Debunking the Stigma Around Non-perishable Food!
My husband keeps calling me a magician… and I’m not sure I’ve earned the title. 😂
I do the majority of cooking and meal prepping in our house. I like to have a plan for the week. Sometimes that plan is a pen and paper list with the days and the names of what I am making next to it. Like Monday: Vegetable Stir Fry Bowl with Wontons. No recipe to go with it. Meaning I tend to just open the pantry and fridge, start pulling things out and throwing them together.
When we sit down to dinner, I feel like I’m holding my breath, watching him take the first bite and hoping it tastes good!
We have had a fair share of our dinner fails. But when it is good he tends to say something like, “Wow! You’re a magician! How did you throw this together??” Which cracks me up because I’m totally just winging it while he thinks I’m following this grand plan.
But now that things are changing (hello #coronavirus) and we’re going to the grocery store a little less often, I feel like I need more of a plan to pull off that magician status.
I’ve heard a lot of you say that you’re struggling with healthy eating right now.
Stress and lack of control can leave us finding comfort in food.
Plus, there’s the whole “lack of healthy food” thing going on with bare shelves in the grocery store.
I want to help you have a plan for what to cook and how to use what’s already in the pantry… so here are 7 tips for staying healthy during the Rona chaos!
1 - Don’t be afraid of canned foods. There are so many nutrients in them! This is the perfect time to get creative with your canned goods. For example - you can make amazing spaghetti sauce with canned tomatoes! And pasta has a great shelf life too.
(PSA - Don’t be afraid to eat pasta!)
I made an amazing chili the other night with canned goods. Recipe at the bottom!
2 - Frozen foods are healthy too! I got a massive bag of frozen mahi-mahi at Costco and I’ve made some great dinners with that. You can get frozen fruits and veggies too.
3 - Add veggies to things like pasta. It bulks it up and adds nutrients. I like to sauté veggies like zucchini, eggplant and broccoli in a canola spray instead of butter or olive oil. And veggies with marinara is SO good!
4 - Prepackaged food can be fine too. Just check the labels! I got some prepackaged pho and spiced it up with veggies and protein. I added mushrooms and chicken to mine and gave my daughter some of the noodles, which she loved!
5 - Protein powder is nonperishable and can really help you supplement that protein intake when the stores are out of chicken and beef. It also keeps you full longer!
6 - Soup is a great choice too! Use those canned and/or frozen veggies and broth.
7 - Give yourself grace. Sometimes we can get the meal prep done. Sometimes we can’t. Do what you can right now!
But I do encourage you to have a plan.
Every Sunday I write down a loose plan for meals for the week, based on what we have in the pantry. This keeps me focused on set up to stay on track. At the least I have a list with the days and what we will be eating for dinner. For lunch we eat leftovers from dinner and I pack the house with healthy snack options. Breakfast these days is some concoction of eggs/egg whites, usually with some sautéed veggies and an English muffin. This plus a protein shake a day keeps me on track!
Even the smallest plan can keep us on track to making healthy choices...even now!
photo:pinchofyum.com
Chili Recipe: Courtesy of my dear, talented friend Amanda Richardson ❤️
1 lb. ground lean turkey (can substitute with lean ground meat)
1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1 can black beans
1 can lima beans
1 can corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
½ small can tomato paste
½ green pepper
½ red pepper
1 white large onion
1/4 tsp. salt + more to taste if needed
1/8 tsp. pepper + more to taste
1/4 tsp. garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. chili Powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. curry powder