Favorite healthy meals you can prepare in advance? :)

balancedbrunette
balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
Hi guys, just looking for some suggestions/ideas from others on here. :D

I'm a college student and on my half-term break at the moment so taking the time to organise myself a bit more regards my healthy eating, just finding there has been days where I'm just on the go a lot (some weeks assignments just pile up, and extra curricular activities)and , i'm finding it harder on days like this to get my veggies in or meat as im snacking (fruits/nuts/homemade sandwiches) rather than sitting down to dinner.

Anyone on here in this situation and find themselves preparing meals they can refrigerate, im considering this and would really welcome so suggestions from others...love getting new ideas. Right now im more a prepare breakfast kind of girl, my usuals are overnight oatmeal and mini oven baked omlettes. Dinner options would be great, sorry for the rant...and thanks in advance. :)

Replies

  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    Stews and soups. Lots and lots of stews and soups. Make up a big batch and freeze individual portions, so they're easily grabbable when you need one. If you pack them with veggies, with some meat (if you're a meat eater), and some starches (potatoes, root veggies, squashes), then they're good and healthy with lots of vitamins.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    Grilled chicken breasts, cooked pasta/rice/quinoa and steamed vegetables keep fine in the fridge for up to a week. Sort them into meal sized tupperwares and toss therm in the microwave when you're hungry. Make up a batch every Sunday night and eat them throughout the week. The chicken can be added to sandwiches for on the go meals, or if you're like me, just snarf down cold. #proteinjunkie :laugh:
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
    Crock pot oatmeal or refrigerator overnight oatmeal ...u can google different recipes for both on line :)
  • mikig1
    mikig1 Posts: 13
    make ahead a big batch of meaty red sauce. i add carrots and other veggies to mine. you can freeze it and micro wave it and use it to top any pasta, or put it on a mini french roll and add mozz cheese to make a french bread pizza, and if you are brave try one of my fast favs- put it on top of rice ( which you can also make instant rice in the microwave ). also veggies really turn out ok from the microwave. put fresh carrots, or broccoli, or cauliflower etc in micro safe bowl, cover and microwave them. stir once in between but its similar to steaming them.
    want more ideas add me i love to cook lol and with traveling a lot i had some fast no stove available tricks
  • Disciplined74
    Disciplined74 Posts: 298 Member
    My fav is/are hobo packs.

    I go down the aisle at Aldi and buy all the veggies that look good and then I buy a 1# roll of ground turkey. I cube all the veggies. The veggies, ground pepper, and pinches of the meat get sealed in aluminum foil and they go in the freezer until you are ready to heat and eat. The heating takes about an hour.

    The last time I used yellow squash, zucchini, mushrooms, sweet potato, regular potato, carrot, celery, bell pepper and then I pinch turkey (about 2 ounces per pack, I've put up to 4 oz in it before but that's a lot of meat). It's definately my favorite way to eat my veggies and it's the only way I'll eat sweet potatoes.

    But you can add whatever you want to the packs. The ones I made are about 200 calories, 3 grams of fat, less than 100mg sodium, but 29 grams of protein (36 g if you put 4 oz of turkey in each pack but calories increase to 268) !! i really haven't come up with a more healthy meal.

    It's really inexpensive too. I spent $14, that made 12 packs and I had plenty of veggies left over for snacks and for a small pot of vegetable stew.

    I love the topic of your post !! Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing what others come up with or suggest.
  • balancedbrunette
    balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions everyone, really appreciate it!...the stew actually sounds good, i made stew a good bit last year and i forgot this can be a real handy one as it often done me for dinner for 2-3 days and i got all my veg and meat in :)...also the grilled chicken and other meats with veg sound like they would be pretty handy to cook and store, need to get some tubs for refrigerating.

    Thanks for the replies, anyone else got any ideas? :)