I’m so excited to share with you this month something that has helped meal planning and prepping WAY EASIER.
To be honest, I don't love cooking…I think the main reason is because I don’t take time to experiment and so we eat the same stuff all the time. So, I decided to update my list and thought what a great opportunity to share it with you for you to have and add to it!
Knowing what you are making for dinner is half the battle of cooking dinner (or packing a lunch or actually making/prepping breakfast!).
The past couple weeks, my husband and I have been sitting down on Sunday evenings after the kids go to bed and we plan out our week, including meals. I have been loving getting his ideas and suggestions for dinners. It makes planning go so much smoother and the prep for the day of is easy because I actually know what we are having! I can also strategize the week’s meals based on what I have before I get to the grocery store that week and then after I get groceries as well as to have simpler things on the nights that are fuller and more hectic.
So here you go! I hope this is helpful for you! Also, if you have a favorite recipe, I would LOVE to hear about it and maybe add it to my list 🙂
HEALTHY SNACKS ON THE GO:
- Fresh fruit (bananas, apples, oranges, clementines, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, melons, pineapple, kiw, etci) *Consider buying frozen fruit to mix it up and to also change up the texture. It may also be more affordable at times 🙂
- Fresh veggies (baby carrots, cucumbers, celery, sweet peppers, bell peppers, radishes, cherry tomatoes, edamame, etc.)
- Fruit cups (mandarin oranges, peaches, pears, applesauce, etc.)*Beware of added sugars! Check ingredients
- Dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, etc.) *Beware of extra sugars and oils they sneak in. Check the ingredients!
- Nuts (peanuts, pistachios, walnuts, mixed nuts, etc.)
- Trail mix *Consider making your own! Add your favorite things to the mix and also bonus you will avoid junk oils and preservatives by making your own.
- Seeds (like sunflower or pumpkin seeds)
- Granola (there are so many recipes out there! Find one you like and stick with it for some time until youre ready to mix it up!
- Popcorn (Consider getting your own popcorn popper and getting organic kernels and making your own free from extra chemicals and preservatives. Our favorite thing to do is add some real butter (or you can use a spray oil-we like avocado, coconut, or olive oil sprays instead of PAM spray) and then add salt and nutritional yeast for some extra nutrients) 🙂
- Energy balls/cookie balls (Our favorite energy bite is 1 cup Peanut Butter, 1 cup Honey, and 2 cups oats) YUM!
- Roasted chickpeas
TIP! Keep in mind that it is best to eat foods together that are going to actually sustain, satisfy, and nourish you for more than an hour. If you eat fruit or even veggies by themselves, you will most likely be hungry (if not STARVING because you spiked your blood sugar and you are now crashing) within an hour because it is processed quickly without protein and or fat. But if you eat an apple with your favorite nut butter or your veggies with hummus or some oil and balsamic vinegar, you will find that it will hold you over longer and will actually feel satisfied for a little while.
Also! Did you know that fat helps you absorb certain vitamins? Its true. So find a good dressing you like with healthy fats to put on any salads you may eat.
Meals:
The following list is just to get you started. Add to it your family’s preferences 🙂If you would like this in a google doc so you can edit it, feel free to email me if you aren’t sure how to copy and paste it into your own.
Breakfast *tip* Focus on high protein options for your breakfast to start your day off the best possible! Hello energy and focus 🙂
- Plant based protein shake (If you are in search of a good, quality shake, you must try the Juice Plus complete shakes! Read more and get it here.)
My boys and I have JP+ shakes every morning and this is what I add to them: chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seed, sunflower seed butter, dark leafy greens, full fat canned coconut milk, honey, and sometimes even chickpeas, avocado, spinach, and pumpkin puree! Then, of course, I add ice. This has evolved with lots of experimenting! We LOVE it.
- Ezekiel bread for toast, top with favorite nut butter
- Home made french toast
- Home made waffles
- Overnight oats
- Quick oats with some coconut oil and maple syrup, chia seeds and cinnamon
- Avocado toast
- Instead of bread, slice sweet potato thin, toast it, then add favorite nut butter
- Oat pancakes
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Breakfast wrap
- Energy bites (recipe is above in snacks 🙂)
- Breakfast burrito
- Breakfast casserole
- Breakfast quesadilla
Meal ideas
- Vegetable rice soup
- Homemade vegetable noodle soup
- Loaded salad with bed of leafy mixed greens, avocado, chickpeas, hemp seeds, chia seeds, raw veggies and toss in favorite dressing
- Salad with salsa or guac as dressing
- Veggie shish kabobs with your choice of protein
- Fried rice with favorite veggies
- Cajun noodles
- Veggie lasagna
- Lasagna with ricotta cheese
- Breakfast for dinner (homemade pancakes, waffles, or french toast)
- Scalloped potatoes (consdier subbing potatoes with zucchini)
Sides
- Steamed, grilled, or sauteed vegetable(s)
- Mashed sweet potatoes (recently made mashed sweet potatoes and added organic virgin coconut oil, cinnamon, salt and organic maple syrup after I mashed them and it tasted like pumpkin pie! SO GOOD!)
- Mashed potatoes (white)
- Scalloped potatoes
- Fried potatoes (in skillet)
- Mixed potato bake (cubed sweet potatoes, white potatoes, sweet peppers, onions mixed with salt, pepper, and minced garlic) YUM!
- Home made french fries (you will never want to buy a bought fry again!)
- Couscous
- Rice (cook with vegetable broth for extra flavor)
- Lentil noodles (love these with some olive or coconut oii, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast)
- Chickpea noodles (cook the same as lentil noodles)
- Rice noodles (cook same as lentil noodles)
- Stuffing
- Stuffing balls
- Spaghetti squash
ENJOY!
Sending you peace, love & wellness!
Your wellness coach at LHL, Chelsea