My Top Three Protein Picks for Dinner

When planning our dinners, I start with the protein. Today we will talk about the top three meats I use for giving me a head start on cooking easy, healthy meals for my family. Oftentimes it can feel overwhelming to try to solve the dinner puzzle. Instead of having multiple cuts of meat, I stick to just a few that are easy to prepare, yet versatile enough to protect us from burnout. From both practical and nutritional perspectives, having these fundamental meats make creating meals at home an easier process.

So, what are the top three meats in my kitchen? Ground beef, whole chicken, and ground sausage. Now, let’s dive into the reasons behind them.

Ground beef.

It is by far one of the most versatile meats out there, which is a good reason to keep it on hand. Use it to make meatballs, add it to a casserole or soup, grill burgers with it, etc. With ground beef, you keep your options open. Other cuts of beef, like steak or roast, are more limited in the ways they can be prepared, but ground beef can be taken in so many different directions. And flexibility is nice to have when you need to cook for your family…every day…in the middle of the rest of life that’s going on.

We should also consider the nutrition of ground beef. Obviously, it’s high in protein, but it also provides iron, Vitamin B12, along with other vitamins and minerals. You even get to choose your fat content with ground beef! I’m not necessarily suggesting you choose low fat (our bodies need fat), but it is at least worth mentioning as we talk about ground beef. There are not many other proteins out there that you can pick your fat content.

Ground beef is also something you can buy in bulk. Already ground beef is a more economical option compared to other beef cuts, but buying it in bulk is even better and a great way to save at the grocery store. Buy several pounds at a time, divide it into portions appropriate for your cooking needs, and freeze it to have available for weeks to come. Along with the bulk purchase, I would suggest cooking in bulk as well. It takes no extra effort on your part to cook two pounds instead of one. Your future self will thank you for getting ahead of the game for another meal later in the week. You could even freeze the other pound of cooked beef for a big shortcut when you are really crunched for time. Both price and convenience are perks of purchasing ground beef in bulk.

Although this is more of a minor and case-specific reason for ground beef, consider how easy it is to chew compared to other meats. Cutting up bites of steak for a toddler is just not something I enjoy. As a mom of three young kids, ground beef is my friend. I can serve it knowing that everyone will be able to eat it without careful cutting. So, to all the moms out there, save steaks for you and the hubby on date night and use ground beef for the family dinners.

Whole chicken.

This one is not near as common as ground beef, but there are several reasons to add it to the meal rotation. Just as I suggested cooking multiple pounds of ground beef at a time, the same principle works with whole chicken. Prepare it once and eat it twice. Unlike ground beef, whole chicken cooks well in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, making it a great choice for days when you only have a few minutes to prep. After your meal that night, shred the rest of the meat for another meal later in the week or use it in wraps or salads for lunches.

Whole chicken comes with another benefit: bones. Don’t throw the bones away- use them to make stock or broth. Of course, you can buy bone broth, but I prefer to make my own for pennies at home. So, not only are you getting nutrients from the meat itself, but you are also gleaning benefits from the broth- collagen, vitamins, and minerals- to name a few. Whole chicken has a lot to offer!

Let’s back up and talk about the meat. Chicken is known for being a good source of lean protein. A serving of chicken is lower in calories and fat compared to a serving of beef. Plus, the mineral and vitamin composition of chicken is different, making it another good reason to have both beef and poultry in your diet. On a practical note, the taste and texture of chicken meat varies greatly from that of beef. One component of eating healthy is not getting stuck in a rut. Having different textures and flavors to incorporate into your menus definitely beats the burn out.

Ground sausage.

There are some recipes where ground beef or chicken just doesn’t cut it. For an immediate flavor boost, look to ground sausage. Like beef, ground sausage is easy to prepare but comes with the added advantage of multiple flavor options like Italian, breakfast, or hot. Although I would argue pork sausage is not as good a choice nutritionally speaking, I still like having it on hand for its convenience and the umph it adds to a dish.

Plus, sausage tends to be slightly cheaper than ground beef; so, if you are looking for ways to stretch your grocery budget, it can help! Or even better, buy ground pork - which is even cheaper- and add your preferred seasonings for making sausage at home. This is also a way you can control the ingredients going into your food.

There you have it. Obviously, we incorporate other meats and proteins into our diet, but these are the three that I like to always have on hand. Ground beef and whole chicken provide great nutrition and flexibility, while sausage ties any loose ends with its convenience and flavor. I encourage you to find just a few proteins (they may be different than ours!) that supply the nutrition and ease of preparation you need for everyday life. Let them become foundational in your kitchen, then use those proteins to jumpstart your dinner plans.