Meal Prep to Make Healthy Eating Easy
- Always look to see what is in the refrigerator first and use your existing groceries as a guide. Think of meals in sections: ¼ whole grains, ¼ lean protein, & ½ greens/veggies.
- Start batch cooking, meaning make enough spaghetti sauce for more than 1 meal and freeze extra for later. This will save on time during the week.
- Cook enough pasta or rice for 5 servings when you only need 2 servings. Save the rest for other meals during the week.
- Chop extra vegetables when preparing one dish and store extra pre-cut vegetables in the fridge to use later.
- Don’t forget about frozen vegetables! They are cleaned, precut, and ready to go. Defrost or cook and add to any dish.
Pick a Bean, Green and Grain from each column to create a healthy meal
| BEANS/LEAN PROTEIN | GREENS/VEGGIES | WHOLE GRAINS |
| Black beans/Pinto beans | Collard Greens/ Swiss Chard/Spinach/Kale | Rice (wild, brown, black, & red) |
| Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas | Carrots/Celery/Onions/Garlic | Pasta (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, etc.) |
| Kidney beans/White Beans | Broccoli/Cauliflower | Buckwheat or Rice Noodles (brown rice or black rice) |
| Edamame/Soybeans/Tofu/Tempeh | Cucumbers/Radishes/Sprouts | Ancient grains like Faro, Spelt, Barley, Quinoa, Oats, or Millet |
| Peas/Lentils | Summer Squash/Zucchini | Bread (whole wheat, rye, or sprouted grains) |
| Lean Chicken, Fish, Pork, or Beef | Asparagus/Green Beans | Potatoes (russet, sweet, Yukon gold, fingerling, or any) |
| Eggs/Egg Whites | Brussels Sprouts/Cabbage | Tortillas (corn or whole grain flour) or Polenta |
*Include a sauce to make your meal more interesting and flavorful. See the next page for a few recipes for homemade sauces. It’s OK to use pre-made sauces. Make sure the ingredients list is short. You’ll know that it is not highly processed.
Sauce Ideas
Easy Miso Vinaigrette
Serves 2 at 3 tablespoons per serving
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (sub any vinegar or lemon/lime juice)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (sub any mustard)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (sub honey, molasses, or just a teaspoon of sugar)
Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk/stir until smooth. This is a favorite recipe because it’s so easy to make and change.
Asian Peanut Sauce
Serves 4-5 at 3-4 tablespoons per serving
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter or 6 tablespoons peanut butter powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or lower sodium coco aminos or tamari
- Juice 2 limes or ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sambal sauce or sriracha or any hot chili sauce
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger fresh or 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder
- ½ cup water
Mix all ingredients in a blender or shake well in a tightly sealed jar. Give it a good stir before using.
Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
Serves 4 at 2 tablespoons per serving
- 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (sub plain plant-based yogurt)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill and/or fresh chopped chives
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons water to thin dressing
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
Mix all ingredients until well combined. This is great to use in Mason Jar Salads. Be sure to put the dressing in the bottom, the lettuce on top, and whatever you want in the middle. It will store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.