MEAL PREP INSPIRATION… from a puppy!
I ate “dog food” for lunch. Yes, you read that right.
Here’s the story: My hubs and I regularly babysit a beautiful puppy named Stella. We are obsessed with her and love her like she is our own.
In fact, when she comes over, I always bake her healthy homemade cookies and we do all sorts of meal prep for her like grilled chicken, roasted sweetpotatoes, and broccoli in little containers in the fridge.
When her most recent visit was over, those food containers were still there. And…
It was lunchtime. I was hungry. I hadn’t planned anything for myself. And the only thing ready to go was those food containers we prepped for the dog.
So, I did what any resourceful, slightly desperate human would do. I ate it.
The chicken, the broccoli, and the sweetpotatoes.
And you know what? It was delicious.
Basic. Nourishing. Fast.
So thanks to little puppy Stella…
I was reminded that when you have simple basics prepped in your fridge, a meal is READY in minutes.
So now, we aren’t prepping just for her, but we are prepping a few basics for us to eat, too!
BASICS TO PREP
Keep at least one option in each category ready-to-go in your fridge…
PROTEIN: chicken, salmon, hard-boiled eggs, beans, tofu, tempeh, edamame, tuna salad
VEGGIES: zucchini, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, leafy greens, tomatoes, carrots, snap peas, coleslaw mix
CARBS: roasted sweetpotatoes, quinoa, brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain tortillas/wraps, whole grain pita, whole grain crackers
FLAVOR: dips (hummus, tzatziki), sauces (teriyaki, BBQ), dressings (ranch, caesar), pesto, tahini, coconut aminos, cheese, nuts, avocado/guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, hot honey
MAKE A CRAVEABLE MEAL
Mix and match those basics to make a bowl, wrap, salad, or snack plate…
BOWL
Example: Hot Honey Chicken Bowl
chicken + broccoli + sweetpotatoes + hot honey drizzle
WRAP
Example: BBQ Tofu Ranch Wrap
BBQ tofu + coleslaw mix + whole grain wrap + ranch
SALAD
Example: Salmon Caesar Salad
salmon + kale + quinoa + caesar dressing
SNACK PLATE
Example: Mini Mezze Plate
hard-boiled eggs + cucumber slices + whole grain pita chips + hummus
Meal prep doesn’t have to be complicated, gourmet recipes. Just stock your fridge with basic, versatile building blocks.When hunger hits, you’ll have everything you need to create a fast, satisfying meal, without panic, takeout, or… stealing from the dog, hehehe.
xx DJB
