Blog Post #10: Easy Meal Ideas
Now that we have discussed a lot of nutrition information, let’s see how we can mix all of the topics together and make a healthy diet that fits your lifestyle. The best thing is to try and combine carbs, protein, and fats all in one meal. Color is also good to make sure you have a lot of nutrients. Meal prepping these dishes can help make your week a little bit easier, and help you to make healthy choices.
Idea #1: Pasta or Rice - I personally have a rice cooker, and I make a huge pot of brown rice for the week. Rice is a good base or foundation to build a meal, and brown rice has more fiber than white rice. You can pair rice with fish and broccoli to make a clean but satisfying meal. You can also flavor the fish and rice however you wish (I personally love fish with a sugar bourbon or another kind of glaze). My favorite lunch is brown rice, tuna, avocado, and seasonings like soy sauce or flavored vinaigrettes. You can also make a taco bowl with rice, beans, ground meat, cheese, tomatoes, and avocado. You can also make a Mediterranean style bowl with rice, chicken, feta cheese, olives, and cucumber. You can switch the rice for pasta, and still get similar results! Heck, you can even make a pasta salad, and add a bunch of flavor and color too, and it will be a great meal to have in your fridge. My weekday go-to meal is spaghetti and meatballs. I keep some vegetable pasta noodles and marinara sauce in the pantry, and I also keep frozen turkey meatballs in the freezer for protein.
Idea #2: Chicken or Tuna salad - this is a great thing to have in your fridge in a pinch. You can purchase canned or packaged tuna or chicken, and then you can make this dish relatively quickly for a dinner or a lunch. You can also eat chicken or tuna salad as a snack. You can eat chicken or tuna salad with crackers, celery, on bread, or by itself. Tuna packs that are for grab and go situations come in many flavors and can be a great starter for any meal. I personally but canned chicken that is packaged in water. You can also add boiled eggs to increase the fat and protein content to your meals, or you can eat boiled eggs as a snack.
Idea #3: Smoothies - I always make smoothies for myself and my husband for breakfast. You can literally make your smoothie as you like! The possibilities are endless. Some people put yogurt in their smoothies, or you can put protein powder, or even peanut butter for protein. You can use cow’s milk for fat, protein, and calcium. I personally use almond milk for taste reasons, but other milk options are still good choices. Any fruit will be a great addition and provide natural sweetness. I personally would not add more than two fruits to your smoothies to stay within daily requirements (my go-to fruits are bananas and strawberries. When I feel like I need a change, I use blueberries). I usually buy frozen fruits to ensure they last longer.
Idea #4: Vegetables - try to add one vegetable to every lunch and dinner meal, or try to plan your meal around the vegetable. Adding a vegetable at breakfast can be a bonus. I pack so much frozen broccoli into my freezer, that it is not even funny. I make a quick broccoli stir fry if I have a busy evening, and it is very filling and nutritious (brown rice, eggs, broccoli, garlic, and soy sauce). You can keep a variety of frozen vegetables in your freezer, and warm them up easily. Potatoes are also handy and filling, as well as nutritious when not fried. I usually make something we call “Hippie Hash” and it is a favorite in our household. “Hippie Hash” consists of sweet potatoes, ground turkey meat, bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Flavor with cheese and herbs, like cilantro or parsley, to make it all the more tasty!
Idea #5: Soups - this one may not be enjoyed in the hot months by some people, but I argue that soups are an all-year kind of dish. Soups are quite easy to make and can be very nutritious. You can add a meat or beans, vegetables like carrots and celery, and flavorings like spices or broth. I make a coconut curry that uses coconut milk to add some fat to the dish.
Bottom line: you can start with a whole grain, then add a vegetable, follow up by adding a protein, then top everything off by adding flavor to make a well-rounded meal. There are SO many websites, pins on Pinterest, social media accounts, and other content online that shares meal ideas and recipes.
Practical Ways Towards “Peachy” Living
Read through cookbooks, websites, and other recipe holders for recipes that you and your family like. Once you find recipes that your household enjoy, you can change the dish as you want to make the dish more nutritious as needed.
You can swap recipes and ideas with family, friends, or other communities. Church potlucks are a great way to get recipe ideas.
