Sometimes takeout is unavoidable. Sometimes it’s delightful. But most often, takeout is a means to an end. It’s a last-minute resort when you don’t have any groceries in the house or don’t have enough time to cook something you really want. We’ve all been there! Takeout can save the day! However, takeout also costs more than home cooked meals and is generally less healthy that what you’d make at home. That’s where meal planning can help. Meal plans, especially free meal plans, help you get organized before the week begins so you have your dinners and groceries prepared and can help you save money.
Here, we share a meal plan we created for Sebastian, an Ollie user who was looking for meals with no red meat and no onions, and were light and vibrant for spring. Ollie responded with an instant, free meal plan that met his needs.
Here’s what Sebastian cooked up.
- Monday: Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Lemon and Parmesean
- Tuesday: Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tacos
- Wednesday: Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (see below)
- Thursday: Coconut Curry Ramen with Mushrooms and Bok Choy
- Friday: Thai Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu
Each of these satisfied a different flavor craving that is often only met with takeout, but because Sebastian had a plan in place and groceries in his pantry, he was able to whip these up for dinner. We highly recommend this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad.
Mediterranea Chickpea Salad
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cucumbers, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, and feta cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve. This salad can be served immediately or chilled for an hour to blend flavors.
Meals You’ll Love
Ollie does more than just generate free meal plans. Ollie is designed to give you time back in your day by making it a breeze to find easy, healthy dinner recipes that your whole family will love. Ollie is in private beta right now and launching soon. To gain early access, join the waitlist.
