Get back to the dinner table with the family with these quick and easy nourish bowls. Assembly is a cinch and infinitely adaptable, as long as you prep all the ingredients ahead of time.
It’s August, and from all my interactions with other women, it’s crystal clear that there’s one thing on everyone’s mind - gearing up for back to school. And after being in vacation mode for weeks or perhaps months, getting back to a more structured regimen can be challenging. I can tell from the countless number of food journals I see at work, that despite the best of intentions, eating healthfully takes a backseat to everything else that’s going on. We've all been there, and it's easy for guilt and shame to take over. Instead, I say let's practice self-compassion and take baby steps.
The key is to start developing healthy habits beginning TODAY...not tomorrow or after the kids go back to school. As you know, habits take time to develop, so you have to consciously put some effort into it early on. However, once established, you'll no longer fall victim to the lack of willpower or bad decisions, as actions will become automatic. I’m sure all you creatures of habit know what I’m talking about.
Several years ago, I made it a goal of mine to make meal plan/prep a habit, and every weekend I purposefully set aside some time to turn it into a reality. With repetition, that term that I heard preached by many nutrition experts finally became a part of my own lifestyle. Now, come Saturday or Sunday, I automatically head to the kitchen and let my hands do their thing. You can see a glimpse of all my past meal prep here. Thank goodness! Because truth be told, if I didn’t meal prep, I’d still be eating cereal all day long (hello, most of my twenties).
Now that I'm done being all preachy on its importance, let’s talk about how to start with meal prep. Remember how I said to take baby steps? Very important. Because if you try to accomplish too much from the get-go, like prepping 10 different vegetables at once, you’ll burn out and want to throw in the towel altogether. Instead, start small.
Here’s what I suggest:
- Prep a few vegetables (perhaps 3 to start)
- Cook 2 different protein sources
- Prepare a batch of grains (whole grains or gluten-free) and/or a starchy vegetable
Once you’ve got these components prepped, you can assemble them any way you'd like and even slap on a fancy name - “nourish bowl." As I had mentioned in this previous post, the only requirement is that the bowl contains a well-balanced combination of all 3 macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Your bowl may not always be glamorous since most of the time it’s just dumping all the ingredients together into the same vessel, but it sure is satisfying!
To show you an example, here’s what I prepped. Depending on how much time I have over the weekend, I will expand upon this most basic routine.
- 3 vegetables (well, technically-speaking, these are fruits): tomatoes, 2 different varieties of summer squash, bell peppers
- Roasted chicken
- Cooked barley and roasted sweet potatoes
I also like getting some convenience items since I don't have time to make everything from scratch. This week I got hummus, canned wild Alaskan salmon (love this! You can find it at Costco), sauerkraut, and frozen vegetables
Now onto my no-recipe nourish bowl creations...Remember, you can assemble them however you'd like. These are just for inspiration ;). For more, check out my "Nourish/Power Bowl" Pinterest board.
Nourish Bowl #1
I usually cook a huge batch of beans once a month and freeze smaller portions in individual containers. The night before, I pulled one of these containers from the freezer and placed it in the fridge to defrost. So convenient! To make this bowl, the only extra "work" I had to do was mash an avocado. So so good! This one was my favorite 😉
Nourish Bowl #2
I was definitely in need of some probiotics so into this bowl went sauerkraut. And yes, I eat A LOT of avocado...and eggs...and sweet potatoes...
Nourish Bowl #3
I suppose I could've chopped up my vegetables a bit more finely, but hey..I needed a quick meal. Nothing fancy and maybe a little random (the Hungryman was not a fan of salmon + hummus..I liked it #toeachhisown), but it served its purpose.
Nourish Bowl #4
With the help of frozen vegetables, this barley stir-fry came together so quickly. I added my last batch of zucchini, and of course, a sunny-side up egg with a generous drizzle of sriracha.
Snacks
Tomatoes + cheddar cheese (I heart you, Cabot!) // Peppers + hummus // Sweet potatoes + almond butter
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There you have it! A week of wholesome, real meals. Totally doable, right?
Another bonus is that clean-up is a cinch! You just have one bowl and fork to wash. But be warned- you’ll have to deal with opening/closing a lot of containers. Don’t worry. You’ll become a pro at that too ;). With time, you’ll become more efficient and will be able to prep more ingredients in the same amount of time. Habits…very powerful stuff!
Anne|Craving Something Healthy says
So pretty! and how do you keep your fridge looking so spotless and organized? Tips please!!
Min says
Thanks, Anne! There was a time when my fridge was so packed that things would fall out whenever someone opened the door. I finally said enough when I realized how much $$ was being wasted. Now it's the exact opposite. My friends think that our fridge looks sad (or they say it's boring haha), but I make sure that I get just enough food for my husband and I..nothing more, nothing less. I also like to prep all my vegetables instead of storing them in the drawers because: 1) it makes healthy eating so much easier 2) I have vegetable guilt every time I open my fridge
I've also become obsessed with storing everything in glass containers. Having said all this, I'm sure when I have curious little hands in the future, my OCD tendencies will need an adjustment 😉
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
you are so right about making meal planning part of your life. it takes a little bit of time and practice but once you know the drill, it gets pretty simple. i am so glad i have adjusted to meal planning. these bowls are just great, pinning it.
Ally @OmNomAlly says
I can't agree more about the benefits of weekly meal prep routine, it took me a while to get into the swing of it but now it's just my life. Loving all these nourishing bowl variations, number 4 looks especially delicious!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
I love this idea - so many different variations to keep things interesting and delicious!
EA-The Spicy RD says
I love your nourish bowls, because they look scrumptious, but Mr. Spicy, my chief dish washer, will love them even more because of the no-fuss clean up involved 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your summer Min! xoxo
Min says
Haha yes yes you're welcome, Mr. Spicy ;). My Hungryman doesn't do dishes..but he does all the laundry so I can't complain. I'm ready for summer to be over!! Haha..Texas summers are brutal...
Corina says
I am always making plans to meal plan but am not very good at doing it. I think these nourish bowls are a great idea and as I'm at home with the kids a lot I think they'd make great lunches.
Rachel @ Delicious Balance says
I love making bowls! One of my favorite things to do is throw a bunch of nourishing ingredients/leftover into a tasty bowl. This gives me some great ideas for when I get stuck in a rut!
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
What a great set of ideas, as always 🙂
Min says
Thanks, Kari!! Hope everything went well with your move!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yes! Bowls are the quintessential easy weeknight meal! When you have the staples on hand and ready everyone can have a dinner in minutes that they all love! I know I love my dinner bowl!
Min says
Exactly! Although I still have to make my husband's....His excuse is that he's not "creative" enough to choose the right ingredient combinations for the bowl. Sigh...
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
These all look amazing and you make it look so easy!!
Min says
Thanks, Jessica!! It IS easy!! 😉
Regan @ The Healthy Aperture Blog says
Love these beautiful bowls of yumminess!
Min says
Thanks, Regan! They are super easy to make, but I do spend the extra time placing all the ingredients carefully and strategically in a bowl to make the Hungryman feel special. You should see what my bowls look like when it's just me haha.
Aggie | Aggie's Kitchen says
I'm so inspired by your meal prep!! I try to prep as often as I can but I'm not very consistent. When I prep I try to make a grain or two (quinoa and brown rice), bake up some potatoes (sweet and regular), roast some veggies and grill some chicken. I need to make it a habit so it comes a little more naturally each week, it definitely helps keep life running smoother!
I'm loving these nourish bowls, something I would happily eat any night of the week!
Min says
Thank you, Aggie! Your meal prep routine sounds identical to mine ;). With those basic components, the assembly is a cinch with endless possibilities, no? Sometimes I crave a more thought-out, composed dish instead of a random hodgepodge of food, but these bowls are keeping me healthy and happy these days 😉