Nutrition: Get to Cooking

If you’re looking to cook more at home and reduce eating out, this is a great goal to focus on. As of 2023, research shows that nearly 57% of food budgets were spent on meals prepared away from home, reflecting a growing preference for dining out or ordering in. While eating out is sometimes necessary (and totally okay!), it can add up—especially when the average home-cooked meal costs $4–$6 per

person compared to $15–$20 or more at a restaurant.

Having a collection of easy, go-to recipes can make cooking at home more enjoyable and convenient. The goal here is to find and save 10 new recipes that appeal to you. Start with one, gather your ingredients, and get cooking!

Here are a few great cooking blogs, recipe books, and ideas to get you started:

Healthy Eating & Meal Prep Blogs

• Minimalist Baker (minimalistbaker.com) – Simple, plant-based recipes with 10 ingredients or less.
• Ambitious Kitchen (ambitiouskitchen.com) – Wholesome, flavorful meals with a focus on balanced nutrition.
• Fit Foodie Finds (fitfoodiefinds.com) – Meal prep-friendly and protein-packed recipes.
• Eating Bird Food (eatingbirdfood.com) – Healthy, family-friendly recipes with a focus on whole foods.
• Skinnytaste (skinnytaste.com) – Lightened-up, flavorful recipes with WW points and meal prep tips.

Healthy Eating & Meal Prep Cookbooks

• Skinnytaste Meal Prep – Gina Homolka: A fantastic resource for meal prepping healthy, flavorful meals with time-saving tips.
• The Defined Dish: Whole30 Endorsed, Healthy and Wholesome Weeknight Recipes – Alex Snodgrass: Clean, Whole30-inspired meals that are simple and family-friendly.
• The Well Plated Cookbook – Erin Clarke: Lightened-up comfort foods with practical meal-prep guidance.
• Fit Men Cook: 100+ Meal Prep Recipes for Men and Women – Kevin Curry: High-protein, macro-balanced meals designed for meal prep.
• Half Baked Harvest Every Day – Tieghan Gerard
  Flavorful, vibrant meals with a mix of wholesome and indulgent options.

Healthy Eating & Meal Prep Apps

Meal Planning & Grocery Lists

• Mealime – Custom meal plans with grocery lists, nutrition info, and step-by-step recipes.
• eMeals – Weekly meal plans tailored to dietary preferences, with grocery list integration.
• Plan to Eat – Organize recipes, create meal plans, and generate shopping lists.

Recipe Organization & Storage

• RecipeKeeper – Save and organize your favorite recipes, create meal plans, and generate shopping lists. It’s great for keeping all your recipes in one place and easily accessible. *My personal favorite*
• Paprika – A recipe manager that lets you save, edit, and organize recipes.
• Whisk – Save recipes from anywhere, create meal plans, and generate grocery lists.
• Cookbook Recipe Manager – A digital recipe book with categorization and search features.

Meal Prep & Batch Cooking

• Prepear – A meal planner with a recipe organizer and grocery shopping tool.
• Yummly – Smart meal recommendations based on dietary needs and saved recipes.
• BigOven – Save recipes, create meal plans, and use leftovers efficiently.

BONUS: Add your go-to/favorite recipes HERE to create a group resource for everyone to share/access.