If you’ve ever wondered if I spend my life talking about healthy eating, the answer is yes. I can’t tell you how many of my friends ask me to go grocery shopping with them or to tell them what to buy at the grocery store. It’s a thing. But I genuinely love every second of helping them and you. So when one of my friends recently asked me what she needed to buy so her parents didn’t order in all the time, I thought about my lovely Savee readers. Honestly, a lot of my post ideas come from chats with friends and the things they need help with.
Originally, I wanted to talk about stocking your pantry. However, I’m not eating loads of grains these days. And I felt a bit stumped at the moment. So that post will come later. Instead, I want to chat about how to stock your freezer. Because it’s really the place that saves my cooking at least once a week.
VEGGIE BURGERS
No matter what my diet status, you’ll always find veggie burgers in my freezer. Currently, I rotated through the selection of Hilary’s. They are perfect for giving protein to any meal. But they also don’t take long to cook. I through them on salads on along side other veggies for a meal. Veggies burgers are perfect for a lazy night because you can cook them on the stove or in the oven. And they aren’t too expensive to stock up on.
RICED CAULIFLOWER
I mentioned this one recently in my lazy dinners post but it’s a favorite. Riced cauliflower is one on my go to’s for meals. I use it to make the crust for pizza, as rice in fried rice or as a side for other dishes. It’s honestly one of the best veggies to keep on hand. Plus, I really hate ricing my own cauliflower. So I find I’m way more likely to use it if I buy it pre-riced.
PRE-COOKED GRAINS
If you’re someone who struggles with portions for grains or just doesn’t eat them often, this might be for you. You can buy pre-cooked grains like rice and quinoa that only require heating up. Perfect for nourish bowls that use up the last bit of veggies in the fridge or added into soups & salads. Plus if your excuse for not eating healthy is not having time, this helps out.
FROZEN VEGGIE MIXES
I can’t remember the last time I bought fresh peas. But they are consistently in my freezer for lazy dinners. The frozen veggie mixes or even individual veggies are great for soups and to add into pastas. One of my favorite comfort food recipes is from The Minimalist Baker and frozen veggie mixes always come in hand.
SLICED ZUCCHINI
No matter how hard I try, I always manage to get the zucchini at the farmers market that looks good for only a day. So when I can’t get it hidden in pasta and soups, I slice it into rounds and toss it in the freezer. This is great for later when I need to bulk up a soup or want to make a smoothie creamier without the extra sugar. I haven’t seen this one in the frozen foods section but if you buy fresh and cut it for later, you’ll have it ready to go!
FROZEN FRUIT
My freezer is surprisingly low on this one currently because it’s almost grocery shopping day. However, I tend to keep quite a bit on hand. I make a fair amount of smoothies so frozen fruit is always good. Personally, I like to stock blueberries, strawberries and bananas in the fridge. But when I stumble onto other recipes, you’ll often find pineapple, peaches and mango in there too. It’s also a great thing to add to breakfast dishes like oatmeals and chia seed pudding. If you struggle to eat all the fruits in the fridge before they sneakily turn bad, I’d highly suggest the frozen route.
Broccoli
I could probably include this one in the frozen veggie mixes section. But broccoli is one of my favorite veggies so I won’t do that. We always buy broccoli in bulk. Seriously, there is a giant bag taking up way too much freezer space right now. However, it’s done for a good reason. Broccoli is my go to add in veggie. If I need to round out a plate or want an extra bit of green, there’s a 75% chance I’m going to add broccoli. If you’re a broccoli lover as well, do yourself the favor and buy the big bag at Sam’s. You won’t regret it.
Frozen Meat
This varies a bit in my house because there are quite a few diets going on. But there’s typically some form of meat going on in the freezer. We order from ButcherBox* every two months to stock up on chicken. And we buy all of our seafood locally because it’s cheaper since we live near the water. Despite not being fully plant-based any more, I still don’t tend to eat a lot of meat. So we are able to make it last over the two months but you’ll find our haul taking up a good bit of space. If you’re looking for an affordable way to buy quality meat, I’d highly recommend checking them out.
And there you have it friends. I do keep a few other odds and ends on hand in my freezer. But these are the thing I reach for time and time again. They are also the foods that help make sure I’m eating and feeling my best. And don’t worry, I’ll get a pantry guide coming your way soon too. Happy shopping!
