Fresh Ideas for Healthy Meal Prep – Ask a Nutritionist

Transcript:

BRANDY: Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition's “Ask a Nutritionist” podcast brought to you by Nutritional Weight and Wellness. I'm Brandy Buro. I'm a Registered and Licensed Dietitian. We're thrilled at Nutritional Weight & Wellness to be celebrating 20 years on air, discussing the connection between what you eat and how you feel while sharing practical real life solutions to healthier living through balanced nutrition. We just want to thank you all so much for your support and listenership over the years.

Now let's get started with today's topic. Our topic today is about meal planning, and this topic was inspired by a question that came in from one of our Dishing Up Nutrition listeners. So the original question was, “I have meal prep fatigue. Can you suggest some recommendations for fresh ideas for healthy foods to prep for lunch and dinner for me and my family?”

So this is a great question. This is a topic that comes up all the time when I'm working one on one with clients. So I know that many of you are probably experiencing something very similar. We're all so busy, and it's such a fast paced world, that following a healthy real food diet can be a real challenge.

But there is no way around it when you are following a real food plan. Cooking is going to come into play at some point, but our busy schedules are so often leading us to eating habits that are not really that great for our health. Oftentimes we're resorting to convenience foods or ordering takeout.

These foods are very processed and nutritionally poor. But if you have a strategy, a little planning, a little preparation, you can enjoy real food that is nutritious and satisfying, whether you're cooking for yourself or the whole family. So I'm going to be letting you in on some advice as a dietitian to healthy meal prep ideas that are going to save you time and keep you on track with your health goals.

Basics of real food meal prep

So let's get started with some basics of real food meal prep. It starts with planning, but then you need to shop and then actually do the prep work, the cooking. So I'm going to call out a few helpful tips for each of these phases. So first is the planning. I would say this is the most important step. You got to plan.

And as the saying goes, if you fail to plan, plan to fail. Really taking that time each week to plan is a critical part in setting yourself up for success throughout the week. I like to set aside a specific time each week to write down all of my meal ideas for the upcoming week. For me, this is usually early Sunday morning.

That's when I like to sit down and think ahead about what's going on during the week, what kinds of foods I'm in the mood for, and what is realistic for my schedule that week. And when I have that handwritten down plan, it takes so much of that stress of deciding what I'm going to eat during the week, and it can help me avoid some of those impulse decisions that I know are not great for me when I'm already hungry, I'm already, you know, feeling maybe overwhelmed with the busyness of the week.

And now when I say that I plan each meal for the week, that does not mean I'm planning three separate meals for every single day. What I do is I plan for leftovers. Leftovers are key in filling the blank spots in my meal plan. So really, I only have to cook two or three bigger meals throughout the week, knowing that I made enough so I have leftovers to use for several additional meals later that week.

And usually I find that most people are pretty comfortable with only one or two different options for breakfast for most days. So that takes a little of the stress of meal planning out. That meal is pretty easy to plan for. I find that lunches and dinners need a little more intention to incorporate that variety.

So once you know what you want to eat for the week, next is the grocery list. So based on your menu and the recipes that you selected, you need to identify what ingredients you need to make your grocery list. I like to scan through the recipes, pick out the ingredients that I already have, but then also the ingredients that need to be purchased.

And I found that for most of my clients, grocery shopping works really well if you actually schedule that during a consistent time every week. Just like you would start planning on a specific day during the week. Think about when you have time to do that grocery shopping. Is it going to be on a weekend or is it best to do it on your way home after work some night?

And once you're at the grocery store, do your best to stick to that list. That's going to help you stay focused and make sure you get all of the ingredients you need. But it's also going to help you avoid impulse buying. Of course, those impulse buys, I think most of the time, are not the best things for us.

So by sticking to that list, you can actually continue to make good choices for yourself at home. And some of my clients, for that same reason, have found that ordering groceries online, then picking them up, or having them delivered, actually works really well, because they're only getting exactly what's on their list, and nothing extra. And for some, it actually doubles as a time saver, because they're not actually doing the shopping, they're just kind of swinging by and picking it up.

Don’t go shopping when you’re hungry

Another grocery shopping tip for you, and you've probably heard this before, please don't go shopping when you're hungry. It is almost a guarantee that you are going to pick up something that was not on your list, and it's more than likely going to be a processed convenience food that you'll probably snack on on your way home. I think we've all been there before. So have a little snack before you go shopping. It's going to save you actually a lot of money when it comes down to it.

Veggie prep tips

Now let's envision that you're home with all of your groceries for the week. How are you going to make simple meals that don't take up too much of your time? What I like to do is recommend meal prepping throughout stages during the week. So for some, this might mean that you're washing and chopping your vegetables right away when you get home from the store before they even hit the refrigerator.

One method that I like to use is I have a recipe that I know that I'm going to make that day when I get all my groceries home. And while I have the cutting board out, all my tools out, the kitchen is already set up for cooking, so I go ahead and prep the vegetables for a second recipe that I want to make later that week.

I think veggie prep is the part of the process that actually takes more time than others. It's one of the more consuming steps. So if I can knock that step out early in the week, the rest of the week is pretty easy. Then you can just use those ingredients to assemble a recipe pretty quickly. And because veggie prep requires a little more of a time commitment, it's actually totally fine to find ways to skip this step altogether.

You can buy vegetables that are already washed and chopped for you. Or you could buy a veggie tray. Or you could even go ahead and get some good quality organic frozen vegetables. You know, there's options out there. And I think a lot of grocery stores now offer the pre chopped vegetable option. There's a pretty good selection now from what I've seen.

So don't stress out about that too much. It might cost a little extra, but I think for many families, saving that time in the kitchen is worth the convenience. So don't be afraid to take those shortcuts when you need it.

Batch cooking

I also want to talk a little bit about batch cooking. Batch cooking is basically cooking in bulk, and that is a priceless tool for busy families, for anybody following a real planned meal. I encourage all of my clients, and I do this myself. When you are making a recipe, double or triple it. When you have the time to cook, capitalize on that opportunity and maximize your output. That way you can heat and eat those leftovers all throughout the week.

And just imagine if you were able to chop your vegetables ahead of time, making that big batch of soup or a couple sheet pans of roasted vegetables in the middle of the week, is not going to take much time at all. And when you're able to batch cook, you're in the kitchen fewer times in the week, which means you are not cleaning your counters or washing dishes or putting things away over and over again.

Tips on meal storage containers

And I think everyone can agree that's a pretty big win, big time saver. So now that you have all this delicious food prepared, now you have to store it. So it is important that you get the right meal storage containers. That can make all the difference in your meal prep. My advice is to invest in a variety of glass containers with a tight seal.

They are oven safe, they're freezer friendly, and they're leak proof. So this means you can pop it right into the toaster oven or the air fryer or even the microwave without having to transfer that meal onto a different plate. Mason jars also work really well for this for things like soups and curries or even like salad dressings.

Basically we just want to avoid storing our food in plastic containers. We want to prevent that plastic from leaching into our food. Whether or not you actually heat the food in the plastic, that plastic is still leeching into your food. So we really want to just try to get glass containers when possible.

​-----

Meal ideas

So now that we've covered some of the basics of how to meal plan, let's get into some meal ideas. The overall goal, every time you put together a meal is to make sure it is well balanced using real foods. This means ensuring that each meal contains a balance of animal proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates mostly from vegetables.

So eating in balance is not only the best way to eat for long term health, but you are going to feel great and have the energy you need to get through the day without needing that sugar or caffeine pick me up. And just imagine having this kind of physical and mental energy can actually help keep you motivated to make the effort to keep eating this way.

And maybe you might even have fun cooking. Wouldn't that be something? So let's dive into some meal ideas. And I want to start with lunch because our listener wanted new ideas for lunch and dinner. And when it comes to meal prepping, I think lunch is where I tend to repurpose a lot of leftovers. For example, I love making a salad for lunch using leftover meat, maybe leftover grilled chicken breast or a leftover hamburger patty, and I put that on top of some pre washed mixed greens with a variety of other vegetables.

So lately I've really been on a kick with cherry tomatoes, some red pepper and a little cucumber. And then I'll add more concentrated carbohydrate, like a half a cup of quinoa or some leftover roasted sweet potatoes, and then to balance it all out, add some healthy fat. So maybe it's some olives or half of an avocado and then some olive oil vinaigrette, maybe with a little balsamic vinegar.

So simple. But it's really delicious. And it takes hardly any time to assemble that because I'm using leftover protein, I'm using leftover quinoa or potatoes. And if I'm really in a groove, I already have those peppers and cucumbers chopped up. And by the way, when I make this salad, I'm making three at a time. And I put my dressing in a separate jar. Those are going to stay fresh in the fridge for most of the week. And I just have to grab it on my way out the door. Easy peasy.

Another idea for lunch that's also kid friendly and lunchbox ready are deli meat roll ups. So all you do for this is you take nitrate free deli meat, whatever you want, nitrate free turkey, maybe nitrate free ham, and spread some healthy fat on it; something like cream cheese or avocado or guacamole. And then wrap that around some fresh vegetables. I think cucumbers, sliced peppers, carrot sticks, even pickles, they all work really well for this. It's really easy. Kids could actually help out with this, and they love it. Kids love it. Adults love it. It's just a really great lunch option.

Now let's move on to dinner. Dinner tends to take up most of the time when you're prepping. And so often we're short on time after a long workday, after school. So this is when I think the takeout or drive through might actually be really appealing.

So I want to share a few tips for my favorite weeknight go tos that have actually saved me from going down this path. So my top pick is sheet pan meals. Sheet pan meals, they're really easy, they're minimal effort, very little cleanup. Basically, you cook everything on one sheet pan and dinner is ready within half an hour.

And there are so many different variations that this actually is a great method to master. And then you just keep things interesting by using different seasonings, different proteins, different vegetables. So the basic format is you choose your protein and your vegetables, toss them with some avocado oil, seasonings of your choice, maybe some garlic powder, a little lemon juice, maybe an herb, and you basically assemble that on a sheet pan and bake it about 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

You might actually need a couple of sheet pans if you do make a double or a triple batch, but that's okay. If you're not using a starchy vegetable like sweet potatoes or potatoes, you could make a batch of quinoa or wild rice on the stovetop while everything else is cooking and just serve that on the side.

And I do recommend that you make extra quinoa or wild rice or brown rice, and then you could use that in other meals throughout the week. So again, there's so many different variations on this basic idea that you can really infuse a ton of variety into your routine without reinventing the wheel every single time.

So we have a couple great recipes on our website. One of my favorites is the Sheet Pan Asian Salmon with Brussels Sprouts and Red Pepper. It's really simple and good. And there's also a Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita recipe on the website, weightandwellness.com.

I also recently made a spin on chicken parmesan using this method. I just seasoned some chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, a little avocado oil, and then I topped it with a no sugar marinara sauce and baked it. On a separate sheet pan I had some chopped up broccoli and avocado oil, a little salt and pepper, and then when it was finished I just put some parmesan cheese on everything. That was actually surprisingly good and I just kind of made it up because I, I knew the sheet pan method.

Another idea, I think especially during the summer months, is a batch cooking technique I call fill the grill. So if you're going to fire up the grill for dinner, you may as well cook as much as you can fit on it instead of cooking just one meal's worth of food.

For example, if I want to make some steaks and asparagus for dinner, I'm also going to throw on some brats, maybe a couple hamburger patties, maybe some chicken legs, along with a variety of vegetables. So that way I'm going to have plenty of leftovers throughout the week. I'm going to save most of that for lunches.

And it has a fun, unique grill flavor that keeps things a little interesting. And I'm not making a fresh meal every single meal. And of course there's always the option of making a big batch of soup or stew or chili or maybe even a curry. I think these are usually what you think of in the colder months, but you know, there's no rules of when you can eat a good curry.

You can enjoy that anytime. And you could even use your crockpot, your slow cooker. You just turn it on, throw those ingredients in there, and it's just, it's going to be ready for you when you're ready. And I actually like doing this in the summer because I'm not heating up the stove, I'm not standing over the stove, the house keeps cool. So use your crockpot. Think of that as a good summer option. And soups and stews freeze so well. you know, up to a few months. So you've got kind of a ready to go, ready to heat meal anytime.

I want to throw out just one more meal prep idea that's great for any meal or snack. And that's meatballs. Meatballs are great because you could a make big batch of them all at once. They freeze really well and reheat quickly. You could add that as a great protein source for your lunch or dinner. Like I said, even a snack. And when I make meatballs, I like to make half of the batch using one flavor profile and the other half using a completely different flavor profile.

So what I did recently was I did half with kind of like a garlic herb flavor and the other half with kind of like a Thai Vietnamese flavor profile. I threw in some ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint, a little fish sauce; really good. And then for a quick meal, I make kind of like a bowl. I use those meatballs, some leftover quinoa or brown rice with some cauliflower rice mixed in, and then whatever veggies I have in the fridge that fit that vibe. Maybe some cucumber and carrot, red pepper.

And then for that, that Thai bowl, I made a quick peanut sauce using peanut butter, a little lime juice, and liquid aminos. It's really, really good, but very simple, something a little different midweek. Just a really great way to get creative in the kitchen.

Recap

Well let's wrap up and review the tips for successful meal planning that we discussed today. As I mentioned first, the most important thing to do is take time to plan. If we don't set aside that time to plan, before we know it, we are going to be ordering takeout or driving through that fast food lane. Because we don't have anything at home. We don't have anything made. So I invite you to open up your calendar and schedule just a few minutes sometime this week to write down your meal ideas for the following week.

It's even better if you can schedule another time to go get your groceries and prepare even just one recipe. And remember to try to keep it simple. Don't overcomplicate things. Focus on simple real food ingredients that are easy to prepare and versatile. Even as a dietitian who loves to cook, I love spending time in the kitchen, I am careful not to make things too ambitious or complicated because the week is so busy.

But I do prioritize balancing real food proteins fats and vegetables using the foods that I know I like and my family likes. And use high quality real food prepared, pre prepared foods when you need to. It is just unrealistic to make everything from scratch all the time, but there are some healthy ready to made options out there that can save you some time and some effort.

Just a few examples that I really like to use: pre chopped or frozen vegetables, precooked nitrate free brats or sausages. I'm also a very big fan of sugar free marinara sauce; comes in really handy for making like a meat sauce or a spaghetti squash casserole. So lean into those real food ingredient products when you can.

Another tip is invest in tools that are going to save you time. Use that slow cooker or that instant pot. Maybe think about getting an air fryer for easy cooking and reheating. A food processor can help make chopping vegetables very easy and fast.

So I would say if it's a tool that's going to help you eat healthier more consistently, I think it's worth the investment. And remember that many of these meals can be frozen and reheated. Soups and stews and casseroles are great for that. Stir fries, I would say also. But double or triple the recipe every time you do have time to cook so that you can freeze a few portions so that you have a variety of meals just waiting for you in the freezer that you can reheat without repetitive cooking.

Lastly, find ways to enjoy this process. Meal prep does not have to be a chore. If you involve your family, try some new recipes and have fun in this journey. It could be fun to assign each family member to pick one recipe per week and then have them join you at the farmer's market or the grocery store.

They can help you shop, maybe pick out a fun vegetable. And when you're in the kitchen, give them a task, you know, have them wash some veggies. Maybe they're ready to start chopping veggies or peel some veggies. This is where and when your kids learn these life skills, and the more they're involved in the process, the more likely they are to eat that food and enjoy it.

And just think, if everybody in the family is involved in some way, meal planning and prepping is not going to take that much time at all. So by incorporating these meal prep ideas into your routine, you can enjoy good food, nutritious meals without the stress of cooking every single day. With just a little planning and preparation, eating real food every day can become a very easy and enjoyable part of your life.

So this week I provided a few meal prep ideas just for lunch and dinner, but stay tuned next week because I will talk all about some fun breakfast ideas. Well, that's it for today. I want to thank you all so much for listening to today's episode of Dishing Up Nutrition's “Ask a Nutritionist”. If you liked this episode and found it helpful, leave us a review on your favorite podcast app so we can help even more people discover the connection between what you eat and how you feel.

And if you have a nutrition question you'd like us to answer, join our private Dishing Up Nutrition Facebook community by searching Dishing Up Nutrition on Facebook.

Join our Dishing Up Nutrition Facebook Group

Or you could give us a call at 952-641-5233 and leave us a voicemail in our Dishing Up Nutrition voicemail inbox. Don't be shy. If you have a question, just let us know. We look forward to hearing from you. Thanks so much for listening today.