Colors 4 Health: Quick and Easy Dinner Prep Ideas We're Sure to Love

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Quick and Easy Dinner Prep Ideas We're Sure to Love

Most of us prefer to keep dinner meal planning simple and healthy, especially on busy days. This post offers tips and ideas to streamline our efforts so we can prepare a wholesome meal and still have time and energy to enjoy our evening.

Hopefully this post will help all level cooks, and each can take away something to make dinner prep more of a delight.

Quick and Easy Dinner Prep Ideas We're Sure to Love

1. Save time, and use frozen fruits and veggies when produce is called for in a recipe, and fresh is of poor quality or too expensive. Frozen foods have the same benefits as fresh, plus — some frozen products actually are more nutrient-dense.

One example is a pack of frozen, unseasoned mixed veggies. These veggies are picked when they are at the peak of freshness and flash frozen (and therefore contain more nutrients than imported fresh but wilted produce).

Imported items found in most markets may be several weeks old and have had to travel for miles and miles to get to our food outlet.

2. Update tried and true recipes to make them healthier and more user friendly. Replace part or all of the animal protein with vegan items. One important benefit of doing this is plant-based foods including lentils, tempeh, and beans are high protein, yet do not contain cholesterol as animal sourced products do.

Read "Higher Ratio of Plant Protein to Animal Protein May Improve Heart Health" for details. Plant-based proteins have been shown to be more eco-friendly than animal sources, usually are less expensive, and have numerous health benefits. For more read "Is Plant-based Protein for You? Here's What You Need to Know."

3. Learn which fresh fruits and vegetables are in-season and local. In-season produce is flavorful, eco-friendly, and nutritious. In-season fruits and veggies don't have to be processed or preserved.

Note: This post is intended for entertainment and educational purposes only, and not provided as nutritional or health advice. Speak to a health professional if that is what you are seeking.

Peak season produce comes from farm to table, so it retains more of its flavor and nutrition. It also costs less than crops that are imported. For more read "Benefits of Eating In-Season Fruit and Veggies."

4. Set the intention to vary meal plans by using a few new in-season fruits or veggies or new recipes each month. This is an easy way to get food that's on sale, and try out unfamiliar ingredients that are available when we actually do our shopping.

Colorful fruit and veggies feed our senses and satisfy our appetites as well. Please see "Frugal Food Shopping Tips to Improve Health on a Budget" for additional ideas.

5. Make a double batch of food (soups, stews, and casseroles are great for this) and heat and eat leftovers for other meals during the week or freeze. Eat the bounty from our home garden and let it star as an ingredient in a quick and easy meal.

eat foods on hand before purchasing more

Switch up a dish by seasoning it with a new herb, spice, or condiment like Dijon mustard. If you prefer, top with tomato sauce to give the recipe a new twist. Want additional food seasoning ideas? Read "Savvy Food Tips to Reduce Salt Intake."

6. Make one pot, sheet pan, salad bowl, or power bowl dinners whenever possible. Less to clean up and more time to do fun things.

Keep it simple by finding recipes that have 8 or less ingredients or dishes that allow for ingredient substitutions. Use those products you have in your pantry and refrigerator, and reduce food shopping errands, curtail food waste, and save money too.

7. Don't schedule phone calls or do business stuff during dinner time. Practice eating mindfully and notice how rich mealtimes can become. For tips and ideas about this topic read "Key Reasons to Eat Mindfully with Tips to Succeed."

Devote meal time to savoring a meal with your family by getting everyone into the act. Get help with food prep, serving, or clean-up, and spend quality time to re-connect.

Here are links to recipes that are delicious, simple to make, and healthy.

"Tofu Tips to Make it Taste Amazing" from yours truly includes food prep ideas and simple, yummy tofu recipes for Tofu Scramble and Marinated Tofu in a Veggie Stir-Fry on a Bed of Brown Rice.

"Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers" is a recipe created by Alex at the New Baguette. These vegan burgers have a Tex-Mex vibe and are so flavorful.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers Photo Credit Alex at the New Baguette

See "Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas" from the Minimalist Baker website for an easy soup recipe that covers many good nutrition bases.

Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas, Photo Credit Minimalist Baker

"Mediterranean Pasta Bake with Mushrooms and Eggplant" a recipe from Laura Marzen, RD, LD appears on the Forks Over Knives website. See how easily it comes together- one, two, three.

Recipe from Laura Marzen RD, LD and photo from Forks Over Knives Website

"Broccoli Pesto Quinoa Salad," is an easy to prepare one dish dinner salad from Love and Lemons. It's fresh and filling, and features blanched broccolini, lemony pesto, crispy chickpeas, crunchy veggies, and avocado.

Broccolini Pesto Quinoa Salad, Photo Credit Love and Lemons

Please let me know if you make any of these dishes and whether it nourished and satisfied you.

What foods do you cook to keep meals quick and easy and do you think they are healthy as well?

Please comment in the section below. Check out the creative recipe developers who shared their recipes here today, and leave a comment at their websites as well.

Just remember not to put links in your comment, as I will not be able to publish it that way. Thanks for understanding.

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