With my background in nutrition, I’ve fed my family pretty healthfully (most days, at least). However, I still felt like our diet was chronically low in veggies and other key anti-inflammatory nutrients, and higher than I liked to admit in refined carbs, added sugars, and processed food items. But this was also my reality:
• I had little to no time to plan meals each week;
• I had little time in the evenings—and on some days, little desire or energy—to cook dinner from scratch;
• I wasn’t willing to devote my Sunday afternoons to hours of cooking;
• I hadn’t had great—or appetizing, at least—success with freezer or slow-cooker meals.
So I became determined to figure out how to provide nutritious meals that make us healthy now as well as long-term, but without spending hours planning, prepping, and cooking. It took a few years, lots of trials and failures, and a few last-minute runs through our local Chick-fil-A drive-through, but I finally figured out a system. I rely on Simple Staples.
Simple Staples are key foods that I buy every week and key ingredients that I prep. They are not fully cooked meals, but rather components I keep at the ready to use in lots of different meals during the week. They take minimal prep time, and they allow me to cook only two or three nights a week—something my friends are probably surprised to learn! Simple Staples are my solution for quick lunches and family dinners in a matter of minutes, and some weeks they are the only way I am able to get healthy meals in lunch boxes and on the table.
STOCK UP: On the weekend or at the start of the week, make a grocery trip to stock up on fresh and frozen vegetables and fruits, lean proteins, and dairy-case items, as well as pantry items like whole grains, beans, minimally processed canned goods, healthy oils and condiments, spices, and other shelf-stable foods that are part of weekly meals.
PREP: Find just 30 minutes to 1 hour to spend prepping at least two vegetables or veggie dishes and one protein food—and maybe a seasoning or dressing if there’s time.
PULL TOGETHER AND ENJOY: Using the key items you purchased and prepped, you have all you need to create a different healthy meal every day without sacrificing taste or time. This book will show you exactly how to do this!
There’s no exact prescription for Simple Staples other than that they should be nutrient-dense foods. In fact, Simple Staples should be tailored to your needs and preferences, and the concept can be used for any type of special diet. The key is to focus on prepping or making those healthy foods that you tend to skimp on when busy.
Answer these questions to determine where your focus should be when stocking and prepping. I’ve given my answers below as an example.
WHAT ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS DO YOU NEED TO EAT MORE REGULARLY? WHAT ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS DOES YOUR DIET USUALLY CONTAIN LESS OF WHEN YOU’RE BUSY AND NOT AS PREPARED?
Pick your top priority followed by one or two others. This is where you want to start your Simple Staples prep work. These are the main foods that you want to focus on making super accessible and ready-to-go for the coming week, and emphasize those foods in your answer to the second question.