The Dinner Plan

Épisodes

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  Nik Sharma Breaks Down the Science Behind His Best Cooking Tricks 21.09.2026 36min

  Nik Sharma wants home cooks to better understand food science; in this episode of The Dinner Plan, he shares some of the best cooking tips from his new book, Fundamentals of Flavor: 100 Recipes for the Science of Better Cooking, and why they work. If you’ve ever struggled with dry pork tenderloin, you’ll want to listen in before you try to make that quick dinner staple again. Hear about Nik’s favorite flavor-boosting pantry essentials, his favorite fall dinners, and the one ingredient he could have named this book after, too.RECIPES OF THE WEEK:Get Nik’s recipes for Caramelized Shallot Dip and Seared Gnocchi with Chili Garlic Shrimp at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.comSEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY:To win Earlywood kitchen utensils, a Cuisinart countertop oven, a Hestan roasting pan, and so many cookbooks, enter by Wednesday, September 23, 2026CHECK OUT THESE SPONSORS:Staub: Find iconic Staub Dutch ovens now at Staub.comDirty Labs: Use code DINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.comEquator Coffees: Use code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first order at EquatorCoffees.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find Kishwar Chowdhury’s Smoke, Rice, Water: Recipes and Stories from a Bengali Home at Amazon, Bookshop, or wherever you buy books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Swanky, Low-Stress Entertaining With Cortney LaCorte 17.09.2026 48min

  Cortney LaCorte—also known as Cheese Gal—joins The Dinner Plan this week to share her best advice on how to make a cheese plate and all the ways she makes entertaining more relaxed. That includes tips on what to cook for a dinner party, the most important thing you can do for a dinner party guest, and the cleaning detail you really can skip. What to make with Boursin? Cortney's all over that. On this episode, she also shares snack ideas for TV nights on the couch, memories of her mother's dinner parties, and her favorite recipe for a quick dinner you can make with grocery store fried chicken.🍽️ Get Cortney's cookbook recs and recipe on our newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com 🍽️LAST CHANCE to enter our September giveaway ➡️___Check out this week's sponsors:Massican Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Massican.com. Must be 21+McEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.comCheesy by Farideh Sadeghin is available wherever you buy books.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  For Olivia Tiedemann, Rich People Food Comes Down to the Right Moves 14.09.2026 44min

  Olivia Tiedemann will be the first to tell you that working as a private chef isn't easy. You've gotta know what each guest likes and doesn't like, all the dietary restrictions, "who doesn't eat anchovies, who doesn't eat onions, who doesn't eat dairy. And there's 12 of them, and they're all there at one time," Olivia says. "How am I going to contort this same entree seven different ways?" But ultimately, she loves cooking for her clients, and shares everything she's learned in her new cookbook, Eat (Like) The Rich. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Olivia talks with host Maggie Hoffman about what really matters in a great meal. Expensive lobster and steak is nice, but the difference all comes down to cooking technique. She walks us through a few favorite dinner recipes from the cookbook, the right way to sear a piece of fish, the way she thinks about creating a new dish for a dinner party, and reveals the popular ingredient she actually hates.🍳 ENTER THE GIVEAWAY and get Olivia Tiedemann's Parsnip Gnocchi recipe on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com 🍳___Check out this week's sponsors:Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Une Femme Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN at unefemmewines.com for 20% off. Must be 21+ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Pati Jinich Cooks the Bold Flavors of the Mexican Border 10.09.2026 51min

  You may know Pati Jinich from her long-running series, Pati’s Mexican Table, or her previous cookbooks, but this fall you’ll be seeing a lot more of her, including her new docuseries, Panamericana, and her new cookbook, Foods of La Frontera. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Pati chats with host Maggie Hoffman about the surprising dishes she tried while traveling along the Mexican-American border, and the way her time on the road has changed how she cooks at home. Pati shares favorite Mexican recipes from a wide range of border regions: lobster burritos, vegetarian pozole, surprising salsas, and easy tacos recipes you’ll want to cook this week.🌶️ ENTER THE GIVEAWAY and Get Pati Jinich's chipotle chicken taco recipe on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com 🌶️____Check out this week's sponsors:Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Listen to Food Friends on Apple podcasts or any podcast listening app.More Mexican cooking episodes you might like: Rick Martinez’s new salsa book will transform your weeknight cookingClaudette Zepeda’s Secret Ingredients for Bigger, Bolder FlavorCrispy Zucchini Tacos With Andrea Aliseda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Carla Lalli Makes Dinner the Best Part of a Bad Day 07.09.2026 1h

  When Carla Lalli separated from her ex and moved part-time into a sublet after decades of marriage, the first thing she did was make dinner. “I cooked because it gives me a sense of comfort,” Carla says in this week’s episode of The Dinner Plan. “It makes me feel like I’m in power, and it’s soothing, and it is a way to shut off other noise.” Carla shares the meals she made as she got in touch with her own cravings again and what freedom and flexibility she found cooking for one or cooking for two instead of four, and also gets into what she thinks a cookbook written by a human can offer in the age of AI. Carla’s new cookbook, Food Is a Feeling, is the rare cookbook that doesn’t start from the assumption that “every day is happy and perfect.” Instead, she says, “actually sometimes it's a really bad day, and that the best thing in your day might be this great thing that you make for dinner.”📚📚📚Get Carla's cookbook recommendations + the recipe for Carla's Chovy-Forward Fazool on our newsletter: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com__________Check out this week's sponsors:Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.Michele's Granola: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at MichelesGranola.comRow 7: Get 10% off Row 7’s chef-prepared tinned vegetables using code DINNERPLAN10 at Row7Seeds.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The High-Protein Vegetarian Dinners Grace Elkus Makes on Repeat 31.08.2026 49min

  The high-protein vegetarian recipes in Grace Elkus's new cookbook, Protein-Packed Vegetarian, are exactly the kind of dinners I crave, packed with flavor and easy to make, even on a busy weeknight. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, I talk to Grace about her must-have kitchen gear, how to cook tofu so it actually gets crispy, and what to do if you just haven't come around to the idea of cottage cheese. I've been making the easy dinners from Grace's book over and over already, and I think you'll love them too.Get Grace's recipes for sheet-pan veggie parm and unstuffed eggplant parmesan shells on our newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com_____Check out today's sponsors:MaraBela: Find Marabela Alcohol-Free Sparkling Tea at MaraBelaTea.comTrimona Yogurt: Find Trimona's A2A2 Bulgarian-style yogurt at TrimonaFoods.com and stores near you. Michele's Granola: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at MichelesGranola.comDirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Fresh Thai Cooking With Pim Techamuanvivit 24.08.2026 53min

  I've been looking forward to chef Pim Techamuanvivit's Thai cookbook for years. It's an essential guide to cooking Thai food, including fresh curry pastes, grilled dishes, curries, soups, and laab. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, I talk to Pim about how she learned all the Thai recipes she'd missed from home, why it matters that you seek out Thai ingredients to cook these recipes, and everything she'd put on a September dinner party menu, whether the guests eat meat or are vegetarian. You'll hear about Pim's favorite cookbooks and her advice for dealing with cooking burnout, too.Get Pim's recipe for Kin Khao's chicken wings on TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.___Check out this week's sponsors: Thaan Charcoal: Get a free starter kit including Thai-style charcoal, fan, and fire starters with the Thaan Grill when you use code DINNERPLAN at thaancharcoal.com/dinnerplanListen to Food Friends on Apple podcasts or any podcast listening app.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Grocery Prices Are Wild. The 99% Cooking Club Can Help. 20.08.2026 54min

  Steel Russell started The 99% Cooking Club after walking out of the grocery store with a single bag of food that cost $150. He focuses on tips for making easy, cheap meals taste complex and flavorful, and shares recipes for family dinners that stretch your grocery budget. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, we talk through the best budget-friendly ingredients to buy right now, and how to think about meal planning when you're trying to save money.We’re all in this together, Steel reminds us. "I wanted to be able to show people how to make good food for cheap, but I also wanted to find a way to give people a place that they can come to and not feel isolated," he says. "I think we need to be reminded that, you know, my neighbor is going through the same thing I'm going through right now. On the other side of my house, they're going through the same thing I’m going through right now, but we don’t talk about it."Steel gets into the backstory that inspires this work. Trigger warning: addiction.___Check out this week’s sponsors:Find Ajinomoto at your local grocery store, and stocked in bulk at your nearest Costco.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.MaraBela: Find Marabela Alcohol-Free Sparkling Tea at MaraBelaTea.comStraus 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.
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  Alex MacLaren’s 10-Day Grocery Strategy 17.08.2026 44min

  When you ask cookbook author Alex MacLaren how to save money on groceries, her answer is simple: don't go to the store for as long as possible. The author of We Use What We Have is known for making family dinners on a budget, thanks to smart substitutions and a lot of flexibility. Sometimes, you just gotta let things run out. In this episode, Alex explains why she doesn't think about meal plans until after she's already shopped, how she gets her kids to eat leftovers even when they claim to hate leftovers, and how she stretches a small amount of meat into a full meal. If back-to-school dinners are feeling overwhelming for you right now, you'll want to listen for Alex's easy dinner ideas and practical advice for cooking for kids.Get Alex MacLaren's recipe for honey garlic slow-cooker ribs on our newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com ➡️ ____Discounts for you from this week's sponsors:Dirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com.Michele's Granola: Use code DINNERPLAN15 for 15% off your order at MichelesGranola.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Find CookShelf on iOS and Android, and use the code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Pierce Abernathy’s Peak Summer Dinners 13.08.2026 44min

  Pierce Abernathy is my go-to source for summer vegetable inspiration, and he's exactly the recipe developer I turn to when I want to make the most of summer corn and tomatoes in every dinner I cook before the season ends. But Pierce's new cookbook, Every Leaf, Every Stem, goes beyond the pretty produce that gets all the attention and aims to help you fall in love with celeriac and rutabaga, mushrooms and squash. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, we talk about the best way to cook corn, Pierce's dream low-stress end of summer dinner party menu, and the way he'd meal plan for a week of eating more vegetables every day.Get Pierce's recipe for the ultimate tomato toast with corn compound butter on The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com._____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Find CookShelf on iOS and Android, and use the code DINNERPLAN for 25% off your first year.Dirty Labs: Use code THEDINNERPLAN to get 15% off your first order at DirtyLabs.com.Massican Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Massican.com. Must be 21+Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Caroline Chambers Needs Even Quicker Dinners Now 10.08.2026 59min

  Caroline Chambers knows how to make easy dinners easier, and the mother of four needs quick weeknight recipes now more than ever. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Caroline shares a bit of her behind-the-scenes chaos and her strategy for meal prep that won’t leave you bored. She says everything that’s going on has made her an even better recipe developer, because her mindset is "if you’re putting any effort into it, it better freaking be good! Or else just get pizza!" Caroline's new book, What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast, is full of quick dinner ideas that you can fit into busy back-to-school season. Get a preview recipe over at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.Row 7: Get 10% off Row 7’s chef-prepared tinned vegetables using code DINNERPLAN10 at Row7Seeds.comMade In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Massican Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at Massican.com. Must be 21+ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Omi Hopper Cooked Through the Hardest Year of Her Life to Get Here 03.08.2026 45min

  Next Level Chef contestant Omi Hopper has published a new cookbook full of essential Puerto Rican recipes—the ones that feel like a welcome home to the folks who follow her on Instagram and TikTok. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, she shares her story. She was working as a makeup artist when her husband was laid off; she worried about how they'd pay for groceries. Find out how she ended up cooking on TV and writing her own cookbook, Cooking con Omi, plus learn what she cooks for parties and how she stays creative in the kitchen. For Omi's recipe for stewed beans, head to our newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Une Femme Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN for 20% off at UneFemmeWines.com. Must be 21+Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Check out Food Friends on Substack, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Serena Wolf’s Easy Summer Dinner Ideas 27.07.2026 57min

  Serena Wolf hosts a big pool party every year, and in this episode of The Dinner Plan, she's sharing her go-to bbq menu and the mac and cheese trick that always impresses her guests. Her new book, You Do You, is full of easy dinner recipes, all including advice on simple ingredient swaps. She offers meal planning advice that's really helpful, too. Quick summer dinners shouldn't be stressful, and Serena's tips will make you feel more confident in the kitchen, whether you're hosting a dinner party with friends or figuring out what to make with melon or nectarines for dinner at home tonight.Get recipes and cookbook links from Serena on The Dinner Plan's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com ➡️__________Thanks to this week's sponsors:Find Ajinomoto at your local grocery store, and stocked in bulk at your nearest Costco.Une Femme Wines: Use code DINNERPLAN at unefemmewines.com for 20% off. Must be 21+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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Recipes for College Cooks and First Apartments from Claire Thomson 20.07.2026 48min

  Getting your kid ready to go to college includes a lot of tangible stuff, like dorm setup. But they might also be cooking dinner for the very first time in their first apartment or a university-housing kitchen, and chef Claire Thomson has all the advice they need for that. Her new book, Dear Grace, is full of quick dinner recipes and meal planning advice for new cooks, including ways to cook on a budget—even when you're feeding friends after a night out. In this episode, Claire shares some of the most important cooking advice she'd give to first-time cook: how to make the most of cheap pantry staples, how to lean on your freezer for dinner ideas, and the most important part of meal planning: how to adjust a batch-cooked meal to eat other versions throughout the week. Get Claire's recipes for Creamy Tomato Pasta With Sausage and her Roast Sweet Potatoes With Black Beans and Spiced Pumpkin Seeds at our weekly newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com. While you're there, enter The Dinner Plan's Big Summer Giveaway by July 29, 2026._____Thanks to today's sponsors:Trimona Yogurt: Find Trimona's A2A2 Bulgarian-style yogurt at TrimonaFoods.com and stores near you. McEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.comBubbies 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Tuscan Summer Cooking: Giulia Scarpaleggia’s Vegetable Playbook 13.07.2026 49min

  This episode highlights so many Italian vegetable recipes: ideas for cooking eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and all the other produce that's at its peak right now. Your expert guide: Tuscan cooking teacher and cookbook author Giulia Scarpaleggia, whose most recent book is Vegetables the Italian Way. Tune in to learn why you should salt your eggplant even though modern versions aren't as bitter, what to make with tomatoes that aren't fantastic, and the most important steps to making pesto.Recipes and links, plus our big summer giveaway: TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com––––––Thanks to this week's sponsors:Find Massican Wines at your local wine shop or Massican.com (21+ only)Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Relaxed Summer Entertaining With Mélanie Masarin 06.07.2026 41min

  Mélanie Masarin wants you to feel less stressed out about hosting. She says that her rule with friends is: “If I’m home, you can come over.” Her pantry is stocked with tinned fish and olives, and other little snacks to serve—but her ideal setup for a dinner party is prep-ahead recipes like ratatouille that can be served at room temperature. In this episode of The Dinner Plan, Mélanie shares a behind-the-scenes look at her new cookbook, Riviera, and her advice for making homemade aioli to eat with crunchy vegetables. This episode is full of seasonal recipes that are more about assembly than actual cooking.Get the aioli recipe and the ratatouille recipe on this week's newsletter at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.______Thanks to this week's sponsors:Row 7: Get 10% off Row 7’s chef-prepared tinned vegetables using code DINNERPLAN10 at Row7Seeds.comFind Lido: Recipes and Stories from Italy’s Beach Clubs wherever you buy books.Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Listen to Bitefully with Claudia Sandoval on your favorite podcast app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  King Arthur Baking’s Secrets for Better Pizza at Home 29.06.2026 1h 1min

  Want to make better pizza at home but not sure how to start? Today's guest, David Tamarkin of King Arthur Baking Co., is the co-author of The Book of Pizza. This episode of The Dinner Plan podcast is packed with advice, sharing how to hack your oven for better pizza crust, how to choose toppings depending on the style of pizza you're making, and how to fit pizza-making into a weekday schedule. Why is your pizza soggy? David has the answer to that, too.Get the recipe for King Arthur's Weeknight Detroit Pizza at TheDinnerPlan.Substack.com.____Thanks to this week's sponsors:Straus Family Creamery: Find Straus organic ice cream at Whole Foods nationwide or at strausfamilycreamery.com. Made In Cookware: Visit madein.cc/dinnerplan to unlock your discount offer.Need another pizza book for your collection? Tara Jensen's Pizza Practice is available on Amazon, Bookshop, or wherever you buy books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Going Camping? Here’s What to Cook 25.06.2026 49min

  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.______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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Easy Meal Prep, the Japanese Way 22.06.2026 57min

  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.–––––––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.
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  Best Cookbooks of 2026 (So Far) With Matt Rodbard 17.06.2026 50min

  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.______Thanks to this week's sponsors:McEvoy Ranch: Use code DINNERPLAN for 10% off at McEvoyranch.comBubbies 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.