Growing up my mom had these binders full of recipes from magazines. Every so often she’d make a new meal, but for the most part, we ate the same 20-30 meals on rotation. Some meals I like better than others, but they were all familiar.
Then Pinterest was invented. Suddenly the bar of what was okay for dinner rose drastically. No longer were we eating meals on rotation but rather every night was some new dish. Along with that came a lot more time, energy and food waste.
If you have the time, energy and desire to cook new dishes every week then more power to you. If you’re like me, however, the idea of Pinterest dinners just adds a whole new level of stress to your life.
I say we simplify things even more and get rid of recipes altogether. By following some basic meal templates you can easily throw together delicious meals with whatever you have in the house. There’s nothing wrong with popping onto Pinterest to spark some ideas, but use it to get your juices flowing, not to find elaborate recipes for every night of the week.
Meal Templates
(Printable available below)
Bowls
grain/carb base + vegetables/fruit + protein + sauce/seasoning
Examples: Noodles + zucchini, corn, red onion + tofu/chicken + basil, garlic
Quinoa + lettuce, tomato, green onion + beans + guacamole
Salads
Green + vegetables/fruit + grains (optional) + protein + sauce/seasoning
Examples: cabbage + carrots + wonton strips + avocado, tofu, sesame seeds + asian dressing
Spinach + berries + sliced almonds + balsamic vinegar
Plate
protein + carb + vegetable/fruit
Examples: seasoned Tofu/Chicken + wild rice + broccoli
Black beans + sweet potato + tomato, avocado
Stir-frys
vegetables/fruit + protein + sauce/seasoning + carb
Examples: Edamame, red pepper, mushrooms + tofu/chicken, cashews + soy sauce & honey + rice
Frozen Stir fry vegetables + tofu/chicken + teriyaki sauce + noodles
Sandwich/ Wrap/ Burger
bread/wrap/bun + spread + protein + vegetables/fruit
Whole wheat bun + guacamole + black bean burger + tomato, lettuce
Soup
liquid base + protein + vegetables + carb (optional) + seasoning
Examples: Broth + split peas + carrots, celery + onion, garlic
Broth + refried beans, black beans + corn + salsa
Grocery Staples
(Printable available below)
These are the staples I keep on hand and with them, I’m able to make lots of different meal combinations.
- Frozen mixed vegetables*
- Frozen Stir Fry vegetables
- Frozen peas
- Frozen corn
- Frozen mixed berries*
- Canned tomatoes*
- Canned olives
- Canned green beans*
- Canned black beans*
- Refried beans*
- Peanut butter*
- Medjool dates*
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Ground beef
- Chicken breast*
- Salsa
- Tortillas
- Pasta*
- Rice*
- Oatmeal*
- Ground flax*
- Cacao powder*
- Hummus cups*
- Guacamole cups*
*bought at Costco
Home-cooked meals don’t have to be these elaborate, time-consuming things. Follow some meal templates and use up what you have around the house. It’ll save you time, money and stress.
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