Stock and Freeze Your Way to Quick Nutrient-Dense Meals

-by Jen F. from Whole Foods Market, St.Paul

As I shared in a previous post, I’m a wife, mother, and I work full time outside the home. My time is precious, and as you may be discovering, the greatest challenge to our healthy eating resolution is often time, not willpower.  Here are a few tips I’ve found helpful with being ready to make healthy meals in a flash.

Stock your pantry –

• Check out our suggested pantry starter kit that comes in right around $50. http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Pantry-Stock-Up-Shopping-List-2012.pdf Keeping these items on hand will help you be ready to prep meals on the fly, including the suggested recipes on the back.
• Add to that a variety of frozen fruits and veggies. I especially like the kale & collard green options we offer, plus our Health Starts Here blends for quick side dishes, or full meals with paired with whole grains and beans. Frozen squash and pineapple are also favorites as they save all that peeling and gutting time involved with the fresh varieties of those items.
• Frozen rice blends are great to keep on hand, too, or make your own (read on for tips on how)
• I usually keep a few varieties of low or no sodium soups on hand as well. When using them, try pouring them over a handful of fresh greens before eating. The steam from the soup will steam and soften the greens and add a boost of nutrition.
• Whole grain tortillas and oil free hummus (the Whole Foods Market brand is E2 approved) can be a base for whatever veggies, grains and greens you have on hand to make into a hot or cold wrap in a flash.

Time saving options in the store –

• Our Health Starts Here dressings are great when you don’t have time to make your own
• We carry an amazing variety of fresh pre-washed greens and blends like spinach, arugula, even kale and collard greens ready to be tossed with dressing or a salad, or thrown in a pan for sautéing.
• Check out our broccoli slaw for a quick and unique salad option

 

• Grab cut veggies from our salad bar when you need a small amount of something for a recipe
• When you don’t have time to cook, stop by our bakery for delicious HSH treats like Life by Chocolate tart, or our Prepared Foods department for HSH options on the salad bar, soup bar, in the chef’s case, and even in fresh pack to take home and reheat.

Cook ahead –

• Anytime you make a meal, make a double batch and freeze the extras
• Take advantage of the time you DO have to make a few recipes at once. Last Sunday morning, I made & froze 2 batches of soup, cooked & froze several packages of quinoa, made a batch of fruit and nut energy bars and prepped my greens for the week all in the matter of about 2 hours (not counting a little extra simmer time for the soups). If you are going to make a mess in the kitchen, you might was well multi-task while you are at it!
• Take a few moments each Sunday to look ahead at your week and figure out what nights you’ll be able to cook and what nights you’ll need to have a shortcut in mind so you can plan accordingly.

Cook and freeze staples –

• You know those bags of frozen rice that are so convenient to keep on hand? You can make them yourself at a fraction of the cost! Quinoa, brown rice, amaranth and barley are just a few of the whole grains you can cook and freeze.
• And don’t forget the beans: if you are going to take the time to soak and cook dried beans, make more than you need and freeze the excess.
• Freeze in 1 cup portions to make it easy to pull out and use the amount your recipe calls for.
• Nutrient dense smoothies are a great way to start the day, and you can save time by putting all your ingredients together the night before and keep your blender carafe in the fridge overnight for quick mixing in the morning. Or make “smoothie packs” that you keep in your freezer  – for example, a peeled banana, handful of strawberries & some ground flax. When ready for a smoothie, toss the bag into a blender with some almond milk or water, blend and go.

How to freeze:

• Most E2 recipes like grain dishes, soups, even veggie lasagnas all freeze well and are great for quick meals and lunches on the go.
• I prefer to use Ziploc Freezer bags with the write-on label. Fill bag with 1 serving portions, lay flat and squeeze out the air as you seal it. Lay bags flat on a cookie sheet and place in freezer. Once they have frozen you can store them upright in your freezer making them easy to find and taking up a minimum amount of space.
• If space is tight in your freezer, take advantage of our MN winters and set your cookie sheet on a porch, in a garage or outside for the initial freezing, then put in your regular freezer for compact storage.
• Once you start getting used to freezing ahead, you may find you need more space. Consider purchasing a chest freezer you can keep in a basement or garage. You can pick one up for right around $200 at places like Costco, Home Depot or Sears.

To reheat:

• If you are reheating straight from the freezer: While the food is still frozen, simply cut the Ziploc bag away, place in a microwave safe container or a stovetop pan and reheat (if using stovetop, use low temperature for even heating)
• If you are reheating later (packing your lunch for work): Take food out of freezer the night before you plan to eat it. Let thaw in fridge overnight to break it up enough to place in a microwave safe reusable lunch container.

As I learned when I took up canning this past harvest season, the first time you do this, it might make you a little nervous. But once you get that first batch of frozen goodness in the freezer, you’ll be well on your way!

One Response to “Stock and Freeze Your Way to Quick Nutrient-Dense Meals”

1. Engine 2 Challenge: What’s For Dinner? Meals in a Flash | St Paul | WholeFoodsMarket.com says:

   February 6, 2012 at 4:25 pm

   [...] more time saving inspiration, please see this blog entry by Jen from Whole Foods Market, St.Paul, on how to stock and freeze your way to quick nutrient [...]