Grab ‘n Go Meals to Make at Home

How can we balance our desire for nutritious, home-cooked meals with our need for more hours in the day? By turning to grocery store convenience items!

These can range from pre-cooked items to pre-washed or chopped ingredients that make it easy to assemble healthy, delicious meals in a fraction of the time it would take to cook from scratch. 

Although these items do tend to cost more, the higher price tag can be offset by the time and effort saved. It’s an option I don’t lean on daily, but when my family has activities to get to or I’d like to squeeze in an outdoor walk at the end of my workday, these conveniences allow for much-needed balance in my day. 

Start with a Salad Kit

One of my favorite speedy meals starts with a Southwestern salad kit. I buy a slaw-based variety that comes with cheddar cheese, crumbled tortilla chips, pepitas, and a sriracha ranch dressing. Once plated, I top with leftover slow-roasted chicken or even a shredded rotisserie chicken along with some chopped avocado. The result is colorful, crunchy, filling and full of flavor—and my family of boys never complains. 

I find that half to three-quarters of the provided dressing is more than enough to flavor the salad. Heartier appetites may enjoy the addition of a whole grain roll or a slice of cornbread or quick bread. Tip: keep a few slices in your freezer, to grab as needed. 

Browse the center aisles as well as the deli and refrigerated sections of the grocery store for other convenience items that lend well to assembled meals. Some ideas to try:

• Precooked rice and quinoa
• Prepared hummus
• Roasted deli meats
• Canned beans (cannellini, black, red, chickpeas)
• Smoked or canned salmon

Add grains and proteins to bagged greens and other fresh vegetables, like grape tomatoes and avocado. Grocery store salad bars are an easy way to load up on washed, chopped veggies to complete your salad. Or try a bowl meal, which is a great way to reinvent leftovers and utilize items from your pantry or freezer.

Speaking of freezers, many frozen items thaw quickly or go directly from the freezer to the oven. Foods like cooked shrimp, individually packaged wild salmon fillets, chickpea or cauliflower pizza crusts (you may be pleasantly surprised!), edamame, corn, peas, and even whole grain waffles are versatile standbys.

3-Ingredient Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts & Lentil Stir Fry

Freshly cooked black lentils from the produce section offer a shortcut to cooking your own in this speedy 3-ingredient stir fry with Brussels sprouts and teriyaki sauce. The easy, plant-based meal is rich in protein, requires minimal cooking, and is a great example of how a satisfying meal can feel almost effortless. 

Enjoy it as is or use the recipe as a foundation and customize to taste. Sometimes I add sauteed, thinly sliced red bell pepper, and my family loves a sprinkle of chopped nuts and avocado before serving.

Yield: 2 generous main dish servings (or 3–4 servings if eating with a side dish)

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package shaved Brussels sprouts (I want to try with broccoli slaw next)
2 cups cooked lentils (see notes for options)
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (homemade or your favorite store-bought)

Optional toppings: peanuts, cashews, almonds or nuts/seeds of choice; cooked and crumbled bacon or prosciutto; chopped cilantro; sliced scallions; chopped avocado; a drizzle of sriracha

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shaved Brussels sprouts and cook until lightly browned but not limp, about 4 minutes. At first, I spread the sprouts out in an even layer and let them sear, undisturbed. Once I notice some color developing, I stir frequently until cooked to my liking.
2. Stir in the cooked lentils and cook just long enough to heat through, 1 minute or so.
3. Remove from heat and toss with 3 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce. (If you like a saucier dish, you could add an additional tablespoon, but I find 3T is enough to lightly but evenly coat and impart good flavor.) Enjoy as is or with optional toppings.

Nutritional profile based on 2 generous servings. Per serving: Calories 370, Total Fat 7.5 gm, Saturated Fat 1 gm, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 950 mg, Total Carbohydrates 56 gm, Dietary Fiber 21 gm, Protein 24 gm.

NOTES

• Lentil shortcut option: You may use refrigerated, pre-steamed lentils, which are often sold in the refrigerated/produce section of the grocery store. Avoid canned lentils as they are not as firm or “loose” as when freshly cooked.
• To cook lentils yourself, you’ll need ⅔ cups dry to yield 2 cups cooked lentils. Brown, green or black lentils all work well. Rinse the lentils and bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon of optional salt. Stir, reduce heat to low to medium-low, and allow the lentils to simmer, uncovered, for 20–30 minutes, or until cooked but still a little firm. Check a few minutes early and taste for doneness. You want them to be just tender but not mushy, and cooking time will vary. Drain thoroughly. Prep-ahead tip: cooked and cooled lentils may be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• When purchasing pre-shredded Brussels sprouts, note the bag size, as I’ve seen packages ranging from 10 to 16 ounces. Double-check to make sure the sprouts are very fresh. Alternatively, you may shred or thinly slice the sprouts yourself.
• How to mix it up: Instead of teriyaki sauce, try an Asian alternative like sesame ginger dressing. You can also use honey mustard dressing with a garnish of dried cranberries, toasted pecans or walnuts, and crumbled blue or feta cheese.
• This recipe is vegan and gluten-free as long as your sauce is. For those who prefer a do-it-yourself alternative, this recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce is quite good.
• On a low-sodium diet? This recipe is calculated on 2 servings. If you opt for 3 servings, which still makes a generous portion, it reduces the sodium to 425 mg per serving and brings the calories to 250 per serving, with 5 gm total fat, 37 gm total carbohydrates, 14 gm dietary fiber, and 16 gm protein. You can further reduce the sodium content by reducing the teriyaki sauce to 1 tbsp and adding 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce and 1 tbsp low sodium vegetable broth. These changes result in a sodium count of 640 mg per serving when serving 2, or 426 mg when serving 3.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.