Meal planning is a great way to help reduce food waste, especially if you can use the same ingredients multiple times, and factor in using your leftovers as well. This means you’ll also save money and time, and eat healthier, which is a huge added bonus.

As an example of how effective this can be, I put together this very simple work week of meals using eighteen ingredients for five breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Typically it’s easier to make food like this without a recipe – it’s more a loose assemblage of ingredients – so I’ve provided vague outlines for the less intuitive meals. You’re on your own for scrambled eggs though.

This is just an example, and a very simple one, to show how easy and effective meal planning can be. Meal planning only works if you’re eating foods you love, so make sure you take that into account with devising your own plan.

Shopping List:

Smoked Tofu
Salmon Fillets
Eggs
Bread
Chickpeas
Wheat berries
Quinoa
Squash
Potatoes
Beets
Green Beans
Arugula
Avocado
Spinach
Bell Peppers
Mushrooms
Onions
Apple

What you should have on hand:

Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemons
Mustard
Soy Sauce
Hot Sauce
Garlic
Salt
Spices – cumin, chili powder

The Recipes

At the beginning of the week, you can cook the quinoa and wheat berries and bake the squash all at once to save time, or you can cook them as needed.

Grain Bowl Salad

Cook wheat berries and quinoa according to the package instructions.
Roast the squash and chop into cubes.
Toss the squash with the wheat berries and quinoa in a dressing of olive oil, balsamic, and mustard.
Serve over arugula (don’t add the arugula until ready to eat so it doesn’t get soggy).

Smoked Tofu Fajita Skillets

Slice mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion.
Chop some potatoes, toss with olive oil, and roast.
Heat vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet, sear the smoked tofu, and set aside.
Sautee the veggies with garlic, cumin, & chili powder, then add the tofu back in when they are soft.
Serve with roasted potatoes on the side with hot sauce.

Spinach Salad

Roast beets and cook quinoa.
Slice roasted beets and apple into matchsticks.
Toss apples and beets with quinoa, and chickpeas, dress with olive oil, balsamic, and mustard.
When ready to serve, toss with spinach.

Salmon Cakes

Bake salmon and then flake.
Grate potatoes and onions. Squeeze out excess water.
Mix salmon and an egg into the potato mixture and form into patties.
Fry patties over medium high heat until cooked on the outside and crispy on the inside.

Stirfry

Chop green beans and mushrooms and cook quinoa
Over medium-high heat saute garlic in vegetable oil, then add smoked tofu to sear
Add mushrooms and cook until soft, then add green beans, soy sauce and hot sauce to taste.
Serve over quinoa with more sauce on the side.

Salmon Quinoa Bowl

Cook quinoa. Roast cubed squash. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle cumin over salmon. Bake.
Heat vegetable oil in pan and add and cumin and chili. Add quinoa, chickpeas and squash, stir and fry til heated through.
Add spinach and toss to mix. Remove from heat and serve into bowls
Serve topped with salmon and sliced avocado

The Schedule

Monday:

Breakfast: scrambled eggs + toast

Lunch: grain bowl salad

Dinner: smoked tofu fajita skillet with roasted potatoes

Tuesday:

Breakfast: avocado toast

Lunch: spinach salad

Dinner: salmon cakes with green bean salad (beans dressed with oil, vinegar and mustard)

Wednesday:

Breakfast: leftover salmon cakes + scrambled eggs

Lunch: grain bowl salad

Dinner: stirfry

Thursday:

Breakfast: avocado toast

Lunch: leftover stirfry

Dinner: bell pepper + mushroom omelette with roasted potatoes

Friday: