, the author of Feast by Firelight, shares cooking inspiration for your next outdoor adventure, and tips for camping trip meal planning, the best way to pack your cooler, and thinking ahead so you don't end up cooking dinner in the dark. Get Emma's pork chop and corn salsa recipe this week at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other grocers nationwide.
Trimona Yogurt: Find Trimona's A2A2 Bulgarian-style yogurt at TrimonaFoods.com and stores near you.
LaBelle Patrimoine: Find LaBelle Patrimoine spatchcocked chickens in select Whole Foods Markets now.
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

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Easy Meal Prep, the Japanese Way Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

A traditional Japanese meal highlights a range of flavors and cooking methods, but that doesn't have to mean a ton of weeknight cooking. The key, according to cookbook authors Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat, is a common version of meal prep that's highlighted in their new book, Japanese Comfort Cooking. So many sozai—those side dishes that go with your rice—can be made in advance to serve over the course of a few days. In this conversation, Tadashi and Harris share a few favorite recipes that work especially well for meal prep, as well as a handful of quick Japanese recipes that they recommend you add to your meal-planning repertoire. Get their cookbook recommendation links and a preview of the book over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsor:

Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer on cookware and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Cookbooks of 2026 (So Far) With Matt Rodbard Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

It's early to name the best cookbooks of 2026, but spring was so impressive and jam-packed that The Dinner Plan team joined up with Matt Rodbard of This Is TASTE, another favorite food podcast, to produce this special episode highlighting the best cookbooks from the first half of the year, along with a preview of some of the really exciting new cookbooks that will be published this fall. Get links to the cookbooks mentioned here, plus a special limited-time discount on paid subscriptions to The Dinner Plan at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

McEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.com
Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other grocers nationwide.
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Salads for Every Season With Alexandra Stacey of French Family Food Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

You've probably seen Alexandra Stacey's Instagram account, @frenchfamilyfood, but now she has a whole cookbook of salad recipes that make the most of whatever produce is in season. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, host Maggie Hoffman talks with Alexandra about the French salads Alex grew up with, the way she devises new dressings for different types of salads, and the worst salad she ever had. When it's too warm out to turn on the stove to make hot food, this new cookbook is going to be your go-to for meal planning.

TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com: recipes + a chance to win Salads for All Seasons

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream: Find Bubbies at Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, Safeway, Albertsons, and other grocers nationwide.
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Georgina Hayden’s Best Tricks for Modern Mediterranean Cooking Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Georgina Hayden has written cookbooks that highlight traditional Mediterranean recipes, but her latest, MEDesque, is a little looser, full of weeknight dinner ideas inspired by various ingredients and dishes that are beloved in the region. "I've interviewed priests and grannies" about traditional Greek and Cypriot cooking, Georgina says, "But with this one, I've just had a bit more fun and been a bit playful with it." In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Georgina explains how she simplifies Greek classics like spanakopita and moussaka, offers advice for cooking and meal planning when you're feeling burnout, and shares all the pantry staples she's added to her kitchen to get flavorful food on the table easily. To get Georgina's antipasti pasta salad recipe and links to the cookbooks she recommends, check us out over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claudette Zepeda’s Secret Ingredients for Bigger, Bolder Flavor Jun 01, 2026

Show notes

If you looked in chef Claudette Zepeda's fridge, you’ll likely find the sauce she needs to turn a Costco rotisserie chicken into quick weeknight enchiladas for her kids, but there are a few more key flavor boosters, which she tells us all about in this episode of The Dinner Plan. Claudette shares some of the techniques and iconic Mexican dishes highlighted in her new cookbook, Cooking the Borderlands, plus the story of her attempt to recreate the original Caesar salad to the exacting requirements of the family that owns Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, where the dish originated. This episode is a must-listen for lovers of Mexican food. Head over to TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a free recipe preview and a chance to win a copy of the cookbook.

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Thanks to this week’s sponsors:

TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.
Masienda: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off ingredients and cookware at Masienda.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Move Your Meal Prep to the Grill With Noah Galuten May 23, 2026

Show notes

Meal prep is much easier when you're grilling, and Noah Galuten's new cookbook, Grill Time!, will inspire you way beyond boring containers of plain grilled chicken. Noah offers fun ways to season grilled vegetables, smart salad inspiration, and the trick for turkey burgers that never dry out (and don't fall apart either). In this conversation with The Dinner Plan host Maggie Hoffman, Noah shares lots of advice, including how to grill sausages without making them burst, how to grill chicken breast that's evenly cooked, and how to think about grilling over the weekend for easy weeknight meals in the days ahead. If you've been feeling meal planning burnout, this episode will help you get inspired.

Get two free recipes from the book (and a chance to win a copy of Grill Time!) over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Find The Flavor of Fire from Chronicle Books wherever you buy cookbooks.
Tastemade Cooking: Go totastemade.com/dinnerplan and use promo code DINNERPLANfor 40% off an annual membership. Be sure to redeem promo code online before downloading the app.

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What It’s Actually Like at America’s Top Culinary School, With Brigid Washington May 18, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve been watching Next Gen Chef on Netflix, you’re probably curious about what it's really like to go to school at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Brigid Washington’s new memoir, Salt, Sweat & Steam, is set at the same culinary school as the Netflix show. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Brigid recounts her kitchen triumphs and failures—and what she learned from things not always going right. For an easy dinner recipe from Brigid, head to this week’s newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplan
Dirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How Chef Hillary Sterling Found Her Kitchen Spark Again May 11, 2026

Show notes

In her new cookbook, Ammazza!, chef Hillary Sterling writes that“a scathing NewYork Times review left me with so much self-doubt that I stopped creating new dishes for fear of judgment and failure.” In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Hillary talks with host Maggie Hoffman about how she lost her confidence and creative drive in the kitchen, and how she found her cooking creativity again. If you’ve ever struggled to come up with dinner ideas night after night, this episode is for you; Hillary shares her go-to easy spring dinners, her favorite cookbooks from a vast collection, and her no-boredom family-friendly meal prep method. For pasta recipes from Hillary and a chance to win the book, head over to The Dinner Plan’s newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Rouxbe Online Culinary School: Get 30% off your first course with code DINNERPLAN30 at Rouxbe.com/dinnerplan
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
TCHO Chocolate: If you’re a chef, baker, or maker in the sweets business, request a chocolate sample at TCHOpro.com
Find Cake Picnic from Chronicle Books wherever you buy cookbooks.
Society Insurance: Find your agent at SocietyInsurance.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Özlem Warren’s Weeknight Shortcuts for Turkish Classics May 08, 2026

Show notes

If you love Turkish food, you probably already know about cookbook author Özlem Warren. Her newest book, Istanbul, offers a chance to taste the kinds of dishes you'd find in different sorts of eateries around the city. “One of the reasons that I wrote Istanbul was the fact that, it really is not just kebabs and this and that, that you might just see superficially, perhaps in a touristy areas. You really need to dig deep. Go to different neighborhoods to check out delicious regional specialties.” In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Özlem shares her weeknight shortcuts for Turkish recipes, and paints a picture of her favorite dishes from Istanbul's grilling restaurants, all-day cafés, and more. If you've been wanting to add some Turkish recipes to your repertoire, this new book is a great place to start. Get a preview over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com—and enter our spring giveaway by May 13.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Find Not from Concentrate wherever you listen to podcasts and at CatherineSmart.Substack.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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