I know a big challenge for many people (myself included) is constantly worrying and wondering what you're going to put on the table for dinner. Whether you have kids, just you and your spouse, or you're single and want to eat at home, it's a constant nag. I have listed a few suggestions that I have implemented to help my week run smoothly, quickly get healthy options on the table, and only have to run to the store once a week.
Make a plan: I plan out each meal for the week. I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I use the app AnyList to keep track of my meals on the calendar page and from there I create my grocery list. I usually make my plan when I get into bed in the evening. I usually leave 1 to 2 nights free so that if I have a craving one day for Mexican food, for example, then we just order in from our favorite spots! Here in Dallas, I have fallen in love with Muchachos in Preston Center, which I HIGHLY recommend.
Pre-made rotisserie chicken: I almost always pick one up at the grocery store to carve up at home. I keep the legs and wings stored in some Tupperware in case I want to eat some whole chicken pieces for lunch, and then shred up the thigh and breast meat. Shredded chicken is a perfect protein addition for salads, quesadillas, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, filling for a sweet potato, the list goes on and on.
Wash your produce: Right, when I get home from the store, I wash all of my fresh fruits and vegetables and put them away clean and ready to be eaten or cooked throughout the week. Here is a great reference list for how long produce will keep and tips to make them last longer!
Ready to use onions: Onions are a foundation of flavor in so many dishes, but man if they aren't a pain to cut up! I dice up yellow onions and place them in Tupperware in the fridge so I have them ready to go for any recipes on the plan. I also like to slice red onions in a half-moon shape and store them in the fridge for salads, sandwiches, and burgers if those are on the menu.
Simple filler veggies: Some vegetables like broccoli, carrots, squash, and Brussels sprouts are great fillers, toppings, or sides for almost any lunch or dinner. You can pre-make a good sized batch to use all week for an easy serving of veggies. I usually steam a few heads of broccoli and roast some large carrots.
You can roast almost anything on a sheet pan at 425 degrees with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a few cloves of garlic until done - browned on the outside and tender
2 words, Roasted Garlic: Ooh hello flavor! If you want to take the extra step you can roast garlic and have it ready to grab from the fridge all week to elevate any dish by replacing raw garlic with roasted garlic cloves, for example, salad dressings, soups, taco meat, or pretty much any dish!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the top of the garlic bulb off so the heads of the cloves are exposed. Drizzle olive oil on top and wrap it up in foil. Place in the oven for 50 minutes. When it's done, pull out of the oven and squeeze out the sweet soft, and caramelized cloves into a jar with a lid. Store in the fridge to use throughout the week!
Overnight oats: Breakfast can be simple, delicious, and as healthy or decadent as you'd like to make it! Making a whole batch will give you a quick grab-and-go option during the week, check out some of my recipes for overnight oats here.