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The Dinner Plan — Arts
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:

How Anna Stockwell Makes Hosting a Whole Weekend Feel Like No Big Deal May 04, 2026

Show notes

Anna Stockwell literally wrote the book on how to host dinner parties—it's called For the Table and it's great. So it's no surprise that she has great hosting advice to share in this episode of The Dinner Plan, including how to juggle a full weekend of meals when you have houseguests visiting. She also shares tips for enhancing easy dinners, simple desserts, and evenings with friends with one key ingredient: butter. In the process of writing The Butter Book, Anna learned tons of butter history, plus which brand of butter is worth the price (and how to get the most out of it), tips on how to make browned butter (don't use that cast-iron skillet!), how to make molded butter shapes, butter boards, and butter mountains for a party, and how to make the world's best buttered pasta for kids or adults. Get the recipe on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com. And don't forget to enter our big spring giveaway!

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

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.
Find Not from Concentrate wherever you listen to podcasts and at CatherineSmart.Substack.com

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How Alana Kysar Swaps Pork for Produce in Hawaii’s Favorite Dishes Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Alana Kysar has always needed to be flexible in the kitchen: In Hawaii, most ingredients are shipped from thousands of miles away, and sometimes you simply can't get what you were hoping for. But her new book, Aloha Veggies, goes even further, celebrating Hawaiian flavors but without ahi, shrimp, spam, or beef. In the 100th episode of The Dinner Plan podcast, Alana shares how she figured out vegetarian versions of her favorite Hawaiian foods—and the dish that finally convinced her skeptical mother that the project was a good idea. Get a preview with two of Alana's recipes on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

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.

29-Minute Dinner Shortcuts From Isa Chandra Moskowitz Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Isa Chandra Moskowitz has been writing about vegan cooking for decades now, and so many vegans and vegetarians have learned to cook and bake from her many cookbooks. In this week's episode of The Dinner Plan, Isa shares a peek into her new book, which focuses on truly quick vegan dinners—meatless and dairy-free weeknight dinner ideas that work even when you only have 30 minutes. Isa explains how to choose a plant based protein, how to make the ultimate hearty vegan sandwich, and all the ways she's learned to speed things up in the kitchen over the course of her research and recipe development for this cookbook. For a peek at The 29-Minute Vegan including two free recipes, head to 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.

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How Trinity Mouzon Wofford Makes Weeknights Easy, Without a Meal Plan Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Trinity Mouzon Wofford doesn’t want to be locked into meal planning. Her advice: get into the routine of putting together a base layer of component cooking, transforming raw ingredients into something that's easily assembled into a salad, a soup, a rice bowl, or a pasta. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Trinity urges home cooks to relax into the process of doing some things by hand on a slow day, so our quicker meals can build on that foundation. What kinds of dinners does she assemble? Trinity answers that, and shares her go-to summer entertaining menu, her method for cooking more flavorful beans, and the best soup she's ever had in her life. Get the free recipe of the week—Trinity’s easy broccoli pasta recipe from Eating At Home—on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

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.
Find Tanya Bush’s Will This Make You Happywherever you buy cookbooks.
Watch I Changed My Mind with Dan Souza of America's Test Kitchen on Netflix or listen on your favorite podcast app.

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Use Up That Vegetable Box With Joe Woodhouse Apr 13, 2026

Show notes

If you get a weekly vegetable box or CSA box—or you just go a bit wild buying vegetables at the market—this episode of The Dinner Plan is for you. Host Maggie Hoffman interviews Joe Woodhouse, the author of Weeknight Vegetarian, a cookbook that's full of appealing vegetable recipes. In this conversation, Joe shares his weekend meal prep routine for getting vegetarian dinners on the table throughout the week, his must-have condiments and sauces, and tips for avoiding wasting food, as well as cookbook favorites and rethinking how making dinner feels. Get two recipes from Weeknight Vegetarian at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com, plus a chance to win a copy of the book for your kitchen.

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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.
Watch I Changed My Mind with Dan Souza of America's Test Kitchen on Netflix or listen wherever you get podcasts.

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

Hands-Off Moroccan Recipes With Nargisse Benkabbou Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

London-based chef Nargisse Benkabbou has contributed a lot of quick weeknight recipes to NYT Cooking, but in this conversation with The Dinner Plan's host Maggie Hoffman, the author of Madaq shares her preference for big batch dinners that cook low and slow. These hands-off meals don't require more prep time, but the flavors deepen in the oven or on the stove, and each dish can be used multiple ways throughout the week. Nargisse shares her perspective on meal planning, her most treasured condiments and marinades, and the links she'd send a friend looking for dinner ideas. Get two modern Moroccan recipes from Nargisse Benkabbou in The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Find Soomaaliya by Ifrah F. Ahmed wherever you buy books.
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Tune into The Joy of Cooking Podcast wherever you listen.

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Tacos, Tostadas, and Tamales at Home With Jorge Gaviria and Fermín Núñez Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Jorge Gaviria and Fermín Núñez's new book, Vitamina T, highlights recipes for homemade versions of beloved Mexican street foods like tortas, tamales, tacos, and more. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Jorge and Fermín share stories behind their favorite recipes—and their tricks for making even your simplest, easiest dinners at home more delicious. They also offer advice for using up everything in your fridge and avoiding food waste. Peek at some recipes from the cookbook (and get a chance to win a copy) over at The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's partners:

Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Get tickets for Cookbook Week at CookbookWeek.com.
Tune into The Joy of Cooking Podcast wherever you listen.

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Chef Sheldon Simeon’s Potluck Rules Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

Top Chef alum Sheldon Simeon has a new cookbook out, called Ohana Style, that's all about cooking family dinners. But sometimes feeding your people is a bigger affair, and Sheldon has opinions about the best things to bring to a potluck. On this episode of The Dinner Plan podcast, Sheldon Simeon chats with host Maggie Hoffman and shares his strategy for potluck leftovers, his advice for prepping food for hot weather gatherings, and a few cookbooks he turns to for inspiration. Get Sheldon's shoyu chicken recipe and a chance to win the book on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.

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Thanks to today's sponsors:

Tastemade Cooking: Use code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership at Tastemade.com/dinnerplan
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Find Brami protein pasta at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, or EnjoyBrami.com
Society Insurance: Find your local agent at SocietyInsurance.com

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Reilly Meehan Shares What Private Chefs Really Cook Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

Reilly Meehan really knows his stuff in the kitchen, which means his private chef videos on social media are especially compelling. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Reilly shares his path from the competition cooking circuit to the life of a private chef cooking dinners for clients, what he actually cooks for their weeknight dinners, and insights on how you can add a little flourish to your daily meals. He has lots of advice for what to cook using pantry staples like quinoa, beans, and farro, tips on getting more flavor into your easy dinners, and advice for meal planning during a busy week, plus a favorite high-protein dinner. Reilly's new book, A Little Bit Extra, offers lots of fun cooking techniques that'll come in handy at your next dinner party. Get a recipe preview 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
Find Brami protein pasta at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, or EnjoyBrami.com
Find Stone & Skillet English Muffins in the bakery section at Publix, or other retailers nationwide.
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Tastemade Cooking: Use code DINNERPLAN for 40% off an annual membership at Tastemade.com/dinnerplan

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

Learn to Love Leftovers With Christine Flynn Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Chef Christine Flynn has cooked in restaurants in Nantucket, Toronto, and Beaune, but these days, she's trying to feed a family great food on a budget. Her new book, Easy Does It, offers chef-inflected weeknight dinners, impressive sides, salads, and sauces. It's also particularly smart about leftovers. "I think when people get leftover fatigue," Christine says, that's because they're simply reheating last night's dinner. "And, you know, nobody wants to eat the same thing like five times in a row. No, thank you. But I think the cool thing about leftovers," she notes, "is if you sort of reimagine them, sometimes the leftovers are better than the original dish." Learn how Christine thinks about meal planning and avoiding waste in this week's interview, and head over to The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com for a peek at one of Christine's new recipes that's really great in a taco the next day.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors:

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.
Made In Cookware: Head to madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.
Nice Cans: Get 20% off Nice Cans sardines by using code DINNERPLAN20 at JustNiceCans.com
Find The Joy of Cooking podcast wherever you listen.

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