How to Build a 5 Ingredient Meal:
1. Protein First - pick a protein that you like and make this the center of your meal
2. Produce - choose a vegetable or fruit you enjoy and fill up a good portion of your plate with this
3. Fat - consider adding some fat to your meal if your protein was very lean. Something like butter, avocado, or almonds.
4. Starch/Carb - consider adding a starch like a baked potato to the plate if your training and lifestyle demand the added energy
5. Double up - on any of the above categories for a 5th ingredient, or just keep it simple and stop at 4. I will often add a second type of fruit or vegetable.
Proteins
1. Ground Beef
2. Chicken
3. Salmon
4. Eggs
5. Kite Hill Greek Yogurt
6. Turkey
Fruit
1. Frozen Berries
2. Bananas
3. Cherries
Vegetables/Greens
1. Carrots
2. Zucchini
3. Carrots
4. Spinach
5. Romaine
Fats
1. Almonds
2. Almond Butter
3. Coconut
4. Avocados
Starches/Carbs
1. Potatoes
2. Sweet Potatoes
3. Rice
4. Oats
High protein options that require next to no prep:
Canned Tuna
Canned Salmon
Canned Sardines
Protein Shakes
Kite Hill Greek Yogurt
Zero Sugar Beef Jerky
Fruits & Vegetables - Wash and chop your fruit and veggies right when you get home from the store. Cut up vegetables like carrots and celery and place them in bags or containers to go. Wash your fruit and chop up things like pineapple, melons or papaya and store them in containers to go as well.
Fats - possibly portion out your fats. - Most people don’t need to go too far out of their way to add fat to their diet as they can end up getting it from meat and dairy on their way to meeting their daily protein goals. Furthermore, that olive oil you are cooking in counts towards your daily targets too. But it can be great to have things like almonds or avocados on hand to get some additional fat in the diet. If you feel called to do so, you can portion these out ahead of time into small bags.
Starches/Carbs – Batch cook! Make extra servings plain rice, potatoes, or a pasta you like cooked in the fridge. Make this plain without sauce or lots of seasoning. Then you can scoop a 1/2 cup of rice into a bowl, with a handful of lettuce, and a palm sized portion of protein, and a side of avocado for a meal in a pinch.
Low-Calorie Flavoring and Seasoning – Keep your home stocked with good seasonings, spices and condiments that are lower in sodium and calories. If you are using a store-bought sauce, read labels very carefully to avoid added sugars and processed ingredients.
Condiments:
Dijon Mustard
Vinegars (balsamic, apple cider)
Salt and pepper
Liquid Aminos
Unsweetened BBQ sauce
Salsa
Green Chili
