Kellan Walker

Start with a simple formula — protein plus veg plus carb plus sauce that can become a bowl, wrap, or stir fry. Shop with a 3-2-1 plan: pick three proteins, two carbs, and one or two sauce bases that work across the week, then buy a mix of frozen and sturdy veg. When you get home, portion meat into single servings and freeze most, cook a pot of rice or quinoa, and wash and towel-dry greens so they last. Frozen veg, berries, and bread slices are your friend because you can use a handful at a time with no waste. Sheet pan dinner: toss chopped potatoes and a handful of frozen broccoli with oil and salt, add one chicken thigh, roast at 425 F for 25 to 30 minutes, then hit with lemon or hot sauce. Fast stir fry: sauté tofu or shrimp in a hot pan for 3 minutes, add a cup of frozen veg and a minced garlic clove, splash in soy sauce, a little honey, and vinegar, and serve over rice. Five minute bean quesadilla: mash canned beans with a pinch of cumin, spread on a tortilla with cheese, fold and cook in a skillet 2 minutes per side, then add salsa or yogurt. Leftover upgrade: make egg fried rice by heating a teaspoon of oil, scrambling one egg, adding one cup cold cooked rice and any stray veg, and seasoning with soy sauce and sesame oil. A small starter list that stretches: dozen eggs, pack of chicken thighs, a block of tofu or two cans of beans, rice, tortillas, a frozen mixed veg bag, onions, carrots, salad greens, a lemon or two, plain yogurt, cheese, canned tomatoes, soy sauce, olive oil, and a favorite spice blend. Buy loose produce so you can grab one onion or one carrot, and use bulk bins to scoop half cups of grains or nuts instead of full bags. Store herbs like flowers in a jar with water, line greens with a paper towel, freeze half a chopped onion and leftover tomato paste in spoonfuls, and label freezer bags with the date so you use things on time.