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Food People, Parent Picks: we ask our favorite chefs, food writers, and industry insiders who we interview in our Order Up! Series to share the products, books, and bites they can’t live without.
We loved sharing Lauren Kretzer’s Order Up! interview earlier this week: her grounded, plant-forward approach to family meals is exactly the energy we want going into January. Today she’s back with her Food People, Parent Picks, highlighting the pantry staples, everyday shortcuts, and little kitchen luxuries that keep her family happy and well-fed. Lauren is the plant-based chef, recipe developer, and holistic nutritionist behind Plant Magic, her Substack devoted to simple meals, seasonal rituals, and wellness made doable for real parents with real schedules.
Today she’s back for our rapid-fire Food People, Parent Picks, sharing the everyday staples she relies on (including the three ingredients she reaches for constantly), the snack her kids never tire of, the “prep-without-prepping” strategy that saves her weeknights, and the one kitchen luxury that sparks daily joy. If Lauren’s Order Up! interview left you inspired to start the year with gentler habits and more vegetables on the table, you’re going to love these quick hits from inside her kitchen.
Is there a cookbook you find yourself reaching for again and again?
I love cookbooks. Anything by Isa Chandra Moskowitz [Link to Cookbooks recommended by our Food People, Parent Picks Guests, including all Moskowitz’s cookbooks on Bookshop] is fantastic for vegan cooking, she’s truly the OG. Amy Chaplin is a huge inspiration and mentor to me, and her books At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen [Bookshop, Amazon] and Whole Food Cooking Every Day [Bookshop, Amazon] are incredible resources for more experienced cooks. And Nisha Vora’s book, Big Vegan Flavor—she runs the Instagram account Rainbow Plant Life—is another great one, especially if you’re newer to plant-based cooking and want solid technique. [Get it on Bookshop or Amazon.]
When it comes to busy weeknights, are you more of a meal-prep person or a quick-dinner person?
I don’t have the time or desire to do full meal prep, but I do a few things every week that make life easier. I always roast tofu—that’s in my fridge no matter what. I always sauté broccoli because my kids will reliably eat it. And I always keep black beans on hand; my kids love them wrapped in tortillas or with tacos. I also try to keep a washed, ready-to-use leafy green in the fridge for salads or tossing into soups.
What are your top three plant-based pantry staples you always keep stocked?
Extra-virgin olive oil, but always two kinds: a good one for cooking and a really good one for finishing. Tamari is another must; it adds such deep, savory flavor and goes into almost everything I make, from dressings to marinades, you name it. And because I’m plant-based, nutritional yeast is a constant. My kids love it too. We toss tofu in it, sprinkle it on grains and salads, and it’s amazing on popcorn.
Do you have a super-simple kitchen tool you recommend to everyone?
A really good chef’s knife. Don’t be afraid of it! It’s worth investing in—an 8-inch knife over $100 will last and totally transform your cooking. And my second favorite is the microplane. It adds so much flavor, especially if you love making your own dressings—think fresh garlic or lemon zest for a little pop.
What about after-school snacks—any favorites your kids reach for?
Popcorn is our number one. It’s a whole grain, it’s filling, and everyone loves it. We also do trail mix with a few chocolate pieces to keep it fun, though I have to remind them to eat the nuts too! And apples with peanut butter is a classic for a reason: fast, balanced, and always a hit.
And finally, what’s one small kitchen luxury that brings you outsized joy?
Our coffee setup. We have a really nice machine and grinder. My husband has become a full-on coffee snob! It’s very Italian of us, so I justify it. But truly, the coffee is so good, and it brings me so much joy every single day.
At One Potato, we love coffee too! If your morning coffee brings you that same joy, or is one of the few things getting you through the chaos, Bean Box is such a fun little upgrade. It’s a delivery service that sends really good, small-batch beans from indie roasters, so you can always look forward to that first cup — whether you’re up before the sun or reheating it for the third time. We love it, and thought you might, too. Check out their coffee subscriptions here →
