017 | Meal Prep to leave Home

Have you ever embarked on a long adventure or faced the challenge of clearing out your fridge, freezer, and pantry? If not, let me share a little experiment that can help you save money and make use of those forgotten items gathering dust in your kitchen!

Our family is eagerly counting down the days until we travel to Romania and stay in Europe for three months. This journey is a whirlwind of cleaning, adjusting sleep schedules, and using up perishables. With family staying in our home to care for our pets and garden, I see this as the perfect time to declutter our food supplies. And, I’m trying something new: letting AI help me create healthy meal plans from what we have left. Hopefully, this experiment will prove useful to you too!

The Food We Have

Tip: Take a photo of your fridge shelves and freezer space before creating your list so your fingers don’t freeze!

Fridge

Meats: Polish Sausage, Steak medallions, smoked salmon, eggs, salami, sliced ham, bacon, pre-cooked sliced chicken breast.

Breads: Sourdough, pie crust, tortillas.

Produce: Tomatoes, one brown banana, Korean melon, purple sweet potato, broccoli, baby carrots, oranges, grapes, blueberries, salad greens, cilantro, bananas, onion, and brussels sprouts.

Dairy: Extra butter, Munster cheese slices.

Freezer

Dairy: Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, chive cream cheese, butter, milk, yogurt, vegan mozzarella.

Meat: Turkey breast, oysters in sauce, fish sticks, one salmon filet, bison cheddar jalapeno sausage, ground bison, ground beef, Asian orange chicken.

Produce: Mixed berries, hashbrowns, cheesy broccoli, cauliflower rice, blueberries, basil, shredded coconut, kale edamame, and green beans.

Other: Fresh veggie broth, small can biscuits, hummus, applesauce, ramen noodles, kimchi, walnuts, pecans, corn, air-fryer gyoza, steamed gyoza.

Pantry/Shelf (Food that will expire first)

Sauces: Asian BBQ sauce, soy sauce, Sriracha, BBQ sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, lemon curd, pickles, chocolate fudge, maple syrup, sweet white wine, brandy cherries, capers, jam, miso paste, lemon juice, ketchup, fish sauce, balsamic glaze, mayo, chocolate syrup, mustard.

Herbs and Aromas: Minced garlic, mint, ginger.

Prepared: Two meals prepped (a chicken rice dish, frozen cookie dough), chocolate chips.

No, Let’s Chat with Chat GPT

“I want to clean out my fridge and freezer and still eat healthy, balanced meals with 5 vegetable servings a day. If I give you a list of foods, can you give me some healthy meal ideas?”

“Of course! Feel free to list the foods you have in your fridge and freezer, and I'll help you come up with some healthy meal ideas that incorporate them while ensuring you get your daily vegetable servings.”

After providing the list, here is his/her response (I WILL BOLD THE ITEMS I DON’T HAVE)

“With such a variety of ingredients, there are numerous meal possibilities! Here are some ideas for healthy, balanced meals incorporating your fridge and freezer items:”

1. Salmon and Veggie Stir-Fry:

1. Use the salmon filet and stir-fry it with broccoli, baby carrots, onion, and kale edamame mix.
2. Season with soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.
3. Serve over cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.

2. Steak Salad:

1. Grill the steak medallions and slice them thinly
2. Toss salad greens with orange segments, grapes, and walnuts.
3. Top with steak slices and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
4. Dress with a light vinaigrette made with lemon juice, olive oil, and a touch of mustard.

3. Polish Sausage and Brussels Sprouts Skillet:

1. Slice the Polish sausage and sauté with halved Brussels sprouts until golden brown.
2. Serve with a side of roasted purple sweet potatoes seasoned with rosemary and garlic.        

4. Egg and Veggie Breakfast Tacos:

1. Scramble eggs with diced onions, bell peppers, and spinach.
2. Fill tortillas with the egg mixture and top with cheddar cheese and salsa.
3. Serve with a side of sliced avocado.

5. Asian Orange Chicken Stir-Fry:

1. Cook the Asian orange chicken according to package instructions.
2. Stir-fry bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas with garlic and ginger.
3. Toss cooked chicken with stir-fried veggies and serve over brown rice.

6. Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagels:

1. Toast sourdough or bagels and spread with chive cream cheese.
2. Top with smoked salmon, thinly sliced red onion, and capers.
3. Serve with a side of mixed berries.

7. Bison Sausage and Veggie Hash:

1. Brown bison cheddar jalapeno sausage in a skillet.
2. Add diced purple sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and onions.
3. Serve topped with a fried egg and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Remember to include fruits or veggies as sides or snacks throughout the day to reach your goal of five servings of vegetables!

*REALLY... That is not too bad. Let me share my menu for a family of three with a toddler with you, and maybe you too can have some great ideas on how to use up odd ingredients before you have to throw them away.

Menu

Breakfasts:

1. This was a hit: Bacon, Eggs, toast with butter, and a side of cherry tomatoes.
2. Just for the momma: Bagel with chive cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers, and fresh fruit
3. Quiche Lorraine Type Pie (I made this 2x): I mixed 4 TBSP of yogurt with 6 eggs, salt, pepper, 1 baby butternut squash puree box, and a little bit of spinach. Then I poured this over a frozen pie crust that had minced onion, bacon, and sliced cheese. Then I baked this at 425F for 15min and 300F for 45 Min - it was still underdone so we chilled it and reheated the slices in the air fryer in the morning so it tasted fresh.  

1. “THAT WAS SO GOOD IT LITERALLY GAVE ME POSSITIVE FEELINGS” - PAPA

Lunch:

1. Adults only: Chicken Caesar salad with the lettuce3, chicken, and last of the parmesan bag + I cubed up some bread and made fresh croutons in the air fryer.

Dinners:

1. From above (Chat GPT): Sausage with roasted purple sweet potato, brussel sprouts, sauerkraut from the pantry, and I used thyme instead of rosemary.

Desserts and Baking:

2. Pizza Dough: I used regular, buckwheat, and einkorn flour mixed with this recipe and it was a HIT!
3. We tried some muffins and cookies, but they were not worth sharing.

This week’s Plan

1. Eat 1-2 Servings of Fermented Foods Daily
2. Follow 12-hour fasting
3. Practice sleep schedule
4. Eat a minimum of 100g of protein daily.

In the midst of change, it’s wonderful to prepare and make the best of an opportunity. My main goal is to buy and store less unnecessary food. It’s great for cleaning and our budget.

As we continue to navigate this temporary disruption to our routine, I'm committed to embracing the journey with renewed purpose and determination. Join me as I strive for progress, even in moments of rest, and pursue a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.

Here's to a journey of purpose, progress, and a life well-lived.

Heather