One of the secrets to making a quick and healthy dinner is keeping a bunch of staples at home at all times. Nothing is more frustrating than coming home after work with an idea for dinner and realizing that you ran out of (whatever it is you usually have on hand) .
While I will not tell you what to buy, I will tell you what I buy:
In the pantry
dried fruit
canned tomatoes
canned beans
canned tuna (packed in water)
whole wheat pasta/couscous
cereal (high-fiber)
bread (also high-fiber)
garlic (yes, it goes in the pantry)
chicken broth (living in the city without a car, I recommend the chicken broth concentrate packets sold at Trader Joe's. It helps out when I lug all of my heavy grocery bags home. Each container comes with 12 little packets, which equate to 12 cups of broth.)
In the fridge
skim milk
plain non-fat yogurt
fruit (depending on the type, it will go in the pantry)
vegetables (whatever looks good or catches my eye)
cheese
eggs
lemons
onions
peanut/almond butter (for the peanut butter, make sure it's natural. If it's not, it will contain unnecessary unhealthy fats. Stir in the oil until well-encorporated and you're good to go.)
In the freezer
spinach
green beans
fruit
nuts (due to the instability of the oils found in nuts, they keep longer in the freezer)
proteins (I typically only need a bit of protein at one time. To make sure I don't waste food, I separate the items and freeze what I will use at a later date.)
There are usually more products in my apartment at any given time, but these, for me, are the essentials. Things like proteins, fruits, and vegetables vary; what I buy is greatly dictated by my mood in the grocery store. While it may seem like a lot, trust me--once you get everything in place, it's not too much. The above items help me in a pinch and ensure that I am going to (typically) prepare and consume nutritious meals throughout the week.
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