by EllaMae Reiff

Farm life is governed by schedules, and meal planning for farmers is no different. Even if field work is underway, as it will be again in the spring, the family must eat.

Nancy Reiff, a farm wife in Warsaw, Ind., explains how her meal planning revolves around her schedule, along with her farmers’ schedules if they’re in the field.

“I throw out ideas, suggestions to some of them, and see if it sounds good,” Reiff says.

Reiff’s day begins by preparing for the day ahead, making supper if it’s a slow-cooker dish. She balances her work commitments before returning home to care for the family’s Australian shepherd, Oakley, preparing supper and coordinating meal deliveries. The day concludes with house chores, and hopefully she can end her night snuggling with Oakley.

Creating new dishes

After Reiff had prepared and cooked meals for well over a decade, some of the meals had become “old and stale,” she says.

As time progressed, she found out one or two of her crew didn’t particularly care for a certain meal either. So, she scoured the internet and social media for inspiration.

“I have to go and research Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook to try to come up with something new that I can feed them,” Reiff says. Social media platforms like TikTok and Pinterest have been go-to resources for meal planning. Cooking videos on TikTok have exploded, offering short and engaging tutorials with quick meal ideas.

“A crockpot is a blessing, a true blessing, because those are just one-stop meals,” Reiff says.

Overcoming delivery challenges

A significant challenge Reiff highlights is coordinating food delivery to distant fields. Communication is the key to overcoming this challenge. Navigating this task, Reiff exemplifies a blend of practicality and using available resources: effective communication, thermal containers that can be purchased online at Amazon or at local grocery stores and collaboration with semi drivers.

Using thermal containers and arranging delivery with drivers ensures hot meals reach those in remote locations, she says.

Reiff highlights the importance of speed and convenience. Although she provides home-cooked meals most days, there is one field that’s farther from home but close to her work. On those rare occurrences, the drive-thru at a favorite fast-food restaurant is the best way to go.

Using tools like slow cookers, one- or two-step meals, and efficient labeling helps strike a balance between providing a home-cooked meal and meeting the need for speedy delivery. The whole process reveals the dedication and hard work that goes into meal planning and organization for farmers in the fields.

Top tips for field meal prep

Reiff shares tips for efficient meal preparation. They’re useful year-round, but especially when her farming family is busy in the fields.

Engage farmers. Reiff emphasizes the importance of involving farmers in the meal preparation process. Discovering their cravings and knowing their locations allows for the meals to cater to their tastes and lets her make convenient deliveries.

Pre-label boxes. One of Reiff’s practical tips is to label boxes beforehand. This ensures efficient organization and minimizes risk of mix-ups, making sure each person receives the intended meal.

Use sauce cups. Reiff suggests preparing dipping sauce in sauce cups while the meal cooks. This small but impactful detail adds convenience when it’s time to head out the door.

Use prewrapped plastic ware. Reiff advocates for efficiency by including prewrapped plastic ware along with napkins, salt and pepper. This ensures workers have everything they need for a meal. It is convenient for their on-the-go meals.

Have essential kitchen tools. Essential kitchen tools for prepping in-the-field meals include a frying pan, stirring spoons, plastic sauce cups and plastic foam containers.

Reiff is a senior in ag communication at Purdue University. Nancy Reiff is her mother.