It is possible to have easy and healthy homemade meals between celebrations this holiday season.
The holiday season is fully upon us, which can mean a variety of things. From family gatherings, work celebrations, and outings with friends, calendars fill up quickly in the most wonderful time of the year. While it’s something many of us look forward to, it’s not without its challenges. One of those challenges can be figuring out how to have a nourishing yet quick and easy meal on days between gatherings. And contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to rely on takeout. There are plenty of ways to prep healthy and flavorful meals in advance so you can easily have dinner at-the-ready. But to help make this more feasible, planning ahead is crucial.
Here are 5 favorite make-ahead meals to help you feel your best during this busy holiday season:
1. Chili
Chili is the absolute best meal to make ahead. It’s delicious the night you make it, but it’s almost even better after a few days in the fridge or thawed from the freezer. Not to mention, it relies on budget-friendly ingredients like canned beans and vegetables and is easily scalable. You’ll love this classic Mom’s Chili recipe as well as this Easy Vegetarian Chili recipe when you want something plant-based. Make a big batch, and store it in the fridge overnight. If you’re not going to get to your leftovers that week, portion them out into smaller containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
2. Grain Bowls
If you prefer to have more variety in your prepared meals, grain bowls could be a good way to go. You can easily prep the components and store them individually so you can assemble them whenever (and however) you want. Try prepping a whole grain for your base, whether it’s brown rice, barley, farro or quinoa. Then chop and roast whatever vegetables you need to use up in your crisper drawer. Next, make a big batch of some source of protein, like chicken, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, beans or lentils. Lastly, prep a homemade vinaigrette to drizzle on each bowl to tie everything together. Other additions that can level up the flavor include toasted seeds or nuts, fresh herbs, cheese, or a squeeze of fresh citrus. As an added bonus, most of the prepared components—the grains, roasted vegetables, and protein—can be frozen for longer term storage.
3. Soups
The fall and winter aren’t called “soup season” for nothing. Soup is the perfect pantry meal and a great option when you want something easy to prep ahead for busy weeks. When you make a big batch of soup, sauté vegetables and spices until tender and fragrant. Then add any flavorings you want, whether that’s tomato paste, harissa, miso, or something similar. Add liquid last (chicken or vegetable broth) with a source of protein, like beans or leftover meat, and let it simmer until you’re ready to eat. It’s great for cleaning out the fridge, is simple to make, and can be done in a big batch and frozen for quick meals in the future. Check out this essay for recipes and more inspiration on why soup is the perfect Sunday meal to prep.
4. Slow-Cooker Meals
The slow cooker mantra is to “set it and forget it”—and it’s a great hack for making healthy meals that require little-to-no active time. Many recipes simply allow you to add your ingredients, turn on your desired settings, and let the appliance do the rest. Some favorites include Slow Cooker Chicken & White Bean Soup, Slow Cooker Beef Curry and Slow Cooker Spaghetti & Meatballs. Not to mention, most slow cooker recipes give you options to cook on high for just a few hours or on low all day depending on your preferred timing.
5. Casseroles
Casseroles are comforting, versatile, delicious, and can be really nutritious too. They’re a great dish to add lots of nutritious vegetables, grains, and legumes to. Recipes like this Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole and Stuffed Pepper Casserole are proof. They’re perfect for prepping ahead of time too. Many casserole recipes give suggestions on how to store them prepared in the fridge a day or two in advance so you can just pop them in the oven the day of. And it goes without saying that they make incredible leftovers.
The Bottom Line
Recipes like the ones above are great for preparing in advance and make wonderful leftovers (most can even be frozen if you’re really planning ahead). And they’re packed with nourishing ingredients like vegetables, legumes, grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins for something that’s both delicious and balanced.
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