Tips for Simple Healthy Meals at Home

We know that many of you are quite busy these days.  Guess what, so are we!  With that in mind, we wanted to share some helpful tips to help you create healthy and simple meals at home.  So go ahead, get your hands dirty, and spark some creativity while you're at it!

Add Some Pizazz to Proteins:

Purchase boneless chicken breasts, thighs, or cutlets.  Then, simply cut them into small pieces and stir-fry them.  It's easy to vary recipes by simply changing out the vegetables, as well as the seasoning. 

Seafood in a Snap:

Stock your freezer with frozen fish fillets like salmon and cod, or shrimp and scallops.  This way, you'll have lean proteins at the tip of your fingers.  Then follow the instructions for thawing.  You can cut the fillets into small pieces too which work well in meals like tacos, stir-fries, or a salad topper.

Plentiful Plants:

Plant proteins like those in beans are a quick and easy ingredient to add to your meals.  You can add them to things like tacos, stir-fries, soups, stews, and of course - salads!  Quick tip - lentils are one of the quickest legumes to use as they only need about 40 minutes to cook from dried.  Bonus, cooked lentils last about 4 days in your refrigerator.

Healthy Whole Grains:

Buy whole-grain pastas, tortillas, pita pockets, and wraps.  Also, other good choices are brown rice, quinoa, and barley as their mild flavor makes it easy to build upon for a full meal. Here's a tip, try making several servings of things like rice which can keep for a few days in your fridge and be used throughout the week.  Or, why not create healthy bowls using whole grains as your base, then add your favorite vegetables, and top it with a flavorful sauce and some protein.  Here's an example: Start with brown rice, next add cooked chicken breast, diced tomato, chopped avocado, shredded lettuce, and salsa! Or, try adding fresh or frozen vegetables like asparagus, spinach, zucchini, or broccoli into your next tomato sauce and serve over whole grain pasta. Another idea is to take a whole grain wrap and use it as a "crust" for a pizza.  Just add shredded cheese, diced pepper, sliced tomato and chopped fresh basil. Bake at 375 degrees for 4 minutes and you have your next meal!

Here are some helpful items for your next grocery list:

Healthy Proteins
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs or cutlets
Canned beans
Canned salmon, tuna, sardines,
Dried lentils
Frozen fish fillets
Frozen shrimp and scallops
Reduced-fat cheese like mozzarella and feta

Whole Grains
Brown rice
Pearled barley
Quinoa
Whole-grain pasta
Whole-grain tortillas
Whole-wheat pita
Whole-wheat pizza crust

Vegetables
Assorted frozen vegetables, including stir-fry mixes
Baby carrots
Bagged leafy greens
Jarred reduced sodium and no added sugar tomato sauce
Fresh or frozen cubed butternut squash and sweet potatoes
Peeled/cooked baby beets
Pre-cut veggies from the produce section of your grocery store

Seasonings
Fresh lemons and limes
Prepared guacamole
Prepared hummus
Salad dressings - assorted flavors and low in carbohydrates - 2 grams or less
Salt-free and no added sugar herb spices/seasoning blends
Low-Sodium fat free broths

Reference: Health & Nutrition Letter, Tufts University, September 2017, Making Healthy Meals with Minimal Fuss, Special Supplement (p.1-4).