Meal Prep Made Easy: Q&A with Ashley Fondren
Ashley Fondren is a wife, momma, and owner of Comfort Confections. And while the Comfort Confections of today specializes in baked goods, years ago it was a “little” side business Ashley began because of how much she enjoyed baking and cooking for her friends and family. “Jon and I thought since I love to cook and bake so much, why not start a little part-time business? It just made sense,” she says. “The kitchen really is my favorite room in the house, and my little business on nights and weekends quickly turned into a full time job within a few months.”
As families across the country prepare for the start of the school year, we asked Ashley to share some of her ideas on how busy parents can make meal prep easy while keeping it healthy. Because nothing puts a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the back burner like a busy schedule, whether it’s work, school, extracurricular activities, or . . . well . . .just life in general.
Check out the Q&A below for some ideas—and perhaps a bit of encouragement—on how you can simplify meal prep this coming school year.
Q&A with Ashley Fondren,
Owner of Comfort Confections
Simquily: What is your philosophy when it comes to feeding your family? Have you always thought this way or has it morphed over the years?
Ashley: Work smarter and not harder. I have come to think more in this way as the years have gone by because as much as I love to cook, I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen away from my family. Most of the women in my family love to cook, so I think I was subjected to it all my life and becoming a cook and baker just came naturally to me. Although I had family members who cooked a lot, there weren’t ever those moments where I was being taught how to make something, so my knowledge of cooking is self-taught.
Simquily: What are some basic rules or guidelines to keep in mind when it comes to healthy meal prep?
Ashley: It doesn’t have to be hard, and you don’t have to sacrifice flavor to be healthy. The biggest thing is this: you don’t have to spend a ton of money to do it. For example, take away those baked potatoes and make some brown rice. If brown rice is too bland for you, add some low-sodium chicken stock in place of the water while cooking your brown rice. Lose the butter when you are sautéing or roasting vegetables and replace it with a very small amount EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). You can even throw those veggies on the grill and lose the EVOO (in addition to the butter) all together.
Simquily: When we talk about meal prep and planning we often forget about breakfast! Any thoughts on how to add breakfast to our meal prep routine?
Ashley: Breakfast is very often left out. Everybody has heard, “It’s the most important meal of the day!” That is true. Going from dinner the night before to lunch the next day can be roughly eighteen hours. That’s too long to go without food, especially for kiddos. Your brain functions better when you have food in your belly. We don’t need hangry kids and co-workers! Healthy and quick options are scrambled eggs or yogurt and berries with some granola. Below is a crazy quick breakfast recipe I have always loved. It’s easy for busy parents to prepare ahead of time, and it’s even easier to heat up on busy mornings. Not to mention, it tastes fantastic. In my family, we simply call them Rye Rounds.
Simquily: What suggestions do you have for making healthy school and work lunches simple and efficient?
Ashley: Believe it or not, our local grocery store (Kroger) has a great selection of meal prep containers. I actually just picked up several for my family. Of course, I am always going to promote Amazon—they have everything! (Check out these meal prep containers.) I will admit that lunches can be hard when you are on the go, working all day, and have kids in school. That being said, the meal prep containers with salad fixings and leftover dinners are my go-to. I am a sucker for cheese cubes, apple slices, peanut butter, and grapes to go alongside a salad or a wrap. Avoid those chips, sweets, and carbs!
Simquily: What are your thoughts on crock pots?
Ashley: Crockpots are everything to me. They truly are the definition of easy cooking. I can take just about any recipe and formulate it to a crockpot recipe. I love a crockpot for so many reasons, but for busy mommies and daddies they are a lifesaver. Not everyone has time to prepare dinner while taking care of kids, working full time, helping with homework, running to and from various extracurricular activities, etc. Throwing things in the crockpot first thing in the morning or over a lunch break can be everything for busy parents. My favorite recipe is probably the easiest thing I make. I think the reason it’s one of my favorites is because it’s not only the easiest but also my family loves it so much and it’s their most often requested dish. It is good, old fashioned chicken spaghetti.
Simquily: What about healthy snacks? During the school year, between extracurricular activities and travel time to and from, it’s nice to have snacks readily available. What are some suggestions you have for healthy and tasty snacks that travel well?
Ashley: I love grapes, apples, cheese cubes, and peanut butter for quick, on-the-go snacks. Our local grocery store actually offers these snacks as pre-made packages in the produce department. But, honestly, if you have your meal prep containers, it’s much more cost effective to do it yourself. I also love Cliff Bars! They are high in protein and taste great. I carry those in my purse (especially when I was pregnant) because they are so easy to snack on between meals and while on the go. Something even easier are mixed nuts that are unsalted. I buy the big bags at Sam’s, and they have dried fruit, yogurt chips, pecans, almonds, pistachios, and maybe a few other nuts in the mix. They are so delicious and easy to take with you anywhere!
Simquily: What ideas do you have for making the dreaded grocery run more efficient and less expensive?
Ashley: THE CLICKLIST!! This is an online ordering and pick-up or delivery service our grocery store offers. Technically, it’s not called “ClickList” anymore, but I love Kroger’s pick-up service. Not only is it a time saver, but it’s also a money saver. It keeps me from walking past that snack isle when I’m hungry and buying those Little Debbies or those family size bag of Doritos. I know more and more grocery stores are offering this service, so if yours does, I highly recommend taking advantage of it. It’s a time- and money-saver for sure!
Also, being healthy doesn’t have to mean spending a ton of money. Quite frankly, eating less carbs (trust me, I know it’s hard . . . carbs are my bestie) and more protein (meats) is the easiest and most affordable way to eat healthy. Most people think salads are crazy healthy. Don’t get me wrong, they are, but if you pile them with fried chicken, cheese, and dressing, you have defeated the purpose. Also, fruits are healthy, but you need to keep those in moderation too because fruits break down into sugar in your body. Eating fruit is healthier than eating pure sugar, of course, but keep all this in mind when eating fruit smoothies or salads piled with fruit. As with most things in life, moderation is key.
Simquily: Last but not least, the reality is that even with the best advice and suggestions, there are folks who will never love spending time in the kitchen, planning meals, going grocery shopping, or preparing food. What encouragement do you have for them? Because we all have to eat!
Ashley: I joke with a couple friends and some family members who don’t love to cook. In fact, some hate it. I’ve never been able to understand that because I couldn’t be more opposite, but I have learned that cooking and baking isn’t meant for everyone. To each their own, right? The best advice I can give is to buy a crockpot and a crockpot cookbook, or look up some crockpot recipes online. They are simple, low maintenance, and it takes all the guesswork out of cooking.
Meal prep doesn’t have to be hard or even time-consuming. I will pick a day or night and make a few meals, put them in quarter- or half-size pans, pop a lid on them, and throw them in the freezer. I also have a crockpot that has three individual crockpots in there, and I can fill them all up with something different. In a few short hours, I have several meals ready to go and in the freezer. Summer is coming to an end, and I have a veggie soup that is always a big hit in the fall. It makes a pretty large amount, so if I am only making it for Jon and me, I will freeze the other portion for a later day.
About Ashley & Comfort Confections
Ashley Fondren is the owner of Comfort Confections in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she lives with her husband, Jon, and their fifteen-month old daughter, Brooklyn. Comfort Confections specializes in custom sugar cookies and also offers box lunches, brownies, banana pudding, pound cake, banana bread, pies and more for any type of occasion. Everything is made to order and made from scratch. Be sure to follow @comfortconfectionslr on Instagram and Facebook.
