Do I need a blender/food processor to follow the plan? What is the difference?
To get the most out of the Planner, it helps to have at least a food processor, blender, or an immersion blender, but if you don’t have any of these you can work around it by swapping out recipes that call for them until you’re able to find one.
Food processors and blenders can be found for a limited expense everywhere from thrift stores to big-box stores, and you can always search for deals online as well. We have provided some recommendations below.
For dressings, sauces, and other components that are meant to be as smooth and creamy as possible, we recommend using a high-powered blender. If you have a normal blender, you can achieve the same results, but it may require doubling or even tripling the blending time (you can’t overblend a creamy sauce!). You may also need to add more liquid, which allows the mixture to move more, helping to create a creamy texture. Keep in mind that if you do add more liquid, you may have to season more as well.
Food processors, on the other hand, use interchangeable blades and disks (attachments) rather than a fixed blade. They are the perfect tool for helping you quickly chop or slice vegetables, which makes prep a breeze as you can cut many vegetables at once with a few hits of the pulse button.
A food processor may also come in handy if you’re making burgers or other patty recipes that require dicing and integrating many different ingredients.
Our team recommends the following blenders:
Budget (Immersion blender)
Midrange
Professional
Food processors recommended by our team
Budget
Midrange / Professional
