*This post is sponsored by Verizon Visa. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own and not influenced by brands.
Let’s be honest, quarantine life was not easy. We were just trying to get through each day with two teenagers in virtual learning, a toddler boy with a lot of energy and a newborn… a true quarantine baby. As a result, I resorted to a lot of last minute delivery meals that were not the healthiest options.
This year, one of my new year’s resolutions is to stay better organized with my family’s meals so that I can save both time and money.
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When I make time to plan out my family’s meals and prepare in advance, I find that I am less stressed during the week and I can feel good about what my family is consuming. With one of my teenagers now vegan, I have had to get extra creative with my meal prepping so that she and the rest of the family can receive balanced meals.
Healthy options for meal prepping
For lunch, I start by prepping healthy carbs to pair with the protein of the week. Some of my favorite options are:
Quinoa
Mixed grain rice
Soba noodles
Sweet Potatoes
Whole Wheat Pasta
When prepping my proteins to pair with the carbs, my favorite vegan options are:
Tofu (this one is so easy to prepare in the air fryer with light seasoning and oil)
Chickpeas (perfect to add with some fresh spring mix, quinoa and other veggies for a quick grain bowl)
As for non-vegan proteins, my family loves:
Chicken
Salmon
Ground Turkey
Beef
Shrimp (this is the best protein to always have on hand in the freezer, because it defrosts quickly and cooks quickly!)
I always prepare extra fresh and roasted veggies, because you can never get enough. Luckily, my kids really enjoy their veggies!
Some items I always have in the fridge include:
Spring mix
Broccoli
Baby Heirloom Tomatoes (I try to purchase heirlooms because they’re colorful and extra flavorful)
Avocado
Green Beans
Asparagus
Carrot
Recently, I’ve enjoyed preparing snack boxes for the kids too so that they are eating less junk food and sweets while learning at home.
Some of my favorite snack box items include:
Yogurt
Granola
Fresh seasonal fruits
Boiled eggs
Fresh cut carrots, celery or bell pepper to go with hummus
Handful of mixed nuts like almonds, cashews, or walnuts. These are always good to have on hand, since they also add a nice crunch to salads and grain bowls.
Fresh fruit like apples, clementines, bananas, assorted berries, grapes
Whole wheat crackers and assorted cheese
Popcorn
Sliced turkey
Occasionally, I will treat my kids to some finger sandwiches that I cut into different shapes with cookie cutters. Some of their favorite easy finger sandwiches are turkey and cheese on whole wheat bread and the classic PB&J on whole wheat bread.
Of course, some weeks get busier than others and nobody’s perfect, so I know that I will still be ordering meal deliveries from time to time. As a family, we are also trying our best to support local businesses, especially restaurants during this time.
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