The Encyclopedia of Meal Prep PDF

Cooking and meal prepping should be enjoyable.
Here at Isolator Fitness, we strive to

make your experiences doing so as simple and fun as possible. That’s why we’ve
assembled our most useful cooking hacks into one easy-to-navigate list. Enjoy!
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ISOLATORFITNESS.COM Your Source For Everything Meal Prepping 1
1. Prepare What You Need - Professional Chefs practice Mise En Place, which is French
for ‘Everything In Its Place.’ This refers to prepping your ingredients and tools prior to
cooking your meals. By taking this extra step you are actually saving yourself time
and stress. Instead of searching for your measuring spoons and then measuring your
spices while your food is overcooking, you’ll have everything prepped and ready for
cooking ahead of time.
2. Clean - Before you start cooking, you want to make sure that you have a clean
workspace, clean cooking utensils, clean hands, and hair pulled out of your face and
away from your food. This will cut down on prep and cooking time and will diminish the
risk of spreading bacteria.
3. Buy Quality - The ingredients make the meal. Buy high quality natural or organic
produce and meats. Never cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink, and never cook with
an oil unless it tastes good on it’s own. If it doesn’t taste good on it’s own, it won’t taste
good in your food.
4. Wash Food - Before cooking, you’ll want to make sure that your meats, fruits,
vegetables, etc. are all cleaned to prevent the spread of disease and bacteria. Be sure to
wash your hands when switching between handling these items. ALWAYS wash hands
IMMEDIATELY after handling any raw meat products.
5. Utilize Your Tongs - Use them as an extension of your hands. They can be used to flip
your meat, pull a pan out of the oven, and stabilize hot or messy ingredients (steak,
chicken, pork, etc.) while you cut them.
6. Use Paper Towels - They aren’t just for cleaning up messes, they’re also for preventing
them. Put a wet paper towel under your cutting board before you start chopping away to
make sure it stays securely in place during your ingredient prep.
7. Keep It Closed - Avoid opening the oven door or crock pot lid (or any other pot or pan lid
for that matter) while you’re food is cooking (unless necessary) as it will let out heat and
reduce the internal temperature which will increase your cooking time.
8. Avoid Pan Handles - Keep your panhandles turned into the stove. If they are hanging
over the stove you are more likely to accidently bump it or hit it and cause the pan to fall,
spilling and ruining your meals, and possibly burning yourself.
9. Clean As You Go - Don’t start out with a pristine kitchen and finish with a war zone.
Cleaning as you go ensures that you won’t have a disastrous mess to clean up after
cooking and also makes the actual cooking process smoother because items are easier
to find and already clean (if they need to be re-used in measurement, cutting or mixing).
10. Enjoy The Experience - If you treat meal prepping like a chore, it’s going to be a major
pain in your life and cause you unnecessary stress, but if you treat it like a culinary
adventure, it will be an enjoyable and exciting experience that you’ll look forward to each
week.
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ISOLATORFITNESS.COM Your Source For Everything Meal Prepping
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1. Tenderize - Adding one or two tablespoons of vinegar onto your meat while it cooks will
aid in the tenderization process.
2. Marinade - Do NOT marinate meat with citrus juices. Rather than adding juiciness and
flavor, it will actually dry out the cut and ruin your meat. If you want a citrusy flavor added
to your meal, wait to add it to the finished product--this will also make the citrus taste
more prominent while using less juice.
3. Let It Rest - Always let your meat rest for a few minutes after cooking, before cutting into
it. This is especially important if the meat has been grilled.
4. Freeze and Cut - To make meats like pancetta and bacon easier to cut, place them in
the freezer for 15 minutes. This process makes them firmer and thus easier to cut.
5. Roasting - When roasting meats and poultry, save time by buying the bone-in option.
The bone helps carry the heat to the inside of the roast faster, resulting in shorter
cooking times.
6. Brine It - Be sure to brine all of your poultry before cooking to give it added flavor.
1. Get It Crispy - To make your fish nice and crispy, rest it on paper towels (skin side down)
before cooking. This will pull unnecessary moisture from your fish. Next, sauté your fish
(also skin side down in oil, over medium heat and flip only once (towards the end of the
cooking process.
2. The 10-Minute Rule - When cooking fish, use the 10-minute rule. Measure the thickest
part of the fish and adjust cooking times accordingly. You’ll want to cook the fish for
about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Flip the fish once--about halfway through.
(Double the cooking time if you’re cooking frozen/not defrosted fish.)
3. Wrap It - If you’re new to cooking fish or if the process still intimidates you, wrap it in
packets of parchment paper before you bake it; this will allow the fish to cook by the
trapped steam. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Try It Crispy - Bread tilapia with whole-wheat breadcrumbs or panko and bake in the
oven. You’ll get the crunch you want, without the calories of fried fish.
5. Know Your Temp - Finished fish should reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
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1. Quickly Ripen - If you need your vegetables to ripen quickly, simply place them in a
brown paper bag and store them in a cool, dry, dark, space overnight. By the morning,
they will have ripened.
2. Shocking - To stop the cooking process of your veggies and ensure that they retain
crispness, transfer them directly into cold water after cooking.
3. Stuffed Peppers - When making stuffed peppers, use an ungreased muffin tin as a mold
to keep them upright while stuffing and baking.
4. Garlic - When sautéing garlic, it will be less likely to burn if you slice it rather than mince
it. (To remove the scent of garlic from your hands simply run them over stainless steel
[sink, bar, etc.] for 30 seconds before washing them).
5. Hot Spicy Peppers - Turning down the heat on spicy peppers is often as easy as
removing the seeds. To do that, you’ll want to cut lengthwise and spoon the seeds out of
the pepper. Tip: Wash your hands after you touch hot peppers as the oils have the ability
to burn your eyes and skin.
6. Wrap Your Mushrooms - To avoid a slimy layer forming on your mushrooms during
storage, wrap them in paper towels.
7. Keep It Fresh - Extending the crispness of vegetables is as easy as storing them in your
refrigerator's crisper drawer over a layer of paper towels. The paper towels work to pull
the excess moisture away from your vegetables leaving them fresher, longer.
8. Bring It Back To Life - Place your limp vegetables in a bowl of ice cold water with a slice
of raw potato. This will bring your wilting vegetables back to life.
9. Cut Corn Off The Cob - Make cutting corn off the cob an easy and mess-free task by
using a Bundt pan. Stick the ear of corn into the hollowed-out center hole and proceed to
run your knife straight down the corn allowing all of the kernels to fall directly into the
Bundt pan. (After cutting the corn off of the cob, run the back of the knife [not the blade]
over it to extract the milk of the cob. Stir this into the corn to add body and flavor.)
10. Keep It Together - Dicing an onion can be complicated, but you can make it easier by
not removing the root. Leaving the root on for the dicing process with make sure that the
onion stays conveniently together rather than sliding around your cutting board.
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1. Remove Acidic Taste - Adding just a pinch of soda bicarbonate to tomato-based sauces
will remove the acidic taste from the tomatoes.
2. Always In-Season - Make sure you always have the fruit you’re craving on hand by
buying fruit from farmer’s markets when it’s at the peak of its season and immediately
freezing it. This means you can have any fruit you want, any time of year (as long as you
haven’t eaten your entire stock yet).
3. Juice It - Guarantee that you’re getting the most out of your lemon or lime when you
juice it by first heating it in the microwave for 10 seconds and then rolling it forcefully
under your palm for a minute before slicing into it and extracting the juice.
4. Zest It - Rather than zesting a lemon or lime into a separate bowl and later transferring it
to your ingredients, wait to perform this step until you can zest directly onto the
ingredients. The aromatic citrus oils will provide more flavors to your dish this way.
5. Without A Juicer - If you don’t have a juicer and you can’t squeeze a lemon or lime hard
enough to extract enough juice simply grab a pair of sturdy tongs to help give you
leverage.
1. Cut Herbs - To keep your herbs from flying around during chopping, add a very small
amount of salt to the cutting board.
2. Keep Basil Fresh - Putting the basil stems into water and storing at room temperature
will help keep it fresher, longer.
3. Season In Stages - When seasoning a dish you want to make sure you season it from
start to finish, for the duration of the entire cooking process. This helps to pull out the
flavors of the seasonings.
4. Freezer Fresh - To keep your herbs fresh, it’s easiest to combine similar herbs into
bunches, place in a sealable plastic bag, and store them in the freezer. They will be
easier to chop when you’re ready to use them and they will defrost immediately upon
placement into the hot pan.
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1. Know Your Storage - Be cognizant of how long your eggs have been sitting in the
refrigerator before you decide to cook with them. Here are your maximum storage times.
Raw eggs (in shell) = 4-5 weeks after packaged date. Raw egg (beaten) = 2 days. Raw
egg whites = 4 days. Raw egg yolks = 2 days. Hard-Boiled (in or out of shell) = 1 week.
2. Test It - To test whether or not an egg is fresh, all you’ll need is a glass of water. Place
the egg in the water and if it sinks, it’s fresh. If it floats, it’s probably old, or just a bag egg
and you’ll want to avoid cooking with it.
3. Peel It - One of the most annoying things about making hard-boiled eggs is peeling
them. It becomes much easier to do if you run them under cold water immediately after
boiling them and then refrigerating them for 30 minutes prior to peeling. (If you don’t
have time to refrigerate them running them under cold water in an ice bath will cool them
faster).
4. Through The Funnel - If you only want the egg whites, then crack your egg over a
funnel. The egg white will run through the funnel and the yolk will remain intact in the
funnel.
1. Remove The Fat - To remove the fat, put the entire pot into the refrigerator and let sit for
about 30 minutes. The fat will congeal on the top and will be easy to spoon out of the
soups, stocks or stews.
2. Minimize The Salt - Add lemon juice to balance the salt. If it’s still too salty, add a few
wedges of raw potato or apple slices to it and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove them.
3. Try Water - If you don’t have any broth but want to make a soup, you can substitute
water--this also helps cut down on sodium consumption When using water, you’ll need to
add in your own salt since it's not pre-salted.
4. Flavor Is Your Friend - Use a healthy amount of herbs and spices including: chili powder,
curry powder, paprika, garlic, bay leaves or chives (especially when you use water as
your base). These will add spark and flavor to your soups. If you crave more flavor try
adding more acidic ingredients like: tomatoes, vinegar, yogurt, or lemon/lime juice.
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Meal Prepping 101
The idea of meal prepping can be overwhelming and daunting to people who have never tried it
before, and although there is an art in the practice, it is actually much easier than most would
believe. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the basics of meal prepping to make
your life easier and your meal prepping experience better.
The Right Tools for The Job

Much like anything else in life, you need the right
tools to successfully and efficiently meal prep.
There are a few things that will be absolutely
necessary from day one (containers, mixing
bowls, knives, and a cutting board) and others
that you can acquire along the way to assist in
your meal prepping (a scale, rice cooker, crock
pot, food processor, and foil baking sheets or
pans).
Meal Prep Bags

Meal prep is for the health- and weight-conscious, and those committed to their fitness goals.
Isolator Fitness created meal management bags to accommodate your busy schedule. ISOBAG
meal coolers, ISOPACK backpacks, and ISODUFFLES allow you to easily organize your meals
and manage your health, weight, and fitness goals. All bags are handmade in the USA.
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Containers
If you don’t already have high quality food storage containers, you’ll want to invest in some.
The best containers you can get will be BPA free, microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe,
and will be stackable for easy storage. For each person that you’re meal prepping for, you’ll
want at least 14 containers (this is assuming that you eat 3 meals per day and will each eat at
least one meal per day at home). Under these conditions, fourteen meal prep containers will
easily hold all of your “on-the-go” meals for the week, but if you intend to eat all of your meals
out of the house, you’ll want at least 21 meal prep containers. For a family of four this could
mean a total of 84 containers for the week, so you’ll want to make sure that you’re investing in
quality containers that also won't break the bank.
Mixing Bowls
Almost all of the recipes you’ll find online involve the mixing of two or more ingredients together. This
is why having a few large mixing bowls is crucial. Whether you prefer glass, stainless steel or plastic
mixing bowls, you’ll want to make sure that you have at least one set with a few different sizes.
You’ll find that you need larger mixing bowls for main ingredients such as meats and vegetables,
and smaller mixing bowls for spices and dressings.
Sharp Knives
If there’s one main staple in every professional chef’s kitchen it’s a set of sharp, high quality knives.
You won’t need professional grade knives but it will be helpful if you invest in a good set
of sharp knives and a knife sharpener. As knives are used and abused, their sharpness can
drastically diminish, but many people go on struggling to use them because they don’t want to spend
more money on another set. This problem can be solved very easily-- by investing in a quality set of
knives AND a knife sharpener from the beginning. You can rest assured knowing that even though
your blades will dull over time, you have the power to bring them back to life and make them as good
as new for years to come.
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Cutting Board
All cutting boards are not created equal! Here are the pros and cons of the most popular cutting
board materials. It’s up to you to decide which material is a better fit for your family. Do you
prefer the natural self-healing qualities of wood, the durability of glass, or the safety of rubber?
Wood - Wood is self-healing and thus small cuts into the wood will close up on their own.
Unfortunately wood can also contain toxins or allergens depending on where they come from
and how they are treated. It is also porous, which means that bacteria from the food you’re
cutting on the board can enter below the surface and multiply. Once the bacterium permeates
the surface, it is likely that it will never again be a truly clean cutting surface.
Plastic - Plastic cutting boards are unlike wood in that they are non-porous. Bacteria can still
grow and multiply quickly in the small cuts and imperfections of a plastic cutting board if not
cleaned and disinfected almost immediately. On the other hand, you can use harsher
chemicals on plastic to assure that is has been cleaned thoroughly. Plastic will also cause
relatively little damage to your knives.
Glass - Cutting boards made from glass are relatively easy to clean compared to wood and
plastic, but damage knives. When using a knife against the hard surface of glass, you increase
the chance of dulling the blade by denting, rolling, or chipping the knife-edges. If you’re
chopping your ingredients rather than slicing them, you run the risk of chipping the glass of the
cutting board and contaminating your food.
Steel - Steel cutting boards are durable and about as easy to clean as their glass counterparts
but, like glass, are also hard on knives. When using a steel cutting board, it is guaranteed that
your knife blade will dull quickly. In addition to dulling, there is a good chance that the hard
surface will chip or dent the blades as well.
Rubber - The cleanest and most forgiving cutting board material is rubber. It is nonporous so
bacteria will not be able to seep into the material but it is also self healing so small cuts will
close up on their own. They will protect the integrity of your good knives and they can handle
harsher cleaning chemicals. Another major plus of rubber cutting boards is that they are
typically, by nature, non-slip, which makes your meal prepping a safer experience. The one
downside to rubber cutting boards is that they can get fairly expensive, but for a quality product
that is protective to knives and against bacteria, they are well worth it.
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Scale
Meal prepping isn’t just about saving time and saving money. It’s also about making sure that
you’re eating the right amounts of food throughout the day. It assures that you aren’t starving
your body of precious nutrients and also that you aren’t stuffing yourself. You can overeat and
ruin your diet no matter what kinds of foods you’re eating. Ten pounds of fruits, vegetables, and
meats is still 6 pounds too many for the average person. This is where the importance of a
quality food scale comes into play. There are two different types of scales you can buy:
mechanical and digital. A mechanical scale is better if you’re looking for something that requires
no batteries, and has a higher weight capacity. A digital scale is better if you’re looking for
something that provides distinct accuracy and can easily switch between different
measurements.
Rice Cooker
Carbohydrates are a necessary part of any diet, but conforming to a healthier lifestyle often
means switching from refined white grains to whole grains in your meals. For some it means
drastically cutting down on their pasta intake or removing it from their diets altogether. If you
decide to do this, you’ll need to replace those carbohydrates with more nutritious options, such
as sweet potatoes, bananas, milk and, of course, whole grain rice. Cooking rice correctly can
be a challenge, though. Boiling rice on the stove often leads to overcooked, undercooked,
watery, mushy, or sticky rice. The beauty of a rice cooker is that it produces perfectly cooked
rice every single time, without having to babysit a pot of boiling water. An added bonus to
owning a rice cooker is that you can use it to steam your vegetables to perfection as well.
Boiling vegetables leads to the removal of nutrients while steaming them on a stove is a
delicate process that takes time, precision, and patience.
High Capacity Slow Cooker

It’s likely that if you’re new to meal prepping it’s going to take you a few hours the first few times
you do it. Don’t be discouraged by this, the more you practice, the more efficient you will
become. In the meantime, it’s helpful to utilize a high capacity slow cooker. It can take care of
cooking a few meals for you while you work on cooking the rest. In addition to saving you time,
using a slow cooker can also save you money and is actually a healthier cooking option. Since
they slow cook, you can purchase less expensive and tougher cuts of meat because they will
inevitably be softened by the time they are done cooking. They also use less energy than your
conventional oven so your electric bill will be lowered. When you cook in a conventional oven,
you often have to add butter and oils to your meals to keep them moist and juicy, but a slow
cooker uses the foods own juices to cook it, thus keeping it healthy without sacrificing the
succulent flavors.
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Food Processor
Cutting, chopping and preparing vegetables can be one of the most time consuming parts of
meal prep day. Investing in a food processor will cut this time in half. Rather than wasting your
time chopping vegetables into tiny pieces for your recipes you can cut them into larger cubes
and toss them in your food processor and at the press of a button the machine will do all of the
hard work for you. The more time you can save yourself in the kitchen preparing your weekly
meals, the more likely you are to stick with meal prepping in the long run. Besides, chopping
veggies isn’t the only thing a food processor is good for, it’s also helpful in making your own
sauces and dressings, grinding up meat, chopping nuts, mixing homemade nut butters, making
creamy dessert delights and so much more. It’s like an all-in-one miracle machine.
Foil Baking Sheets & Pans

Cooking meals for the entire week uses a lot of dishes all at once, so speed up clean up with
the help of disposable foil baking sheets and pans. This will save your sanity without costing
you much money. Having a few of these on hand and available on meal prep day will also
assure that you won’t have to continuously stop prepping and cooking to wait for your last dish
to finish baking so that you can clean your single baking sheet or pan because you need it for
your next meal. While one meal is cooking, you can assemble and store the next until you’re
ready to put it in the oven. When all of the meals are cooked and put away, clean up is as easy
as throwing a few foil sheets and pans away. They can also be recycled to help reduce
unnecessary waste. If you choose to recycle them, just make sure that the majority of the food
has been rinsed from them so that the recycling plants can reuse the foil.
Before you Cook
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead means more than just deciding that you’re going to
start meal prepping. It means looking up recipes for foods that you
and your family will enjoy, and grocery shopping for the items that
you will need to make those recipes. Seasoned meal preppers
know that choosing recipes that offer a variation on the same or
similar ingredients helps to keep their wallets full and their food
waste down. Once you know what you want to cook for the week
you can make a concise shopping list that will make sure you
spend a minimal amount of time searching at your local farmer's
market, or grocery store and more time doing what you want to do.
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Infuse Oils with Spices
Adding spices to your food
effectively adds more flavor and
excitement to your meals. To add a
more mature flavor to your meals try
infusing your olive oil with the
different spices you want to
incorporate into your dishes.
Infusing oils is fairly quick and
simple.
How to Infuse Oil with Spices - Put a large sauté pan over medium heat and add your oil (as
much as your recipe calls for) let that warm up and then add your ground herbs and/or spices
(as much as your recipe calls for) and cook together for 5 minutes. Stir continuously! You will
get 5x the flavor from the same amount of spices (think sodium!) by infusing with oil.
Clean out your Refrigerator & Freezer
Before you even go shopping, you’ll want to

make sure that you have a clear and clean
space to store all of your fresh goodies.
Cleaning out your refrigerator to make sure
that there is an abundance of room first for
the raw ingredients that you get from your
grocery haul, and then for the meal prep
containers full of your delicious meals for the
week when you’re done cooking, is one of
the quickest and easiest steps for a
successful meal prep experience. Throwing
out old and rotten food not only creates
more space in your refrigerator, but also
cuts down on the spread of bacteria. If you plan on meal prepping for the entire week, it will also
be helpful to clean out your freezer. You may want to store the meals that you won’t be eating
until the end of the week in your freezer to keep them fresher. Unless you have more than one
refrigerator to store your family's weekly meals in you’ll need the extra space from your freezer
anyway.
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Buy in Bulk
We mentioned earlier that you want to choose recipes that are fairly similar in ingredients and
here’s why. When your recipes share a basic ingredient list, you can buy in bulk. When you buy
in bulk, you save money. When it’s possible to buy all natural, organic and grass-fed products,
you’ll want to use those in your recipes to ensure that you’re being as healthy as possible. This
can get expensive if you buy a little at a time, but when you buy in bulk even the prices on these
high quality foods goes down. Shopping at your local farmers market is a great way to be sure
that the ingredients you’re buying are fresh while also avoiding the inflation costs of the grocery
stores.
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Clean your Workspace
Have you ever been sitting at your desk at work surrounded by papers, post-it notes, binders,
folders and pens and been too overwhelmed by the clutter to function efficiently? The same
idea applies to cooking. If there are dirty dishes in the sink, pots and pans scattered in different
cabinets and every cooking utensil you own shoved into a catch-all drawer, there is a good
chance that your meal prep experience is going to be awful. You aren’t going to be able to find
the measuring cups, spatula, or whisk which will frustrate you. You’ll have to pull out every
single pot and pan before you realize that the size that you need is sitting in the sink dirty,
which will waste time and infuriate you. With all of this going on, you probably aren’t going to be
able to concentrate on the food cooking, which means you could burn it. And all of these things
could easily be avoided by simply tidying up your kitchen before you begin cooking.
Time to Cook
Now that you have all of your meal prep appliances, your recipes picked out, your ingredients
purchased, your oils infused, and your refrigerator, freezer and workspace clean it’s finally time!
You’re ready to cook! Keep in mind while you're cooking that even seasoned meal preppers
spend hours preparing their food for the week, so don’t expect to be done in an hour.
Remember you’re cooking for the whole week, not just one night. And don’t worry if it takes you
longer than you expect to cook and store everything, the more you practice, the faster you’ll
become. Just think of all the time you’ll be saving every evening for the next week! Most
importantly remember that you’re doing this for your health and the health of your family so
enjoy and HAVE FUN!
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Isobag Cooling Clues
1. Buy and pack more Isobricks - This is probably the simplest plan and execution to keep
your Isobag colder for longer periods of time. It’s no surprise that more ice equals lower
temperatures.
2. Make Your Own Ice Containers - While you wait on your new shipment of Isobricks to
arrive, you may still need more cooling capacity in your meal prep bag. In the meantime,
you can fill any Isolator meal prep container with water and freeze it to create a
makeshift ice pack to hold you over. Use duct tape to seal the edges of the container to
ensure a completely leak proof ice container.
3. Chill Your Bag - If your Isobag is small enough to fit into your freezer or refrigerator,
leave it there overnight. The colder the bag starts, the colder it will remain. (This tip is
best used if you have an extra chest freezer.)
4. Pre-Pack Your Isobrick - If your Isobag is too large to cool in the refrigerator or freezer
overnight (or you just don’t have enough space to fit it), just pack it with a few Isobricks
overnight. This will cause the internal temperature of your meal cooler to drop over time.
In the morning, remove the used Isobricks and insert your meal prep and new Isobricks
to ensure longer cooling capacity.
5. Freeze Your Meal Prep - Many people freeze their meal prep anyway at the beginning of
the week but transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw the night before they
pack it into their multi meal lunch box and take it with them. Instead of thawing your meal
preps, just leave them frozen until morning. They will gradually thaw throughout the day
in your Isobag while keeping other perishable items cold. (This tip is best used if you
have a microwave available to you for later use in case the food does not thaw by meal
time.)
6. Store in Cool Climates (and away from heat sources) - Although the Isobag is designed
to keep your food cold in any climate, it will certainly work better if you make sure the
climate isn’t directly working against your ultimate goal. That means keeping your Isobag
meal prep lunch cooler out of direct sunlight and away from artificial heat sources.
7. Pre-Chill All Items - Pack non-perishable food items in a separate compartment if
possible (or chill these products ahead of time as well). Just because the food doesn’t
need to stay cold to stay fresh doesn’t mean it won’t benefit from a short chill. The
insulated areas of your Isobag are designed to cool food and keep it cold. If you put room
temperature items in then the bag will work to bring it to a lower temperature (taking away
from those foods that do need to remain at a cooler temperature).
8. Keep it Closed - Don’t work against your fitness cooler, work with it. The more you open
it throughout the day the more warm air you’ll let in to your meal prep. You want to avoid
this as much as possible so that your food will constantly be surrounded by cold air.
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Isobag Heating Hacks
Although Isobags were designed and manufactured to keep food items cold, their insulation can
also be used to keep food warm.
1. Make Heat Bricks - Making and using your own heat bricks is a great way to keep your
food hot in your food management bag. To make a heat brick simply take an ordinary
brick and wrap it in aluminum foil and then bake it for an hour at 250 degrees. In order to
avoid melting the insulation on your Isobag you’ll want to wrap the heat brick in a towel
before placing it in the bag.
2. Bake a Potato - This is similar to the heat brick method, but you’ll use a potato rather
than a brick. Simply wrap a potato in aluminum foil and bake it. Immediately following the
baking process wrap the potato in a thin towel (to avoid melting the insulation) and
transfer the potato to your Isobag’s insulated compartment. Insert any other food items
you’d like to keep warm. The heat from the potato will continue to radiate keeping itself
and other items nice and toasty.
3. Fill It - Treat empty space like your enemy when you’re packing your insulated lunch
cooler with hot meals. Any space not filled acts as an area for the heat to dissipate and
that’s the last thing you want. If you have additional space left in your bag after you pack
it with your meal prep (and heat bricks), fill in the empty spaces with towels to keep in
the warmth.
4. Steam It - Before packing your meals, treat your bag like a sauna. Boil water on the
stove and place it into a heat safe bowl (that will fit within your fitness food bag). Lay a
towel on the floor of the bag (to avoid melting the insulation) and place your steaming
bowl of hot water within the insulated compartment of your Isobag. Close the bag and let
it absorb the heat for a while. Remove the bowl of water and towel before placing your
meal prep in the bag for transport.
5. Turn Up The Heat - You can use a heating pad to heat your Isobag prior to use by
placing it inside the insulated meal prep compartment (without your meal prep) and
closing the meal bag. Plug it in and turn it on low. Let it run for about 30-45 minutes so
that it has ample time to pump heat into your bag. Remove the heating pad before
placing your meal prep in the bag for transport.
6. Keep it Closed - Don’t open the bag until you’re ready to eat!!! We cannot stress this
enough! Every time you open the insulated meal prep bags they will release the stored
heat, heat that you need left in the bags to keep your food at the proper and safe
temperatures. You want to avoid this as much as possible so that your food will
constantly be surrounded by hot air.
Whether you’re using your Isobag to keep your meals cold or hot, always keep in mind the food
temperature danger zone. You want to make sure that your meals always stay at 40 degrees F
and below if you’re storing cold foods, or 140 degrees F and above if you’re storing hot foods.
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16
Meal Prepping Is Necessary For Success!
People who meal prep are more likely to be successful in the five main areas of life:
● Body
● Mind
● Soul
● Relationships
● Career
Meal Prepping Is Necessary To Avoid Disease

Poor diets prematurely kill 678,000
people per year in the U.S. That’s over
200,000 more than are killed by
tobacco!
Surviving a poor diet isn’t much

prettier. Lack of proper nutrition can
lead to a host of conditions and
diseases including:
● Depression
● Anemia
● Type 2 Diabetes
● Obesity
● Cardiovascular Disease
● High Cholesterol Living with these conditions or diseases
● Hypertension significantly reduces your quality of life as they
● Osteoporosis each come with their own set of complications and
● Dental Cavities and Tooth Decay problems. Omega-3 deficiency has been shown to
● Osteomalacia (Rickets) lead to depression while forgetfulness is caused by
● Coronary Heart Disease vitamin deficiencies. Those are mild compared to
● High Blood Pressure the hip fractures that can occur due to
● Cancer osteoporosis and the lower limb amputations
caused by Type 2 Diabetes.
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17
Meal Prepping Is Necessary For Happiness
Within your brain there is a network of proteins and
hormones that control your emotions and moods.
They include:
● Dopamine
● Serotonin
● Beta-Endorphin
Healthy levels of these proteins and hormones promote mood regulation while high or low levels
are harmful to your neurological pleasure centers. When dopamine and beta-endorphin levels
remain at unhealthy levels for an extended period of time (due to poor diets) you can experience
long-term changes that are linked with eating disorders.
Occasionally consuming small amounts of chocolate stimulates the release of dopamine in your
brain and gives you a temporary boost in mood, but if you consume an abundance of chocolate
on a regular basis you run the risk of altering the chemical makeup of your neuron receptors,
inevitably inhibiting your happiness. An excess of sugar consumption causes a worse reaction
than chocolate in your emotional chemical receptors. This is due to the “high” that is received
when beta-endorphin is released into your brain after sugar is ingested.
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Meal Prepping Is Necessary For Peace
Life is hectic and the demands and pressure that
are constantly put on us by our jobs and
ourselves can be damaging to our wellbeing. The
art of meal prepping relieves those pressures by
providing your body with nutrients that it needs
without the added stress of needing to prepare
those nutrients daily.
When you actively meal prep, you must plan your meals before you prepare them, which
brings a mindful aspect into what you’re putting into your body. You can base your diet
around fresh, natural, and healthy food selections rather than processed garbage. Natural
ingredients work with your body rather than against it to create a more balanced and
refreshing dietary experience.
It allows time for:

● Working Out
● Spending Time with Loved Ones
● Forgotten Hobbies
● Extracurricular Interests
● Meditation
● Recharging Your Batteries
Now that you won’t be rushing from work to the grocery store, back home to
cook, and out to the gym again, before slinking home and falling into bed
you’ll have more time on your hands to re energize your soul with your
passions.
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19
Meal Prepping Is Necessary For Love
Cultivating meaningful relationships takes time, whether it’s a relationship with a family member,
a partner, or a friend. You need to invest time and effort into fortifying those relationships. It is
ironic that time and effort put into relationships is diminishing with longer work hours and more
responsibilities in life seeing as how crucial an aspect they are to a healthy life.
Meal prepping brings people together. It’s a set amount of time that is set aside weekly for
investing in your health, which can also be used to invest in your relationships. Inviting your
loved ones into your meal prepping experience will encourage them live a healthier life as well,
leading to a longer life. A longer life, means more time to be spent together making memories.
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20
Meal Prepping Is Necessary For Productivity
Most people spend the majority of their days out of the house, often for work. Between hours
clocked in, and hours spent commuting many people are away for 10+ hours per day. This
means that many of the meals we’re eating are consumed on the go. This leaves plenty of
opportunity for our bodies and minds to give into the temptation of processed foods, especially
if we haven’t bothered to meal prep.
Without meal prep many workers are distracted by hunger, until their lunch break and then
exhausted after lunch from their meals loaded with fats, carbohydrates and sugars. Their
bodies spend too much time and energy on breaking down their poor diet choices. That is
energy that could be used on being more productive at work.
People who meal prep:

● Have Meals and Snacks Prepared
● Do Not Have To Leave The Office For Lunch
● Are Less Tired
● Are More Productive
Since meal preppers are fully equipped

to deal with their hunger pangs when
they happen, wherever they happen,
they have higher levels of productivity,
which in turn leads to promotions,
raises, and a happier work/life balance.
If you’re new to meal prepping check

out our article on Meal Prep 101 to
learn the basics. There are definite
benefits to meal prep that include:
● Saving Time
● Saving Money
● Practicing Portion Control
But those benefits are added bonuses to avoiding malnutrition, and cancer. Meal prepping isn’t
just something you should do sometimes to save some time and stash away cash. It’s a lifestyle
that is necessary to life a full and complete life.
Planning and prepping your meals ahead of time allows you to focus your energy on the
nutritional value of your foods as well as maintaining a well balanced diet of proteins, fats and
carbohydrates. When you wait until the ‘day of’ to prepare your meals the chance of choosing
quick and convenient foods over nutrient-rich and sustainable foods more than doubles. Meal
prepping eliminates this problem by ensuring that your meals for the week are planned, bought
and prepared well in advance, so that on any given day you won’t have to cook anything,
making the issue of convenience virtually obsolete.
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21
The Benefits of Brine
Imagine cooking the most succulent, juicy, moist chicken you’ve ever tasted. Chicken that rivals
that delicious, professionally prepared one you had in that fancy, upscale restaurant that one
time. Now imagine seeing the look on everyone’s faces as they taste it, as they melt in the
decadence of your culinary creation. Imagine that making chicken like this involved just one
extra (incredibly easy) step in the cooking process. Now stop imagining, because it’s reality.
Heat pulls moisture away from, and out of, porous materials, which is why the high temperature
cooking process makes many meats and poultry dry. Since this process cannot be stopped, you
have to fight against the dryness in another approach. You have to brine your meat and poultry
prior to the cooking process.
Brining is similar to marinating. The main difference is that rather than adding spices and
flavoring to the meat with marinade, brining simply allows the flavors of the meat to avoid being
pulled out during cooking and shine through in the finished product.
To brine your meat and poultry all you’ll need is your meat of choice, cold water, a container
large enough to hold your meat, and some Kosher salt.
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22
Step-By-Step Brining
1. Choose your meat

2. Pick out a container that is large enough to house your meat with room for enough water
to cover the meat completely. (Tip: Make sure this container will fit into your refrigerator
[or a cooler] as the brining meat will need to chill before cooking)
3. Mix Kosher salt and water together. The ratio should be about one cup of Kosher salt for
every gallon of water. Make sure there is enough mixed to completely cover the meat.
(Tip: Using Kosher salt will make your brine more consistent) You may want to use RO
(reverse osmosis) water for your brining as it is stripped of inorganic compounds and
metals. Additionally, the water is slightly lower ph, which makes it better to break down
the meat.
4. Optional: Add other herbs, spices and flavorings if you desire. This step is entirely
optional and not necessary for the effectiveness of the brining process. (Tip: To achieve
the boldest flavors use whole spices or spices that you’ve ground
yourself.)
5. Place the meat in the brine and ensure that it is covered with the salt-water
mixture.
6. Put the brining meat into the refrigerator
7. Allow small cuts of meat to brine for 30 minutes to 2 hours and larger cuts
to brine for 4 to 12 hours. (Tip: Letting meat brine for too long can cause
the meat to break down. The salt can also dry the meat out if allowed to sit
too long.)
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23
The Science Behind Brining
1. Moisturizing From The Start - First of all, while the meat or poultry is sitting
in the salt-water mixture you made it’s slowly absorbing the water. Now it will have more
moisture available when the heat starts to draw it out. Since it’s now starting as a juicier
cut of meat it will inevitably end up as a juicier meal.
2. Preparing Denatured Proteins - Secondly, the salt solution works to denature proteins in
muscle fibers causing them to swell and unwind. In the natural cooking process these
proteins would unwind and bind back together causing significant moisture loss, but
through brining they unwind and bind with water so that the proteins are less likely to
bind together again, and push out necessary moisture, during the cooking process.
Now that you know how to brine, you might be wondering what you should brine. It’s true that
some meats shouldn’t be brined, but this is usually because they’ve already been through the
brining process before you purchased them. Check your packaging just to make sure. Some
prime candidates for brining include:
● Chicken
● Shrimp
● Pork
● Turkey
● Ribs
● Cornish Game Hens
As you may have noticed, lean cuts of meat definitely benefit more from
the brining process than fattier cuts, as they crave the added moisture
that it provides. Keep in mind when deciding when to brine--it is best used
when cooking in high heat temperatures like the oven, or grill, and should
be avoided when cooking in a slow cooker. Since a slow cooker uses the
natural juices of the meat to cook, these meats could become mushy and
unappetizing if they were brined first.
Now that you know the secret to making succulent, delicious, juicy chicken, turkey, and pork feel
free to impress and astound all of your family and friends at the next get together with your
newfound professional culinary prowess.
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24
GAINS THROUGH GRILLING
Traditional grilling requires the use of a grill or other open wire grid that sits over a direct heat
source (most often fire). It is one of the oldest forms of cooking known to man and dates back to
the first controlled fires, about one million years ago. The concept hasn’t changed much over
the years, but the techniques have been improved to make cooking on a grill a more civilized
event than huddling over a fire pit in the ground-- although during camping trips and other
outdoor excursions this technique is still often used.
If you’re going to be grilling at home, you’re going to want to invest in an outdoor grill. There are
ways to grill on your stove, or over a fire pit, but the best flavor and textures are going to come
from cooking on an outdoor gas, or charcoal grill. Which type you choose depends completely
on personal preference, and we’ll go over the Pro’s and Con’s of each type to help you decide
which is right for you.
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25
Gas Grill Charcoal Grill
Original Cost (Base $116.99 (Coleman Road Trip) $99.00 (Weber One-Touch)
Models)
Operating Costs Roughly $1.50 per hour Roughly $2 per cookout
Ease Of Assembly Difficult Simple
Ease Of Use Simple Difficult
Flavor Sufficient for Hotdogs & Better for Fine Cuts of Steak
Burgers & Chicken
Portability / Size Designed for Transport (32”) Designed for Transport

(22.5”)
Fire Risk / Safety Less Risk of Fire = More Safe More Risk of Fire = Less Safe
Temperature Control More Control (Pressure Less Control (No Systems or

Control System) Heat Gauges)
Cleaning Brush Grates Clear Clean Out Ashes & Brush

Grates Clear
Environmental Impact Uses Propane (must be Uses Charcoal (made from

extracted from wells) materials that would
otherwise be wasted)
As you can see, one choice is not inherently better or worse than the other. They each have
their positive and negative qualities. That’s why it’s up to each individual to decide which of
those qualities are most important to them in a grill, and choose accordingly.
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You can grill just about any food, which is great news since grilling is one of the best ways to
achieve the maximum amount of nutrition from your foods, without sacrificing their flavors. Since
the natural grilling process doesn’t require the use of added oils or fats it is a significantly
healthier choice than both frying and stovetop cooking.
While grilling is inherently healthier than many other forms of cooking there are ways to make it
an even healthier option.
● Choose Lean Meats

● Avoid Processed Meats
● Grill Veggies
● Use Marinade
● Cook Longer At Lower Temperatures
● Do Not Overcook
● Grill Over Tin Foil
● Practice Frequent Flipping
● Clean Your Grill
If you practice these healthy grilling habits you’ll gain all of the benefits that open flame cooking
provides, plus you won’t have to worry about any potential negative influences.
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27
It is important to be aware of the fact that grilling is associated with a few potential health
hazards. If you are aware of what these hazards are, you will be better equipped to sidestep
them and be on your way to happier and healthier grilling habits.
First of all, the grease that drips from fatty cuts of meat can create Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs) when they come in contact with the hot coals or grilling element. These
PAHs can then contaminate your food with the rising smoke, or flame-ups. The charred exterior
of foods can also contain this harmful chemical. The easiest way to avoid contamination by
PAHs is to pick a cut of meat that has is lean (the lower the fat content the lower the chance of
fatty grease dripping from the meat). If you want to be extra careful you can also line the grate
of your grill with aluminum foil where your meat will touch (allow space for ventilation).
Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) can contaminate any meats that are being cooking in high
temperatures. The best way to actively fight against this, when cooking on the grill, is by
practicing frequent flipping. Make sure that you flip your meats often (about once every 2-3
minutes) to prevent HCAs from forming.
Of course, as with any cooking process, you will also want to make sure that you always cook
your meat to the proper temperatures to avoid bacterial contamination. To learn more, read
about the food temperature danger zone and how to avoid it here.
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1. Reach Room Temperature - When cooking meats on the grill, you want to take them out
of fridge an hour before you begin grilling and allow them to reach room temperature.
This will help make sure that your meat cooks evenly throughout.
2. Pound It Out - Chicken breasts are one of the most popular things to cook on the grill but
making sure that they are evenly cooked can be difficult. To fix this just found the
chicken breasts out with a tenderizer before grilling, until its thickness is even.
3. Brine Your Meats - Brining your meats means that you’ll never have to worry about a
dried out dinner again. This extra step will truly make all of the difference in your grilling
success.
4. Turn Up The Heat - Although cooking over lower temperatures for a longer period of
time is great for healthy grilling, you will want to make sure that your grill is hot enough to
actually cook your food. You also don’t want to let your food sit at too low of a
temperature for too long, because that could promote bacterial growth.
5. Four Inches – When it comes to grilling up vegetables the perfect distance between your
flames (or hot coals) and your food is four inches.
6. Six to Eight Inches - For chicken you’ll want to leave about six to eight inches between
your flames (or hot coals) and the chicken.
7. Smoky Flavor - If you like a smoky flavor on your meats and vegetables don’t be afraid
to close that grill lid, just be sure that you open the exhaust and allow proper ventilation.
It is possible to smoke out your food, and the taste is not appetizing.
8. Keep Those Bones In - When you’re grilling poultry if you choose cuts that still have the
bone in it will be less likely that you dry it out.
9. Dark vs Light - Dark meat will generally take longer to cook on the grill than light meat
will. Keep this in mind when you’re planning the rest of your meal prep schedule.
10. Let It Rest - Always let your meat rest between grilling and eating to guarantee optimal
flavor.
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A Beginner’s Guide to Smoking Meats
There is an art to smoking meat. Although it is not a new concept, and has in fact been
practiced for centuries to preserve protein-rich red meats and fish, the execution has been
tweaked and revised over the years to focus on the production of a more flavorful result.
While you don’t need a meat smoker to smoke your own meat, it is a valuable investment if you
plan to engage in this form of cooking frequently. If you’re not ready to buy a meat smoker just
yet, don’t worry, you can get away with using a charcoal grill for now.
If you can cook/grill it, chances are you can successfully and deliciously smoke it. Some great
choices are poultry, pork, lamb, beef, turkey, ham, venison, fish, vegetables, and even cheese!
Here are our top meat picks to smoke.
Brisket is easily the most popular cut of meat that is smoked. It is often served at backyard
barbeques because it is so easy to smoke. This is the also the cut that you will find at most
meat smoking competitions.
Ribs are up next in the popularity contest. They are an

easy cut to smoke and it’s likely that you’ll find something
that everyone will like, with all of the rib varieties available
including:
● Baby Back Ribs
● Country Style Ribs
● Beef Back Ribs
● Short Ribs
● Spare Ribs
Bacon is next on the list (for obvious reasons), then there’s turkey, sausage, and Boston butt.
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The secret to successful smoking lies in the wood choice. While there is no one ‘right’ wood for
smoking meats since they all have different compounds, they do all provide a unique flavoring
that resonates better with different types of meats.
Wood Type Best Used With Flavor Notes
Acacia Beef and Vegetables Light mesquite
Alder Fish, Pork, Poultry, Light- Sweet and musky smoke

Meat Game Birds
Almond All Meats Nutty and sweet smoke
Apple All Meats Mild and Sweet (sweeter than

Hickory)
Apricot All Meats Mild and Sweet (sweeter than

Hickory)
Ash Fish and Red Meats Light but distinctive smoke
Bay Most Meats and Vegetables Medium floral smoke (spice

and cinnamon hints)
Beech Meat and Seafood Mild
Birch Pork and Poultry Medium smoke (similar to

Maple)
Blackberry Poultry and Small Game Slightly sweet and delicate

Birds
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Butternut Beef, Pork, Venison, Game Strong smoke (bitter if too
Meats much is used alone)
Cherry All Meats Sweet and Fruity smoke
Chestnut Most Meats Sweet and Nutty smoke
Corncob (not a wood) Poultry, Fish, Small Game Sweet (may overpower if too
Birds much is used)
Cottonwood Pork and Ribs Subtle (use with other woods

for a stronger flavor)
Crabapple Poultry, Red Meats, Game, Mild and Sweet (sweeter than
Lamb Hickory)
Fig All Meats Mild and Fruity
Grapefruit Beef, Pork, Fish, Poultry Mild smoky
Grapevines Poultry, Lamb, Beef, Pork, Tart, Aromatic, and Heavy

Game (use sparingly on poultry and
lamb)
Guava All Meats Floral and Fruity
Hickory All Meats Sweet to Strong (heavy

bacon flavor)
Kiawe (Found only in Hawaii) Beef, Fish, Poultry Sweet and Strong (similar to
mesquite)
Lemon Beef, Pork, Poultry Medium smoke (hint of fruit)
Lilac Cheese, Pork, Poultry Subtle (hint of floral)
Maple Poultry, Turkey, Ham, Mild smoky and Sweet

Cheese, Small Game Birds,
Vegetables
Mesquite Most Meats and Vegetables Strong, Sweet, and Earthy

(strongest flavored wood)
Mulberry Beef, Poultry, Game Birds, Mild, Sweet, and Tangy

Pork (similar to apple)
Nectarine Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Fish Mild and Sweet (sweeter than
Hickory)
Oak Beef, Pork, Fish, Big Game Mild smoke (most versatile)
Olive Poultry Light (similar to mesquite)
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Orange Beef, Poultry, Pork Medium, Tangy Citrus, Fruity
Peach Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Fish Mild, Sweet, and Woodsy
Pear Poultry, Game Birds, Pork Subtle, Sweet, and Woodsy
Pecan Poultry, Beef, Pork, Cheese, Mild and Sweet (preferred for
Brisket)
Persimmon Beef and Pork Strong, Sweet, and Dry
Pimento Jamaican Foods (Jerk Peppery (spiced flavors

Chicken), Poultry, Fish include: cinnamon, cloves,
and nutmeg)
Plum Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Mild and Sweet (sweeter than
Fish Hickory)
Sassafras Beef, Pork, Poultry Mild, Musky and Sweet (root

beer after taste)
Seaweed Clams, Crab, Lobster, Spicy and Natural

Mussels, Shrimp
Walnut Beef, Pork, Venison, Game Strong and Powerful (mix

Meat with lighter woods to avoid
overuse and bitter taste)
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Now that you’ve decided what meat you want to smoke and you’ve picked out the perfect
complementary wood to go with it, it’s time to learn how to smoke that meat to perfection.
With A Charcoal Grill

1. Pile a few coals on one side of your grill and light them
2. Slowly add coals to the pile until the temperature reaches 250 degrees F. Use a
temperature gauge for accuracy. (Pro Tip: You should be able to hold your hand over
the coals for a 2 ‘Mississippi’ seconds when the temperature is just right. Any longer and
it’s not hot enough, any shorter and you’ve already overheated your grill.)
3. Put your wood pieces, or wood chips, into the grill (Tip: Lay them directly over the coals
for even burning and flavor)
4. Put your grate back over the coals and wood
5. Place your slab of meat on top of the grate on the opposite side of the grill as the coals
6. Set the lid back on the grill making sure that the damper is open and sitting above the
meat (Note: The inclusion of cold meat into your grill will bring
the internal temperature down to about 220 degrees F)
7. Maintain an interior temperature of 220 degrees F (Tip: Every
30-45 minutes you will probably have to add more coals to
keep the heat elevated.)
8. KEEP THE LID CLOSED! (Note: The only time you should lift
your lid is to refill the coals.)
9. Wait until your meat is cooked (Tip: Each type of meat will
need to cook for a different amount of time.)
10. Test your meat using a meat thermometer. (Tip: Much like
cooking time the recommended interior temperature will be
unique to the type of meat being smoked.)
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With An Electric/Gas Meat Smoker
1. Turn your smoker on. (Tip: The manufacturer’s instructions might come in handy to
determine how to do this.)
2. Put your wood pieces, or wood chips, into the smoker (Tip: Each smoker will have a
specific area to place these. Again, referring to the manufacturer’s instructions will be
helpful if you are unsure about where they go.)
3. Make sure that your smoker is holding its temperature at about 225 degrees F before
adding your meat
4. Place your slab of meat in the smoker (Tip: Make sure that the meat is never over direct
heat.)(Note: The inclusion of cold meat into your grill will bring the internal temperature
down to about 220 degrees F)
5. Close the lid of your smoker making sure that the exhaust vent is completely open for
smoke ventilation.
6. Be sure that your smoker is maintaining an internal temperature of 220 degrees F
throughout the smoking process. Use a temperature gauge for accuracy.
7. KEEP THE LID CLOSED!
8. Wait until your meat is cooked (Tip: Each type of meat will need to cook for a different
amount of time.)
9. Test your meat using a meat thermometer. (Tip: Much like cooking time the
recommended interior temperature will be unique to the type of meat being smoked.)
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Make Your Own Spices
The atrocity of the condition of store bought spices far outweighs the conveniences of them. Not
only do they contain a plethora of unhealthy ingredients, chances are that they’re sitting on the
shelf of the store stale and outdated. In short this means that you’re never getting the freshness
that your taste buds desire from your store bought variety spices. Don’t worry, there’s an easy
solution. Get whole spices and grind them yourself!
Did you know that the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) doesn’t require the removal of
natural defects in ground spices? That includes:
● Wire
● Strings
● Mold
● Dead Insects
● Rat Hair
● Excrement
The beauty of buying whole spices and grinding them yourself is that you always know what you
are getting. There are no unhealthy additives such as rice, flour, or salt to worry about. Home
ground spices are also guaranteed to be contaminant free, making for a much healthier
alternative.
There are few places you can get quality whole spices, but the search is worth the reward.
Check out your local spice merchant, or ethnic markets in your area to find the freshest whole
spices available. These spices will have a robust scent, unlike the bland ground spices that are
most likely currently occupying your spice cabinet. Tip: Be sure to steer clear of gourmet
spice shops as they are probably overcharging for the same stale spices as you can find
at the grocery store.
When you buy whole spices, remember to buy them sparingly, because once you start using the
freshest possible ingredients in your cooking, you won’t want to have to resort back to stale
spices. If you want the freshest herbs and spices available, you’ll want to think about growing
them yourself so the potency never has time to ‘die’.
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Tip: Be sure to only grind as much of your whole spices as you need at a time, as whole
spices will remain fresher, for a longer period of time than ground spices will.
One of the main reasons that people buy store bought spices is to get a unique flavor from the
spice blends that are manufactured and prepackaged by spice companies for easy at-home
cooking. What they don’t want you to know is that not only is it just as easy to create your own
spice blends but your homemade blends will be fresher and last longer than their cheap
imitations products. Here are five fun and easy spice blend combinations to use, instead of
using the flavorless store bought variety, the next time you cook. Tip: Be sure to use your own
home ground spices in these spice blend recipes for unparalleled freshness.
Cajun Seasoning (Spice Blend)

(Makes 2 Servings)
● 2 tablespoons salt
● 2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
● 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
● 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
● 1 teaspoon ground paprika
● 1 teaspoon onion powder
● 1 teaspoon garlic powder
In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store in a dry

sealable container.
All-Purpose Seasoning (Spice Blend)

(Makes 2 Servings)
● 2 tablespoons
● 2 teaspoons ground pepper
● 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
● 1 teaspoon chili powder
● 1 teaspoon garlic powder
● 1 teaspoon onion powder
● ⅓ teaspoon sea salt
● 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store

in a dry sealable container.
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Chicken Seasoning (Spice Blend)
(Makes 2 Servings)
● ½ teaspoon sea salt
● ⅓ teaspoon dried basil
● ⅓ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
● ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
● ⅛ teaspoon dry mustard powder
● ⅛ teaspoon paprika
● ⅛ teaspoon ground dried thyme
● ⅛ teaspoon celery seed
● ⅛ teaspoon dried parsley
● ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
● ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store

in a dry sealable container.
Taco Seasoning (Spice Blend)

(Makes 2 Servings)
● ⅓ teaspoon chili powder
● ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
● ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
● ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
● ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
● ⅛ teaspoon paprika
● ⅓ teaspoon ground cumin
● ¼ teaspoon sea salt
● ¼ teaspoon black pepper

sealable container.
Seafood Seasoning (Spice Blend)

(Makes 2 Servings)
● ¼ tablespoon black pepper
● ¼ tablespoon dry mustard
● ½ tablespoon celery salt
● 1 teaspoon ground bay leaves
● ⅓ teaspoon nutmeg
● ¼ teaspoon cloves
● ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
● ¼ teaspoon paprika
● ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

sealable container.
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HOW TO INFUSE COOKING OIL
Infusion is a process in which fresh herbs are added to oil and allowed time to sit and soak, to
enhance the flavoring or scent of the oil. Most cooking oils can be used in the infusion process
but olive oil is one of the most popular choices. This is most likely because of its ability to
incorporate the flavors of the herbs so completely, not to mention it’s also one of the healthiest
cooking oils available. While scent can be important, the main goal when infusing oils for
cooking is the enhancement of flavoring.
Anytime you would use a traditional, non-flavored, cooking oil, these oils can be used in its
place to provide additional flavoring and interest to the dish. It is also common to use these oils
as dressing on a salad and as a dipping option for dinner bread.
There are three different ways to infuse your favorite herbs and spices into your cooking olive
oil:
1. Room Temperature Infusion

The easiest way is to put the olive oil into a clear bottle and add the desired amount of herbs or
spices before sealing tightly, and allowing it to sit at room temperature for a few hours. Once the
oil has been infused to the desired flavor strength, it’s a good idea to put it into the refrigerator
so that the oil does not become rancid.
2. Cold Infusion
If you’re using dry herbs or spices, you’ll want to use this method. It involves putting the olive oil
and herbs or spices into a food processor and mixing until everything is blended together well.
Straining the herb and spice that remains is a personal choice, and not necessary to the overall
flavoring of the final product. Once the oil and herbs are mixed, they can be transferred into
bottles and kept in the refrigerator to guarantee optimal flavoring when they are needed.
3. Hot Infusion
The final option is performed over the stove. The oil and herbs or spices are heated in a small
saucepan over a low heat on the stove and brought to about 185-195 degrees F. This allows the
full release of flavors to be absorbed into the cooking oil. When it reaches the desired
temperature and has finished being mixed it is time to strain out the herbs and spices, and pour
the oil into a bottle to be refrigerated.
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If you’ve never infused cooking oil before, you may be wondering what you should add, or
even what different options you can add besides herbs and spices, for different flavorings.
Here is a list of the most commonly used herbs, spices, zests, nuts, and other flavors used to
infuse cooking oils.
Herbs Spices Zests Nuts Alternatives
Basil Annatto Seeds Blood Orange Almonds Garlic

Zest
Chives Caraway Clementine Zest Cashews Ginger
Cilantro Cardamom Grapefruit Zest Hazelnuts Lemongrass
Dill Cinnamon Kumquat Zest Peanuts Onion
Marjoram Cloves Lemon Zest Pecans Scallions
Mint Coriander Lime Zest Pine Nuts Shallots
Oregano Cumin Meyer Lemon Pistachios

Zest
Parsley Curry Orange Zest Walnuts
Rosemary Dried Red Tangerine Zest

Pepper Flakes
Sage Fennel Seed
Tarragon Mustard
Thyme Paprika
Sichuan
Peppercorns
Star Anise
While you can mix one of these ingredients with olive oil and get a great tasting oil in return, it is
worth it to try mixing and matching flavors that you enjoy together, into your oil infusion as well.
They will become more potent and powerful when they are infused into the oil in which you are
cooking, therefore making your dishes combined flavors stand out better.
Once you’ve infused your first batch of oil, go ahead and try it out on some of your favorite
dishes. You’ll find that the infusion process dramatically improves the scents and flavors and
that although the flavors are stronger, they have actually been incorporated into the dish more
smoothly.
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How To Buy Fresh Fruit
Don’t let the fresh fruit selection of your local grocery store, or the aisle of fresh fruit at the
farmer’s market, intimidate you anymore. Select your fruits with confidence with this helpful
guide to fresh fruits. It’s here to help you decide which fruits are fresh and healthy, and which
you should leave behind by showing you common traits to look for in all varieties.
Vegetable Color Look & Feel Extra Tips
Apple Color will vary based Should be firm and Will stay more crisp in
on the variety that crisp the refrigerator for up
you’re purchasing to a month
Avocado Green Slight gentle pressure Avoid avocados with

will create indent sunken spots
Banana Yellow Should be mushy Keep bananas above

with minimal brown 55 degrees
spots
Blueberries Bright blue color Should not be mushy Do not wash them
or leaking before you freeze
them
Cantaloupes Tan-ish green The end should give These should have a
exterior a little bit sweet smell
Cherry Red Firm with stems in Avoid too soft or too

tact hard
Grapefruit Yellowish orange Firm and heavy for Thinner skin will have
peel their size more juice than the
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Grapes Color will vary based Grapes should be Stems should be
on the variety that tender and plump green so that the
you’re purchasing grapes do not easily
fall off
Guava Light green exterior Should yield slightly Avoid if it is hard

when gently pressed
Kiwi Brown Fuzzy and slightly Avoid if when you

impressionable press gently an
indent remains
Lemon Yellow Firm, smooth and The heavier the

heavy for their size lemon the juicier it
should be
Lychee Pink Rough skin that Avoid if the skin is

should yield slightly green, brown or
when gently pressed overly soft
Mango Yellow and Red Firm but yields Should have a fruity
slightly when pressed aroma when ripe
Orange Orange Firm, smooth and The heavier the

heavy for their size orange the juicier it
should be
Papaya Greenish Yellow or Firm but yields Avoid if overly soft

Full Yellow slightly when pressed with white patches
Peach Yellow and Red Plump, firm and fuzzy Avoid if green as it is
likely not to ripen
Pear Color will vary based Firm but slightly Avoid if shriveled,
on the variety that malleable dull, or wilted skin as
you’re purchasing it is likely not to ripen
Pineapple Brownish green body Slightly soft Should have a fruity

with bright green aroma when ripe
leafy top
Plum Color will vary based Plump, well colored Avoid if it is too hard,
on the variety that and yield slightly to too soft, or cracked
you’re purchasing gentle pressure
Pomegranate Color will vary based Firm and thin skinned Avoid if the seeds
on the variety that can be felt through
you’re purchasing the skin
Strawberry Bright Red Plump and slightly Avoid if mushy,
Sweet Lime Green Firm and heavy for The heavier the lime
their size the juicier it should be
Watermelon Dark and Light Green Firm and heavy for If you tap it, it should
it’s size. produce a resonant
sound
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We’ve all been there. In the middle of the vegetable section of the grocery store or farmer’s
market just staring in utter confusion at all of the options. Unfortunately, I bet, if you’re anything
like me, you’ve also left with some less than fresh vegetables and had to throw away your hard
earned money because you didn’t know what to look for when picking them out. Have no fear,
because with this handy guide to fresh vegetables you’ll be able to distinguish between the
best possible options, and the ones you should just leave behind.
Vegetable Color Look & Feel Extra Tips
Artichoke Deep green exterior Globes should be Squeaking sound

with a lighter green heavy and firm with a should occur when
within the petals tight leaf formation leaves are pressed
against each other
Asparagus Bright green Tips should be Avoid bundled stalks

closed, compact and that have uneven
firm thickness
Beets Rich purple stems Surface should be For the best flavor
with bright green firm, round, and insure the tap root is
leaves smooth slender
Broccoli Dark green florets Stalks should be tight Avoid if the florets are
and firm tinged with a yellow
discoloration
Brussels Sprouts Bright green Body should be firm Make sure the outer
and free of blemishes leaves are tightly
woven around the
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bulb
Cabbage Color will vary based Leaves should be Avoid buying pre-cut
on the variety that compact and firm. or shredded
you’re purchasing cabbage, to maximize
Vitamin C intake
Carrots Bright orange Firm and plump Buy carrots that still
without cracks have their leafy green
tops attached
Cauliflower Clean and creamy Compact with cluster More thick green
white buds that are not leaves means better
separated protection and
therefore more fresh
Celery Light green Firm and compact Glossy surfaces with

with a solid rigid feel. green leaflets are
best
Celery Root / Green stems and Baseball sized roots Sizes can range but
Celeriac leaves that are firm, hard, avoid larger ones as
and heavy they many have voids
or fibrous cores
Corn Bright green husk Stiff silk what is dark Corn loses 25% of its
and moist. Kernels sugar within 24 hours
should be tangible by of harvesting.
pressing lightly on
husk
Eggplant Reddish purple Smooth skinned and Small is better. Large

firm to the touch that puffy ones can be
is heavy for its size. bitter.
Flesh should give but
not leave indentation
Garlic Bulbs are covered Big, plump and firm Avoid spongy, soft or
with rough brown with tight silky skins shriveled bulbs.
outer layer. Cloves
are covered with fine
pinkish/purple skin.
Green / String Beans Bright green Crisp and free of Be sure to break off
blemishes the ends as you wash
them
Kale Rich green Crisp and leafy High in calcium, iron,

and fiber
Mushrooms Color will vary based Firm, delicate and Sensitive to high
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on the variety that highly perishable temperatures
you’re purchasing
Onions Color will vary based Dry, papery skins that Onions should have
on the variety that are heavy for their no smell at all
you’re purchasing size
Peas Medium Green Pods should be firm, Avoid pods that are
velvety and smooth puffy or water soaked
Peppers (Bell & Color will vary based The skin should be Bell peppers are
Chile) on the variety that smooth sweet while chili
you’re purchasing peppers are hot
Potatoes Color will vary based Smooth, firm, and Choose new potatoes
on the variety that well shaped with thinner skins for
you’re purchasing boiling
Radicchio White base with Firm without holes, Choose a smaller

purple leaves blemishes or head than you would
browning for lettuce
Spinach Dark green Crisp leaves with nice Avoid if leaves are
fragrance limp, damaged or
spotted
Squash (Summer) Color will vary based Tender and well Avoid dull hard and
on the variety that developed with rough squash which
you’re purchasing glossy skin are over mature
Squash (Winter) Color will vary based Hard rough rind that Avoid squash with
on the variety that is heavy for its size tender rinds, cuts or
you’re purchasing punctures
Sweet Potato Light tan colored Firm, smooth and Avoid potato if it has
bright cuts, holes, grub
entry, or other defect
Tomatoes Red Stem end should Fragrance is a better

smell of garden indicator than color
Tomatillos Pale green to light Small, firm and free Smaller will be
“grocery-bag” brown of defects sweeter
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First of all, let’s explore what a deep freezer is and what it does. A deep freezer is either a
chest style or standing freezer that is completely separate from a refrigerator. Its main purpose
is to quickly freeze foods and keep them at very low temperatures for extended periods of time.
Depending on the style freezer you choose, you’ll either get more interior space with less
organization (chest freezer) or more organization but less interior space (standing freezer).
What are the benefits of a deep freezer, and why do you need one? Deep freezers are a great
investment for anyone who plans on saving money while eating a more nutrient rich diet by:
buying in bulk, buying in season, growing your own fruits and vegetables, and meal prepping.
Plus, they’re incredibly convenient. Having weeks, or even months, of food prepped and saved
in a deep freezer can save you hundreds of hours per year on planning and cooking meals,
driving to the store, and grocery shopping.
Since they are available in energy efficient models,

you don’t have to worry about spending all of the
grocery money that you’ve saved on your new electric
bill either. The initial cost can run you anywhere from
$300 to over $1000 depending on the size and the
model that you choose but you will find that the
amount of money you save over time will make this
financial investment well worth it (even calculating in
yearly usage costs). Let us show you what we mean.
The initial cost of a Kenmore 9.1 cubic feet chest freezer is about $300. It uses 222 kilowatt-
hours per year, and at a national average of roughly $.10 per kilowatt-hour, you’re looking at
about a $23 increase per year to your electric bill. With an average life expectancy of about 8
years, you’re looking at an investment totaling around $484. That’s for a total of eight years
worth of freezer storage. For this to be a profitable expenditure, all you need to save is $5.04 per
month on your grocery bill.
The initial cost of a Frigidaire 20.5 cubic feet-standing freezer is about $1,200.00 and it uses
484-kilowatt hours per year. Using our same national average of $.10 per kilowatt-hour, this
model will add about $49 per year to your electric bill. The average life expectancy of this
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freezer is also about 8 years, so in total you’re looking at a $1,592 investment. Again, this is
over an eight-year time span. To make this a wise purchasing choice you would need to save
$16.58 in your grocery budget per month by using the freezer.
Obviously, the larger Frigidaire model would be used in larger family homes (5-9 people), due to
it’s 20.5 cubic feet interior capacity, while Kenmore’s 9.1 cubic feet interior capacity would be
better suited for smaller family homes (1-4 people). The food budget savings then turns out to
be fairly even, per person every month.
How do you save that money on your grocery bill and make the purchase useful? By using the
tips found in this meal prep encyclopedia: buying in bulk, buying in season, growing your own
fruits and vegetables and meal prepping.
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Let’s focus on beef, since meat is one of the most expensive aspects of most people’s grocery
budgets. Buying grass-fed beef in bulk is easy, if you have the storage space. It’s also much
healthier. Since you’ll be cutting out the middleman and dealing directly with the rancher or
farmer, you can be sure that your beef is completely grass fed and not finished on grain.
Finding a local rancher or farmer is as easy as using Google. Just type in “grass-fed beef + your
zip code” and a list of local providers should pop up. Their prices will generally range from $1.25
to $3.50 per pound depending on your area and their supply capacity. You can order a full cow,
half a cow, or a quarter of a cow and pay per pound of beef that you’ll be receiving. The size of
your family, and the amount of beef you eat will directly correlate with the amount of beef you
decide to buy.
For comparison purposes, let’s assume that you’re buying 90 pounds of beef. If you buy from a
local rancher or farmer for you are going to receive ground beef, ribs, brisket, steaks, roasts,
and tenderloin and pay roughly $3.50 per pound. That’ll cost you about $315. That’s too much
meat to store all at once without a deep freezer though, so if you don’t have one you’ll have to
buy the same 90 pounds of beef from the grocery store sporadically.
To stay consistent, we’ll compare these prices to Whole Foods’ grass-fed beef options, but we’ll
stick to ground beef (since it’s cheaper and the more popular choice).
At Whole Foods, a single pound of ground beef will cost you $7.99, so those same 90 pounds
(but at a lower quality cut) are costing you $719.10 instead of $315. That’s a $404.10 difference.
Depending on how much beef your family plans to consume, that could last you 4-12 months.
Consider you actually stretch that beef out and make it last 12 months, even your larger and
more expensive Frigidaire freezer saves you $1,640.80 over the span of 8 years, and that’s if
you only use your deep freezer to store meat. (Note: The smaller and less expensive Kenmore
freezer would save you $2,748.80 in eight years.)
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Buying your fruits and vegetables in the peak of their season guarantees that you’ll purchase
them at the best price. Having your own deep freezer guarantees that you’ll always have
delicious blackberries in the middle of winter, and that you can make a nice hearty stew with
fresh tasty radishes in the fall.
Supply and demand of fresh, in-season produce pushes the prices lower than out of season
fruit by as much as 53%, depending on your region. You won’t have to worry about the inflation
of imported prices or the presence of pesticides on your fruit when you buy fresh and local in
season and freeze extra for later.
If you’re not sure when you’re favorite produce are in season be sure to check out our chart
below.
Produce Peak Season (Best Time To Buy)
Apples Fall
Apricots Spring
Artichoke Spring
Asparagus Spring
Avocado Spring
Blackberries Summer
Blueberries Summer
Broccoli Summer
Butternut Squash Fall
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Carrots Spring
Cauliflower Fall
Celeriac Spring
Chestnuts Winter
Chives Spring
Collards Spring
Cranberries Fall
Cucumber Summer
Fava Beans Spring
Fennel Spring
Fiddlehead Ferns Spring
Figs Fall
Garlic Fall
Ginger Fall
Grapefruit Winter
Grapes Fall
Green Beans Summer
Kale Winter
Leaks Winter
Lemons Winter
Mango Spring
Morels Spring
Mushrooms Fall
Mustard Greens Spring
Nectarines Summer
Oranges Winter
Peaches Summer
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Pears Fall
Pineapple Spring
Plums Summer
Pomegranate Fall
Potatoes Fall
Pumpkin Fall
Quince Fall
Radicchio Winter
Radishes Winter
Raspberries Summer
Rhubarb Spring
Rutabaga Winter
Strawberries Spring
Sweet Potatoes Fall
Swiss Chard Fall
Tangerines Winter
Tomatoes Summer
Turnips Winter
Watermelon Summer
Zucchini Summer
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The cost of planting soil, seeds, and water is minimal compared to the cost of buying produce
at the store, or even your local farmer’s market. Need convincing? Here are the facts and
figures for you.
If the soil in your yard has decent texture and breathability, you can save some money and just
use what you’ve already got. You’ll want to add some nutrients to it and a quick and
inexpensive way to do that is by contacting a local farm for aged manure. Many farms will offer
it to you for free (if you pick it up yourself), and those that charge will have fairly low prices
(about $20-30 per truck load).
On the off chance that your soil lacks the necessary textures and breathability for producing
growth, you can buy a 40 pound bag of topsoil at your local hardware store for about $3 - $7
(that’ll cover about 4 square feet). To be safe, let’s say you want to garden in 16 square feet so
you need 4 bags at $7 and you decide to get a truck load of aged manure too, just to be safe.
Without seeds and water you’re all in on your gardening
budget for about $58.
You can get a packet of seeds for $.50 - $3 and they’ll

normally have between 800 and 2,000 seeds. One packet
will harvest about 40 feet of garden so let's say you use
half of your $3 packet, but can only harvest half of the
vegetables by the time they’re ripe. That puts you at $61 for
400 fruits or vegetables. Can you do that at your local
grocery store with any fruit or vegetable choice?
Meal Prep Add our meal prep products?
We’ve already discussed in great detail why meal prepping is necessary to your overall health
and well being, now we’ll tackle why it’s necessary to utilize your deep freezer to expand your
meal prep and enhance your financial benefit.
When you fail to meal prep, you’re setting yourself up for failure in your diet, but you’re also
costing yourself more money than you probably realize. This is due to the fact that when you do
not meal prep you are more likely to buy food on the go, whenever you become hungry. Those
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$8-$12 per day can quickly add up. For arguments sake, we’ll say you don’t meal prep at all but
you eat breakfast and dinner at home, only eating out for lunch. Also let’s say that you spend
the minimum of only $8 per day on lunch. That means that in one week you’ve spent $40 and in
a month you’ve spent roughly $174, making your annual lunch budget $2,080.
Meal prepping takes only a few hours, one day per week, and can literally save you thousands
of dollars, not to mention a ton of time. The average meal prepper spends about $80 per week
on food at the grocery store. With 21 meals to account for in the week, that averages out
roughly $3.80 per meal. When these meal preppers take their lunches with them during the
week (and avoid the cost of eating out) they’re average lunch cost is $19 per week, but that has
already been accounted for in their grocery bill. Even so this gives them a weekly savings of
$21, a monthly savings of $91, and an annual savings of over $1,092. I bet you can think of
better ways to spend a thousand dollars than on lunch.
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Eating nutrient rich foods can get expensive if you shop solely at gourmet grocers and
specialty stores. Although not everyone can afford to shop in places like these, no one can
afford to skip out on healthy eating. How do you eat healthy on a budget? Simple. You follow
these 25 shopping suggestions to increase your purchasing power.
1. Plan Your Meals - Plan out what it is you want to cook and eat for the next week. To
save extra money you may want to think about choosing recipes with overlapping
ingredients.
2. Take Stock of Your Stock - Look in your pantry, refrigerator and freezer and take stock
of the ingredients that you already have for this weeks meals.
3. Make A List - Once you know what you want to eat for the week, make a list of the
ingredients that you’ll need to buy. Using your local grocery stores advertised specials to
help is a great way to save even more money.
4. Eat Before You Shop - If you go shopping while you’re hungry you will be more likely to
have cravings and give in, to those temptations. If you
eat before you shop you probably won’t feel the need to
buy up the entire store.
5. Buy In Season - Fruits and vegetables are more
affordable when they are in season, so buy your
favorites when they’re in season and then freeze them
for later. If you run out of these fruits and vegetables
before they’re back in season then buying them frozen is
a great way to save.
6. Limit Your Fruit Variety - Exotic fruits are expensive, so don’t make them a staple.
Instead opt for bananas, apples, and oranges, as your everyday fruits and save the
exotic options for special occasions.
7. Practice Self Portioning - Buying individual serving sizes of things like yogurt, cottage
cheese, and frozen vegetables costs much more than buying the larger bulk sizes and
portioning them out into single servings yourself. Of course, before you buy the biggest
container you can find just because the price per unit is lowest, make sure that you’ll
actually eat all of it, so you don’t end up throwing your money away.
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8. Cut Down On Meats - Meat can quickly take up a large portion of your food budget so
switch it out for beans, lentils, or tofu in your favorite recipes every once in a while, to cut
down on costs.
9. Buy Cheaper Cuts (of Meat) - Cheaper doesn’t always mean lower quality or less
nutritious. In fact some of the cheaper cuts of meats (beef sirloin, bone in chicken thighs,
ground turkey, and bone in pork chops) are actually healthier
for you, and more flavorful than the more expensive cuts (like
skinless, boneless chicken breasts or new york strip steaks).
10. Buy The Whole Bird - It can be cheaper to buy an entire
chicken or turkey than buying individual prepackaged cuts. If
you buy one that will fit in your slow cooker you don’t even
have to worry about learning to cook it in the oven.
11. Get The Customer Card - If your local grocery store offers a
customer loyalty card for specialty discounts and rewards GET ONE! They can end up
saving you hundreds of dollars per year on items you already buy and some will even
send you extra coupons on frequently purchased items.
12. Don’t Fear Coupons - Couponing can be overwhelming (if you allow it to), instead of
becoming an extreme couponer (buying only items you have coupons for) just check out
your local newspaper for coupons on items you’re already purchasing.
13. Shop Store Brands - When you’re buying dairy, meats, frozen items, and non-
perishables that are available in generic or store brand labels, always buy those. The
ingredients are often identical to the big name brands and taste the same, so stop
spending money on a label.
14. Shop Wholesale Stores - Places like Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s are great for
purchasing non-perishable items in bulk. These are also great locations to buy your
meat, frozen vegetables, and dairy in bulk sizes so that you can portion it out yourself
and freeze whatever you don’t use right away.
15. Shop at Your Local Farmer’s Market - These are
hands down the best places to find the freshest in-season
fruits and vegetables. Many markets even have meats you
can choose from. Shopping here offers an added bonus
since the prices are often much lower than the grocery
store. (Pro Tip: Show up early to the market and you’ll have
the best selection, show up late to the market and you’ll be
able to haggle for the best price.)
16. Shop at Your Local Ethnic Markets - Ethnic markets will have a variety of the foods
you already buy and love plus a few new options that might become favorites. They are
often much cheaper than grocery store chains because they don’t have to pay higher
corporate salaries, higher real estate prices, or training costs.
17. Shop Online - You can find great deals on food items by shopping online. Many online
stores will ship your groceries straight to your door (saving you money AND time).
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18. Stock Up On Sales - If you see a non-perishable item, that you use often, for sale go
ahead and stock up on some (even if you don’t need it right away). This will save you a
few dollars down the road when you would have run out of it and needed to buy it at full
price.
19. Only Buy Necessities - If it’s not on your list (and it’s not an on sale non-perishable that
you’ll eventually need) don’t buy it. It’s a waste of your money and chances are that
since it’s not in your weekly meal plan, you won’t eat it before it goes bad and you’ll end
up inevitably throwing your money away.
20. Buy Canned Tuna - Buying fresh or sometimes even frozen fish can quickly add up.
Buying canned tuna and incorporating it into at least one
meal per week where you would have eaten fresh or frozen
fish will save you big in the long run without sacrificing your
Omega 3 intake or protein consumption.
21. Don’t Buy Junk Food - You know it’s bad for you and you
know it’s a huge waste of money so just avoid it. If you
need snacks it’s better to buy crunchy vegetables or sweet
fruits and portion them out into snack sized plastic bags for
quick on-the-go healthy snacking.
22. Skip The Drinks - Good hydration is one of the most important factors in a good diet,
but filling your cart and your stomach with juices, sodas, and coffee is not only bad for
you but it’s also incredibly expensive. Stick to water. It’s the best hydration system
available and it’s free. If you don’t like the taste of your tap water buy a Brita faucet
filtration system for as low as $19 and filter up to 100 gallons of water per filter.
23. Grow It Yourself - If you have the space and time, growing your own fruits, vegetables,
and herbs can be both financially and psychologically rewarding. When you grow it
yourself you can also be sure that no added chemicals or harmful preservatives have
been added to it. (Pro Tip: If you can grow your own ‘dirty dozen’ ie. apples, peaches,
nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry
tomatoes, snap peas, and potatoes, you will be able to avoid the majority of harmful
pesticides without splurging on store bought organic produce.)
24. Get Some Chickens - If you have the space and time to raise chickens, goats, or a cow
you can save a ton of money on eggs, milk, and eventually even meat. (Pro Tip: Don’t
invest financially in these animals if you don’t have the time and dedication to invest in
them.)
25. Meal Prep - This is the absolute most important step to saving money. Once your meal
planning is done, and your food is purchased, make sure you meal prep ahead of time
so that:
○ You use all of the foods you just bought
○ You have ready to grab meals throughout the week
○ You avoid spending money on meals out
○ You don’t waste anything
Follow these steps for success and you’ll find that your diet can improve without having to take
out another mortgage on your home.
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Which Pot Should I Use?
Welcome to the complete guide to your overwhelmingly confusing pot and pan collection. Here
you’ll learn which types of pots and pans to use when you’re practicing different cooking
techniques, as well as why the material that the pot and pan are made of matters.
Multipot
This pot can be used to cook food in water (within a perforated insert [or strainer]) and steam
food above the water line, depending on the perforated insert used. The larger insert is used for
cooking within the water while the smaller insert is best for steaming above the water. The
larger insert can also be used as a strainer for copious amounts of food.
Stockpot
This pot is similar to a multipot but does not include the perforated inserts and is
generally larger in both diameter and height than an average multipot. It is best
used to boil pasta or seafood and cook stews, soups, or stocks (fitting to the
name).
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Dutch Oven
Characterized by its wide diameter and sides that are slightly shorter than the
total diameter this pan is best used during slow cooking. It has two loop handles
on the side for easy manipulation and a heavy lid that fits tightly atop it to keep
the heat contained. It is best used when cooking stews, roasts,
and casseroles.
Pressure Cooker
A pressure cooker has the same basic physical qualities of a saucepan with one
major adjustment, it includes a lid that seals completely to allow trapped steam to
increase the internal temperature and pressure (hence the name), which
supports faster cooking times than conventional cooking methods.
Double Broiler
This is the combination of two pots, one placed atop and slightly within the
interior of the other. The bottom pot acts as a heat barrier between the
ingredients and the heat source. It is best used when cooking delicate sauces
that may separate if they are cooked over direct heat.
Fry Pan (Skillet)

The shallow flat-bottomed design of the fry pan is optimal for air circulation and provides the
chef with easy access to the food (s)he may need to flip or turn during the cooking process. It is
best used for frying, searing, and browning meats, fish, and vegetables.
Wok
A wok is a flat-bottomed pan with high-sloped sizes that are designed to contain
ingredients during the stir-fry cooking process. It is deeper than both a traditional
fry pan and a sauté pan which means that it can be used to (carefully) deep fry
foods.
Sauté Pan
The sides of this pan (in relationship to its diameter) are marginally shorter than
the sides of a saucepan, but taller than those found on a fry pan. It is best used
for cooking with food that may need to be tossed, shaken, or stirred during the
cooking process.
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Saucepan (similar design of a pot)
The walls of a saucepan are known for measuring about as tall as the pan is
wide. This means that the wider the saucepan is, the higher the sides will stand.
It is best used for boiling grains, making sauces and cooking anything that
requires using a large amount of liquid.
Griddle
The flat non-stick style of a griddle is designed to easily fit atop a stove over one
or two burners for even cooking. It is best used to prepare foods like: pancakes,
grilled cheese, and bacon, which cook quickly and benefit from large cooking
surfaces.
Grill Pan
The grill pan faintly resembles the design of the griddle, but with a ridged cooking
surface much like that of a traditional outdoor grilling surface. It is best used for
grilling and searing foods at high temperatures, and is especially convenient if
you do not have access to an outdoor grill.
Roaster
This pan is easy to recognize by its rectangular shape. Its low sides are ideal for
allowing the heat of the oven to reach as much of the food as possible during the
cooking process. A roasting rack is often used in conjunction with the roaster, as
a way to elevate the food from the cooking surface. It is best used in high
temperature oven cooking.
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In many cases the material that your pots and pans are made of matters just as much as the
design. Choosing the material that works best for your cooking style is important
as there is not one material that is inherently better than any other; there are
only materials that work better in different situations.
Aluminum
Aluminum is relatively inexpensive, but you get what you pay for and although it
is a good heat conductor, it does not react well to acidic and alkaline foods. It
tends to corrode in the presence of these types of foods, which can affect the
way they taste. While some aluminum pots and pans are designed to be
dishwasher safe, it is best to hand wash them instead.
Anodized Aluminum
If you choose aluminum as your cooking ware material, we highly suggest this
anodized aluminum. The special coating not only protects against corrosion, it is
also stick resistant without compromising in heat conductivity. The one downside
to this material is that it (like its uncoated counterpart) is not dishwasher safe.
Cast Iron
This material will definitely take some time to heat up, but the good news is that
it heats evenly and will hold the heat well. It is best used for slow cooking and
deep-frying and can conveniently be used on top of the stove or within the oven.
Cast iron is susceptible to rust and stains so it is suggested to clean them
quickly and with a damp paper towel, rather than allow it to sit in soapy water for
any extended amount of time.
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Lined Copper
These pots and pans conduct heat evenly and will both heat up and cool down
quickly and efficiently, which is important when sautéing, and cooking, delicate
foods. Since copper can form a poisonous film when met by moisture in the air
these pots and pans are lined with tin, stainless steel, or silver to protect the
foods they come into contact with.
Non-Stick
This is a convenient coating added to pots and pans that assists in the cooking
process of eggs and the reheating process of rice. It makes clean up faster and
easier as the foods will not stick to the cooking surface, requiring a soak in warm
soapy water. The downsides to these are that the coating interferes with the
heat source making it an unreliable material to use when cooking sautés.
Porcelain Enamel
Much like non-stick, this is another coating that is added to pots and pans that
are made of other materials. This coating keeps the pots and pans from
corroding and thus having any reaction with the food. This material cannot be
used when frying or sautéing but is suitable to be used in the oven.
Stainless Steel
Quite possibly the most versatile cooking material, stainless steel excels in
most cooking situations because it does not react with acidic or alkaline
materials and it will not corrode. The downside to this material is that it does
not conduct heat well, or evenly. A copper core must be added to the bottom of
these pots and pans to help with heat conduction.
Tempered Glass
Can be used either on the stovetop OR in the oven, depending on the type of
tempered glass purchased. Since it is not heat responsive, it is known to hold
heat well, but unevenly, which can result in burnt areas. If you purchase
flameproof tempered glass, you can use it on the stove, in the oven, and in the
microwave. If you opt for the less expensive ovenproof glassware, you will be
able to use it to cook within the oven and the microwave, but not on top of the
stove (unless you also invest in a diffuser).
Now that you know the different uses for each pot and pan, as well as why their composition
materials matter, you will be better prepared to more effectively, and efficiently, cook your future
meals. This guide is merely that-- a guide-- to helping you understand the differences in design
and material of different pots and pans to make your life in the kitchen easier. Do not assume
that you need all new pots and pans, unless the one’s you’re using aren’t working for your
individual needs. Remember that each cooking experience is specifically unique, and thus a
specifically unique tool is recommended to accomplish greatness.
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Navigating your way around kitchen knives can be intimidating at first, but with this guide
you’ll learn how to handle your cutlery like a pro. While right now, you may have a knife or two
that you use for almost every kitchen task, there is no one all-purpose knife. This is why it’s so
important to learn the different uses for each type of kitchen knife, because using the right tool
for the job really does make all the difference in the ease and agility in which you perform
kitchen cutting tasks.
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Carving Knife
This knife will have a long blade that will be helpful in carving and slicing
meats. Their thin blades provide clean precise cuts when used in a sawing
motion. These knives should never be used to chop food items.
Large Filet Knife

This knife is specifically designed to remove the bones of fish with ease. The
blade is flexible, long, and thin coming to a sharp point at the end. The flexibility
of this knife is the most important feature as it allows the knife to maneuver
between the fish and the skin easily.
Bread & Bagel Knife

A bread and bagel knife has a long, thick, flat, serrated blade that is
used to easily cut through loaves of bread. Avoid cutting fruits and
vegetables with this knife because its serrations are too deep and
large to work effectively on those food items.
Chef’s Knife
This useful tool is a necessity for you knife collection.
It is one of the most used knives in the kitchen because it is one of the most
useful and versatile of the bunch. Its broad, curved blade can be used to perform
a variety of tasks from, slice fruits and vegetables to mincing herbs. For an
inexperienced chef, it is recommended to begin working with a short blade
to gain better control over the knife and gradually work your way up to the
faster to use long blades.
Saw Knife (Tomato Knife)

This knife is similar to a bread knife in that it has a long, flat, serrated blade that is best
used to cut in a back and forth sawing motion. This knife also includes a forked tip to help
move and maneuver sliced food. It is also much shorter than a traditional bread knife
because it is most often used in the cutting of delicate foods such as tomatoes.
Boning Knife
Although boning knives do come in a few different shapes and sizes
depending on your specific needs, their general usefulness is to remove meat
from bones. It is also often used to cut fish and poultry. The curves, widths, and
stiffness of the blades will vary depending on the knife’s specific deboning
function.
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Cleaver Knife
A thick-spined, wide-bladed knife the
cleaver is most often used to cut through
the bones of meat and poultry. Its weight
is perfect for chopping tough foods and
crushing garlic or seeds. It should not be
used for slicing, as the blade is too thick
and heavy to make clean cuts.
Sportsman Knife
This is a must have knife for hunters as it has been specially designed to quickly
and easily stick and skin small and medium game to prepare them for cooking.
The thick blade is extremely sharp, and stiff insuring that it will safely pierce the
skin and comfortably cut through the meat of your most recent hunting conquest.
Santoku Knife
This is a Japanese all-purpose knife that is smaller than both the cleaver and the
chef’s knife but performs the duties of both. It minces, dices and slices through
fruits, vegetables, and meats, although it should not be used on any bones;
leave that heavy-duty work for the cleaver.
Cheese Knife
Cheese Knives are generally made with short, wide blades to easily cut through both
soft and hard cheeses. Some cheese knives will also have perforated holes in their
blades to keep the cheeses from sticking to the blades during slicing. While they can
be used in the kitchen during food preparation they are most often found on cheese
plates as a tool to slice the cheese as needed.
Utility Knife
The utility knife is a mid-sized multipurpose knife that is larger than a paring
knife but smaller than a chef’s knife, and more versatile than both. There are
both serrated and straight edge utility knives to choose from and are often used
for cutting large vegetables and sandwich meats.
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Paring Knife
There are a few different style paring knives, but their basic function is to
pare and peel fruits and vegetables. A basic paring knife can get the
majority of these jobs done, but if you’re looking to peel something delicate
like a tomato you’ll want to invest in a wavy edge paring knife, which has
been designed specifically to handle the soft interiors of certain fruits and
vegetables.
Garnish Knife
Any professional chef will tell you that no dish is complete without the garnish.
A garnish knife is basically a knife that has a completely wavy cutting edge. It
is most often used to make crinkle cut pickles for garnishes, although it can be
used to cut most fruits and vegetables for professional looking appetizer
options.
Electric Knife
Electric knives are usually battery powered and have a sharp serrated edge
that moves quickly in a back and forth sawing motion to quickly and effortlessly
cut through full turkeys, hams, chickens, and other large chunks of meats.
They are most often used in carving turkeys and quickly slicing meat used for
sandwiches. While they are not an everyday kitchen knife, they are convenient
to have in your arsenal.
(Bonus) Steak Knife

These knives come in both serrated and straight edge options and their thickness will vary by
brand. They are most commonly used to cut cooked meat or poultry during dinner, and very
rarely are they used in the food preparation stage.
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Have you ever watched a chef chop vegetables on a cooking show? The motions are smooth
and seem effortless almost as if the knife is an extension of his hands, which in a way it is. The
only secret behind their proficiency is practice. The technique is something that anyone can
and should learn to effectively and efficiently chop vegetables at home. Here are the only 9
steps
(and tips) you need, to learn how to chop like the pros.
1. Cutting Board
Make sure that you have a clean cutting surface by choosing a cutting board to chop your
vegetables on. Never use a cutting board that has previously been in contact with raw meats
without a thorough cleaning between uses.
2. Choose The Correct Knife
For chopping, you will most likely want to use a large chef’s knife, but there are a few others that
can be used in a pinch. If you’re confused about which knives to use in different situations, I
urge you to check out this article to learn more about the different types of knives and how
they’re used.
3. How To Hold Your Knife
Think of your knife as your best friend in the kitchen. It’ll be there for you as long as you’re there
for it. With your dominant hand you’ll want to wrap your fingers around the handle firmly,
keeping your index finder atop the blade. This allows better control of the blade during
chopping.
4. Tip Down and Roll Through
Keep the tip of the blade down and against the cutting board at all times. This creates stability
and reduces the risk of the blade slipping mid chop. The tip of the blade will glide along the
cutting board as you slide the knife both down and forward all in one smooth motion, but the tip
of the blade should never leave the surface of the cutting board. The blade should almost as if
it’s rolling through the vegetable.
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5. Fingers In
While your dominant hand is holding the knife, your subordinate hand will need to hold the
vegetable in place. While it may seem more natural to hold the vegetable with your fingertips,
you want to avoid this position the best that you can. When you hold the vegetable with your
fingertips you are actually more likely to slice into your finger.
6. Cut In Half
When you’re chopping a vegetable, you want to make sure that at least one surface of the
vegetable is flat. To ensure this, first you want to cut the vegetable in half lengthwise. Keep in
mind that anytime your knife is cutting through anything, you’ll want the tip of that blade to stay
in contact with the cutting board. Once the vegetable has been sliced through lengthwise, you
will notice that now each half has a flat-sided surface that will act as a stabilizer during the rest
of the chopping process.
7. Cut In Strips
Put your flat edge down against the cutting board and cut your vegetable into fairly narrow
strips. Use the same cutting motion as before. The strips do not have to be perfectly even but
the closer that you can get, the more even your finished product will be. If uniform is important
to you, or the dish that you are preparing, you’ll want to take a little extra time here to be
precise.
8. Chop Across
You’re finally here. The fun part. It’s time to chop your vegetable slices widthwise. This is where
things get dicey. Remember your subordinate hand’s positioning is crucial, especially now. You
don’t want the tips of your finger to come between the blade and your cutting board. This is also
where that rolling chop motion you learned in step four will be the most helpful as the chopping
can now go much more quickly. Keeping your fingers in tight and the tip of your blade on the
cutting board, slowly roll the blade down over your vegetable at fairly even increments. Again, if
having the chopped pieces be uniform is important to the recipe or to your personal preference
you’ll want to take extra time in this step. Don’t worry about going quickly, or making your
chopping perfectly even, both of those skills will come with practice in time.
9. Repeat
Now that one half of your vegetable is properly chopped, it’s time to move on to the next half.
Follow steps seven and eight to chop the rest of your vegetable, while keeping in mind the tips
you learned in steps 3 to 5. The more you practice, the better and more efficient you will
become in your chopping skills, and maybe someday you’ll be as good as the pros.
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Ideally to achieve maximum health, we would eat only fresh, natural, organic foods and we
would completely avoid processed or packaged options. But nothing is ideal in reality and so
there are times that we must depend on the information that is provided to us through
nutrition labels on packaged food items to determine which processed options are better than
others. The nutritional values of fresh, natural and organic foods are also important to
consider when deciding what to purchase and consume but these are not always as easily
found.
Fresh, Natural, or Organic Foods
Fresh produce, beef, and seafood don’t come with nutritional labels printed out on them, but
that doesn’t mean that the information isn’t out there and available for you if you decide to
look. These nutritional facts will read much like the labels on your packaged food, except that
in most cases you’ll find that what you’re consuming with natural foods is much healthier than
what’s packed inside processed food. Some packaged food will read as “organic”, “all
natural”, or
“nothing artificial” but those are not what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about non-
packaged and fresh fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, pork, salmon, tilapia, etc.
Packaged Foods
Nutritional labels on packaged foods allow you to compare the calorie, fat, trans fat, saturated
fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar content in any given food. With that knowledge you are in an
informed position to make the most accurate decision about which foods to stay away from due
to higher levels of these ingredients.
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To determine which foods are better for your specific and personal dietary choices, it’s also
important to peruse the ingredients list to see what additives and other ingredients are present.
It is always better to choose options with ingredients that you have in your own kitchen, while
avoiding the chemical additives. Often times the smaller ingredient lists and larger vitamin lists
provide healthier content, but this is not always the case, and the lengths of these lists should
only be considered one of many things to look at when reading a nutritional label.
Some packaged food will even say “organic”, “ natural”, or “no artificial ingredients” but many
people don’t know what the difference is, so they end up buying the wrong products, for their
personal dietary needs.
Packaging Term What It Means
Organic ● Free of growth hormones and antibiotics

● 95% of the ingredients are organic
● Grown with non synthetic or sewage fertilizers
● No GMO’s
All Natural ● No FDA requirements

● Foods are generally made of natural ingredients but may
contain hydrogenated oils, added sugars, flavoring (as long
as it’s a natural flavoring), and other non natural ingredients
No Artificial Ingredients ● Least regulated

● Food may be made of an even mixture of natural and
artificial ingredients, so you’ll have to read the nutrition
label carefully
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Making Sense Of Nutrition Labels
Although the information is laid out for you in a seemingly organized fashion, making sense of
what you’re reading when looking at a nutritional label is not always an easy task. Many people
don’t consume enough iron, calcium, fiber, or vitamins A and C, despite the fact that they are
always included on the nutritional labels. Here are the main characteristics you should look at
on a nutritional label and what they mean.
Chart Section What It Tells You
Serving Size ● How large a serving is usually in both standard and metric
measurements
● How many servings are present
Calorie Information ● How many calories, and calories from fat are present in a
single serving
Daily Value % ● How much of your daily nutrient requirement is satisfied by

a single serving (shown in percentage form)
● Usually based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet
Nutrients ● List of nutrients including: fat, sugar, carbohydrates, and

protein
● How many grams of each nutrient are included in a single
serving
● Usually the lower daily value percentages are the healthier
options in this section (protein is the exception)
Vitamins & Minerals ● List of vitamins & minerals that are included in a single
serving (Try to consume 100% of your daily value for
Vitamin A and C, iron, calcium, and fiber everyday)
Footnote ● List of key nutrients paired with how much of each you
should consume
● Usually based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet
The footnote section is the best place to look for clarification if you’re
confused about how much of a certain nutrient you should be
consuming in any given day.
There are also some commonly printed phrases printed on nutrition

labels and packaged food containers that can be confusing if you
don’t know what they mean. These are phrases that you should
become familiar with so that you better understand what it is that
you’re purchasing and eating. Here are a few of the most popularly
printed phrases and what they really mean:
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Phrase What It Really Means
No Fat/Fat Free May contain some fat, as long as it’s less than ½ gram per serving
Lower or Reduced Fat Will contain at least 25% less fat per serving than the original food
item
Low Fat Will contain less than 3 grams of fat per serving
Lite Will contain either ⅓ of the calories or ½ of the fat that would be
found in the original food item
No Calories/Calorie Free May contain calories, as long as it’s less than 5 calories
per serving
Low Calories Will contain no more than 50% of the calories per serving than the
original food item
Sugar Free May contain some sugar, as long as it’s less than ½ gram
per serving
Reduced Sugar Will contain at least 25% less sugar per serving than the original
food item
No Preservatives Will not contain any preservatives (natural or chemical)
No Preservatives Added Will not contain chemically added preservatives.
Low Sodium Will contain less than 140 mgs of sodium per serving
No Salt/Salt Free May contain salt, as long as it’s less than 5 mgs of sodium per
serving
High Fiber Will contain at least 5 grams of fiber (or more) per serving
Good Source of Fiber Will contain 2.5 grams to 4.9 grams of fiber per serving
More/Added Fiber Will contain at least 2.5 grams more fiber per serving than the
original food item
It takes dedication, time and a lot of practice for most people to be proficient at reading nutrition
labels, and not everyone has the ability to dedicate that extra effort to the task. For those people
who would rather focus on other aspects of their fitness goals, rather than attempt to gauge and
graph every nutrient, vitamin and mineral they should consume daily Isolator Fitness has an
application for your phone and tablet that can help. It’s called ISOTrition and it helps people
consume the right amounts of 26 different vitamins and minerals. It takes all of the guesswork
out of finding and reading nutrition labels for you and provides you with a comprehensive
overview of which foods will best provide you with the nutrients your body needs. Read more
about it here.
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Diabetes is a rising pandemic in the world. Despite being one of the top ten richest countries in
the world, with some of the best healthcare, America still holds one of the highest records of
diabetes. In fact, of the top ten richest countries in the world, America has the fifth highest
number of diabetics. This is, in large part, due to the fact that very few people understand what
diabetes is, how you get it, and conversely how you can avoid it. Let me explain.
According to the CDC, diabetes is “the condition in which the body does not properly process
food for use as energy.” Every organ in your body has a job and it’s your pancreas’ job to make
insulin. Insulin is a hormone used to help get glucose into cells within our bodies. When you
have diabetes, your body either cannot use the insulin, that your pancreas creates, properly, or
it simply does not make enough insulin to handle the amount of glucose consumption. Glucose
is found in most of the foods that we consume and without insulin it builds up in your body and
can cause serious health problems.
There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that is
genetic and often cannot be avoided. Type 2 Diabetes on the other hand is caused most often
by physical inactivity, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, and family history of the disease.
Although Type 1 Diabetes is less avoidable that Type 2 Diabetes, it is also far less prevalent
accounting for only about 5% to 10% of all diabetes diagnosis. That means that Type 2
Diabetes which is for all intents and purposed preventable accounts for 90% to 95% of all
diabetes diagnosis. That figure could easily be lowered if people understood the disease
better.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes is as simple as controlling your glucose intake with a healthy diet,
and maintaining a regular workout regimen. The more glucose you put into your system, the
harder your pancreas has to work to supply your body with the insulin required to properly
process it. The problem with this is that you can overwork your pancreas if you overload it by
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constantly consuming foods with high glucose content in large quantities. Once your pancreas
becomes overworked it can shut down and stop producing insulin, which is when you develop
type 2 diabetes. By the time you’ve developed it, there’s nothing you can do about it but
manage it with a proper diet, exercise, and often times insulin injections. It will never go away
and your body will never “learn” to handle glucose properly again; which is why it’s imperative to
manage your diet and exercise before developing the disease.
Part of maintaining a healthy diet includes limiting your carbohydrates intake. While many foods
do contain carbohydrates it’s important to know the difference between simple and complex
carbohydrates to understand the effects that they have on your body. Simple carbohydrates, like
the ones found in most brands of pasta, will quickly spike your blood sugar levels upon
consumption and then just as quickly as your blood sugar rose it will fall, causing a legitimate
crash that is felt throughout your body. Complex carbohydrates, like the ones found in potatoes
and vegetables, work their way through your body at a slower pace and therefore gradually
increase and decrease your blood sugar, keeping it fairly stable all day long. Obviously complex
carbohydrates are the ones that you want to consume to maintain a healthy diet.
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Carbs are the main source of fuel for our bodies, and without it major organs, like the brain,
kidney, and heart, would fail to function. Our muscles would also quickly become fatigued and
our central nervous system would begin to shut down. Since they play such an important role in
our bodies, it is crucial to consume them, but simple carbs can actually be more damaging than
rewarding to our systems. In fact, once a person becomes diabetic, complex carbohydrates are
the only type that they are able to consume, and even then in very small quantities.
One of the biggest problems that Americans have when it comes to

glucose consumption is their obsession with all things pasta. Grain has
always been largely incorporated in the American diet, but since the
introduction of the food pyramid in 1974, the over consumption has only
risen. People read the pyramid and saw that grain was the largest
aspect and therefore needed to be eaten the most. What they failed to
attain from the visual was that the type of grain being eaten is key to
your health. Processed white grain is horrendously unhealthy and while
whole grain pasta options increase the nutritional value a bit, the
problem of too many carbs has never really been addressed, let alone
solved; until now.
ISOPASTA is the ultimate low carb pasta option. It has only eleven grams of carbohydrates and
of those, four of them are fiber based which specifically aids in the digestion process. That
equates to just seven net grams of carbohydrates, which is great news for diabetics, or anyone
trying to minimize their glucose intake. Although carbohydrates do offer energy to the body, the
majority of the energy offered in this pasta comes from the high protein content. This is because
there are a whopping thirty grams of protein in every serving of ISOPASTA.
When protein is digested it is broken down into amino acids that perform a variety of tasks
within your body including: tissue repair, food digestion, and hormone creation. These amino
acids are chemically comparable to glucose, the major difference being that they contain
nitrogen. Your body must remove nitrogen from the amino acids in order for them to be used as
energy. This process is in-depth, and time consuming, which means that the energy that protein
gives you may come on slowly, but will last considerably longer than the energy found in, and
produced by, carbohydrates. Since protein takes so long to turn into energy, it also efficiently
stabilizes and maintains a healthy glucose level within your body, which is ideal for a diabetic.
While both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes are treatable, neither of them are curable, at this time.
This is why balancing your diet and being active is so important. Taking care of yourself through
diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent you from getting diabetes in the future.
It’s better to maintain a mostly healthy diet with minimal restrictions now and avoid having to
maintain a strict diet with extensive restrictions in the future. The health complications that come
with diabetes are too great to risk gambling with for a piece of cake and some pasta--especially
now that there are better options available out there.
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The key to eating healthy is cooking healthy. The only way to be sure that what you’re eating is
healthy is to prepare it yourself. While there are recipes out there that are already tailored to a
healthier style of eating, you might have a family-favorite recipe that you don’t want to give up
that just needs a little doctoring to make it a healthy option. Below are some of the most
common unhealthy recipe ingredients and our more healthy substitutions.
Sour Cream - Instead of sour cream, which is high in calories, fat, and sodium, substitute a
plain low-fat yogurt and get double the protein while cutting sodium in half and reducing calories
and fat at significantly higher rates.
Sour Cream Low-Fat Yogurt
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Heavy Cream - A great substitute for heavy cream is fat free evaporated milk. This is due to
their similar flavor and cooking properties. The specific texture and flavor is matched while the
fat content is erased, the calories are diminished, and the protein is pumped up when you
substitute fat free evaporated milk for heavy cream.
Heavy Cream Fat Free Evaporated Milk
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Whole Eggs - Replace one whole egg in any recipe with two egg whites to make it a healthier
option. (For 2 whole eggs use 3 egg whites.) This will increase your protein intake and eliminate
the fat and cholesterol you would have ingested from the egg yolk.
Whole Eggs Egg Whites
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Butter/Oil - Although it won’t always be realistic to substitute applesauce and other fruit purees
for butters and oils it is a viable option in some cases. There are 201 calories and 161 mg of
sodium in a single ounce of salted butter while there are only 21 calories and 8 mg of sodium in
an ounce of sweetened applesauce. The numbers speak for themselves.
** Nutritional Information of oil will depend on oil type.
Butter Applesauce
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Whole Milk - Whether you’re cooking with it or just drinking it, there are a lot of unnecessary
calories you’re consuming when you choose whole milk over skim milk. While you don’t lose
any protein when switching from whole to skim milk you will lose about 60 calories and roughly
20 mg of cholesterol. Seems like a pretty good deal to me.
Whole Milk Skim Milk
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Cheese - Much like milk, I’m not suggesting you avoid cheese, I’m just suggesting you change
the type of cheese you use in your recipes. Switch to a sharp cheese option and you can get
away with using less cheese in the dish while actually adding more flavor. This will lessen the
amount of calories and fat in the dish, since you’re using less cheese.
**Nutritional Information will depend on the types of cheeses chosen.
Processed White Grains - This should be a no brainer, but many people are still getting this one
wrong. Anytime a recipe calls for any grain be sure that what you’re reaching for to fulfill it isn’t a
processed white grain but rather a whole grain option. They provide the same amount of protein
but with more flavors and less calories than their processed counterparts.
Processed White Bread Multi-Grain (Whole Grain) Bread
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Mayonnaise - Does anyone even still use this stuff? I’m not sure why anyone would still use
mayonnaise in anything! It’s full of sodium, cholesterol, fat and calories that are easily avoidable
by swapping it for the healthier (and tastier) options of mashed.
Mayonnaise Avocado Whole Milk
Store Bought Dressings - While some of the store bought options are certainly better for you
than others, there is an option that is superior to the rest, and that is a homemade vinaigrette.
They are guaranteed to be lower in calories, fats, sodium, and cholesterol than any store bought
version. They also provide unique flavor options as you’ll choose the additives to include. From
salt and pepper to honey and fresh herbs, the choices are abundant so you’ll never become
bored.
**Nutritional Information depends on your choice of store bought dressings and the additives of
your homemade vinaigrette.
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Heavy Cream (in soups) - We’ve discussed heavy cream already but what about adding
thickness and creaminess to your homemade soups? You may not want to add evaporated milk
here, but you can add refrigerated or frozen potatoes that have been pureed. They’ll create the
desired consistency without the calories and fat you’d get with heavy cream.
Heavy Cream Potato(es)
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Sugar (in sauces) - Rather than adding sugar to your sauces try pureeing a carrot and adding
that to the mixture. The natural sweetening properties of the carrot will end up adding a sweet
flavoring without the calories that sugar would.
Sugar Carrot(s)
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ISOLATOR FITNESS PRODUCTS
ISOTRITION APP
Eating healthy foods is easy. Maintaining proper nutritional balance on the other hand, well
that’s an entirely different story. Ensuring that you were eating a completely balanced diet used
to be nearly impossible without help from a nutritionist or an extensive amount of time dedicated
to the task. The ISOTrition app solves those problems and makes managing your nutrition quick
and painless.
The ISOTrition app interface has been specifically designed to be extremely user friendly. The
colorful display, and easy to read icons, makes navigating the app a breeze. It features one-
touch goal tracking, as well as voice activation meal journaling, to make keeping track of your
diet as simple as possible. It is even capable of iOS style ‘copy’
and ‘paste’ to make duplicating a meal a snap. Finding a meal
plan from the apps over 100,000 options in its balanced meal plan
library is a great way to get started. And once you’re ready to start
customizing your own plan, ISOTrition will be there to guide you
every step of the way. Once you’ve created your first balanced
meal plan, it will even be added to the apps library.
ISOTrition acts as your own private nutritionist, helping you to

make meal plans by suggesting the addition of high quality foods
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to your diet, to help you balance your nutrition, using your favorite foods. It will take all of the
guesswork out of meal planning as it constantly refreshes its personalized food suggestions
based on what you’ve eaten that day and which foods are on your ‘favorites’ list. It works
tirelessly to balance 26 different nutrients within your diet and show you which foods you should
consume to achieve true dietary balance each day.
Your life is made even easier by the shopping list

feature, which conveniently puts your entire healthy
eating, and balanced nutrition-shopping list in one
place. Never again will you get home from the
grocery store or farmer's market and realize that
you’ve forgotten an important ingredient, because
now ISOTrition is in charge of your shopping list, and
it’s as close, and convenient as your cell phone.
ISOTrition isn’t just another calorie counting app--it’s so much more. It’s a scientifically modified
weight management, fitness performance, and highly personalized, system that has been
designed to track:
● Calories
● Vitamins
● Minerals
● Water Consumption
● Cardio
● LDL Cholesterol
● Weight
● Waist Size
It does this by performing over

100,000 individual calculations for every set of suggestions it makes, completely removing the
human bias that exists in most meal plans. Beneath each suggestion there is a blue line
present. The length of this line shows you which foods will fix more of your nutrient deficiencies.
The longer the blue line, the more vitamins and mineral deficiencies that particular food will
resolve. Alternatively, the shorter the blue line, the less nutrient rich that food selection is to your
current dietary needs.
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There are over 100,000 meal plans uploaded by other users that you can use to plan your own nutrition. You
can also create a personalized meal plan for yourself and with the in app prompts from ISOTrition you’ll quickly
be on your way to discovering ways to balance your nutrition. If you want to customize a preloaded meal plan,
ISOTrition offers ways to do that too. Whether you’re customizing your own plan or just reworking a preloaded
plan to better fit your nutritional needs and personal tastes it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.
1. Choose Your Food

There are hundreds of thousands of foods preloaded into the app that you can easily
search for and choose from to: create your customizable meal plan, or alter an existing
plan. Simply pick out your food choice and add it to the appropriate meal (breakfast,
lunch, dinner, snack). The app will then alter your nutrition grade based on your choices.
2. Check Your Nutrition Grade
Your nutrition grade is ISOTrition’s way of determining which vitamins and minerals
you’ve had enough of and which you still need more of. It is based on the same grading
system as the American educational system. The letters B, C, D, or F with a down arrow
next to an individual nutrient will let you know that you do not have enough of that
vitamin or mineral in your diet. If these letters are accompanied by an up arrow they
indicate that you have too much of that certain nutrient in your diet. To learn how to
improve these grades so that you max out your grades with 26 A’s all you need to do is
click on the B, C, D, or F and let ISOTrition do the rest.
3. Follow Suggestions To Improve Your Balance
ISOTrition will show you how to improve your nutrition grade when you click on the poor
grades, with food suggestions from your ‘favorites list’. By following these suggestions
you will achieve a balanced diet without hours of scrutinizing over nutritional facts and
figures. Let the app do the calculations for you.
When you’re entering your food choices for the day be sure that you add any foods you
consume on a fairly regular basis to your favorites list. By adding foods to your personalized
favorites list you will be able to find and add them to your meal plan more quickly and you’re
suggestions will be more tailored to your personal tastes.
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As we all know, nutrition does make up about 80% of your fitness
progress, and although that number proves that nutrition needs to
be your top priority it does not negate the fact that 20% of your
fitness progress is accounted for in your daily workout routine. The
integration of your fitbit into ISOTritions’ interface means that
100% of your fitness will be at your fingertips at all times. Just
sync your fitbit information to your ISOTrition app and watch as
you start to achieve gains faster, and more easily reach your
fitness goals.
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ISOLATOR MEAL PREP CONTAINERS
The sleek design aids in the organization and transportation of your daily meals. Take them on business trips,
weekend vacations, hunting, and hiking to ensure that you’ll always have a healthy meal or snack with you when you
get hungry. Be prepared for anything with the purchase of a few extra meal prep containers to carry your light meals
and snacks with you everywhere you go. A multitude of sizes are available to aid in your meal preparations
including: 12oz, 16oz, 28oz, and38oz.
BPA FREE, Microwave, Dishwasher, & Freezer Safe

Stackable design makes stowing them in your bag simple.
Affordable, so it is easy to Meal Prep in Bulk for the entire week!
Purchase in bundles of 10, 25, or 50.
Other Available sizes: 12oz, 16oz, 28oz, & 38oz.
30 PACK COLORED MEAL PREP CONTAINERS:
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ISOBRICK – THE BEST ICE PACK IN THE MEAL PREP
INDUSTRY
The Isolator Fitness Isobrick was created to keep your meals fresh
and chilled throughout the day. The Isobrick fits into specially
designed compartments within our Isolator Fitness line of meal
management bags. Whether you are a busy professional on the road
or a family always on the go, or enjoy spending time outdoors
camping or hunting—wherever you need to bring your ISOBAG™,rest
assured, your food will stay cold with our Isobrick.
Isolator Fitness 12 oz. Isobrick Features:

• Purchase in packs of 2, 4, or 6.
• Designed for use in 3- and 6-Meal
ISOBAG™ and ISOPACK™.
• Made with nontoxic materials.
• Keeps food cold up to 12-16 hours.
• **ISOBAG™ and ISOPACK™ sold separately.
Features: About the Colors:

30 Pack Includes: (5)-green, (5)-purple, (5)-red, (5)-gold, (5)- Each pack includes 30 containers (5 red, 5 orange, 5 gold, 5
orange and (5)-blue containers blue, 5 green, and 5 purple)
All containers are BPA-free, microwavable, dishwasher (top Organize your daily meal prep by having each color
rack recommended), & freezer safe. represent a different day of the week.
Occupy very little space do to stackable design Organize your meals so each color represents a different
Product of Ontario, Canada food type. (red = meats) (orange = fruits) (gold = grains ) (blue
= seafood) (green = vegetables) (purple = hummus/nuts/nut-
butters/cheeses)
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ISOPASTA – HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARB, GUILT FREE!
Pasta is generally thought of as a guilty pleasure to indulge in sporadically.

But not anymore! Isolator Fitness has turned their backs on the outdated
concept of high-carb, low-protein pasta and flipped the switch with their
introduction of low-carb, high-protein ISOPASTA. And it's no gimmick! It's
just a revolutionary, gourmet-crafted, alternative to the archaic pasta
model. With 30 grams of protein, and an astonishingly low 7 net grams of
carbohydrates in each serving, ISOPASTA certainly has reversed the way
we look at noodles. Unlike ordinary pasta this will need to be cooked for 17
to 22 minutes to reach that perfect al dente' form. No longer will you have
to deprive yourself of the pleasure of pasta, now you can give into your
temptations and feel good about it. With guilt-free ISOPASTA the self-
shame is over.
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Pasta Recipes
ISO Low Carb Alfredo Sauce
With a new twist on an old classic this Alfredo Sauce is the perfect complement to your
ISOPASTA, turning it into a luxurious meal that's high on flavor and low on carbs.
Servings: 12
Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
398 2 39 11 694 1
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ISO Low Carb Alfredo Sauce (continued)
Ingredients/Shopping List Directions
● 18 Tablespoons unsalted 1. Place butter and cream in very large skillet over
butter medium-low heat. Cook and stir until butter melts
● 2 cup heavy cream and mixture bubbles; cook and stir 2 minutes more.
● 3 cup Parmesan cheese Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
freshly grated 2. Gradually stir in cheese until thoroughly blended
● 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and smooth. Return briefly to heat to completely
● Ground white/black pepper blend cheese, but do NOT let sauce bubble or
● 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg cheese will become lumpy and tough
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ISO Bean Bolognese
If you need a protein kick, look no farther than this Bean Bolognese for your ISOPASTA. In case the 30
grams of protein per ISOPASTA serving isn't enough for you, you've got an additional 14 ounces of
protein packed beans loaded right into the sauce. It's the perfect pre-workout carb and protein feast.
Servings: 12

453 36 12.5 44 530 5
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ISO Bean Bolognese (continued)
● 3 (14ounce) can salad beans, (a mix of 1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Mash 1 1/2 cup beans in
chickpeas, kidney and pinto beans) or a small bowl with a fork.
other beans, rinsed, divided 2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add
● 6 tablespoons olive oil onion, carrot, celery and salt; cover and cook, stirring
● 3 small onion, chopped occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic
● 1 1/2 cup chopped carrot and bay leaf; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15
● 3/4 cup chopped celery seconds. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil until
● 1 1/2 teaspoon salt most of the liquid evaporates, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes
● 12 cloves garlic, chopped and their juices, 2 tablespoons parsley and the mashed
● 3 bay leaf beans. Bring to a lively simmer and cook, stirring
● 1 1/2 cup white wine occasionally, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add the
● 3 (14ounce) can diced tomatoes remaining whole beans; cook, stirring occasionally, until
● 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
● 24 ounces Fusilli ISOPASTA 3. Meanwhile, cook pasta in the boiling water until just tender.
● 1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 4. Discard the bay leaf; sprinkle with Parmesan and the
remaining parsley when serving
(Optional) add ground meat for more protein
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ISO Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Pasta Topper
If you prefer pasta that's light on sauce but heavy on flavor than this is the dish for you. The robust flavor
of Brussels sprouts combined with the tame taste of cauliflower is expertly blended together to create an
ISOPASTA topping that'll quickly become a weekly favorite.
Servings: 12

395 18 20.5 38 322 4
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ISO Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts Pasta Topper (continued)
32oz of Penne ISOPASTA 1. Heat oven to 450° F. Cook the pasta according to
1 1/2 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the
24 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the
3 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges pot.
6 sprigs fresh thyme 2. Meanwhile, on 2 large rimmed baking sheets, toss
12 tablespoons olive oil the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and onion with
Kosher salt and black pepper the thyme, 6 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 ½
teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast, tossing the
6 ounces grated pecorino, plus more for serving
vegetables once and rotating the sheets halfway
through, until golden brown and tender (DO NOT
CHAR, vegetables will get dry), 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables, pecorino, ½ cup of the
reserved cooking water, and the remaining 2
tablespoons of oil to the pasta and toss to combine.
Serve sprinkled with additional pecorino
4. (Optional) add some low sodium bacon for some
extra bam
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ISO Cheeseburger Skillet
Move over "Hamburger Helper" you've met your match and been brutally beaten by
ISOPASTA's high protein, low carb, great tasting alternative.
Servings: 12

648 14 39.5 55 882 5
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ISO Cheeseburger Skillet (continued)
2 lb. ground beef or turkey 1. Brown ground meat in a skillet over medium heat until
1 cup diced onions almost done
2 cup cold water 2. Add in onions and cook until tender.
4 cups milk 3. Drain and return to skillet
4 cups ISOPASTA Penne, uncooked 4. Add the rest of ingredients except for the 2 cheeses
1 teaspoon sugar 5. Stir to combine
2 teaspoon salt 6. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat, cover and cook
until pasta is done*, stirring occasionally
1/2 tsp black pepper
7. *See package of pasta for approximate time
1 1/2 tsp oregano
8. DO NOT overcook pasta
1 1/2 tsp parsley 9. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses. Sauce may be
1 1/2 garlic powder thin
1 tsp chili powder 10. Let sit for the sauce thicken
2 tsp paprika 11. Serve!
8 oz softened cream cheese 12. (Optional) Add hot sauce or taco seasonings for variety
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
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ISO Creamy Penne Pasta with Vegetables
This dish expertly combines the nutrition of vegetables with the comfort associated with that
creamy taste, to create a creamy ISOPASTA dish that satisfies any pasta lovers dream.
Servings: 12

334 18 7.5 47 271 6
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ISO Creamy Penne Pasta with Vegetables (continued)
3 bags Penne ISOPASTA 1. In a large pot with hot water, cook your pasta according
3 zucchini, diced to the directions on the bag.
3 yellow squash, sliced 2. While your pasta is cooking prepare your sauce. In a
3 yellow onion, diced medium skillet over med-high heat add 3/4 cup water,
9 cloves garlic, minced minced garlic, diced onion, yellow squash, zucchini, a
36oz organic greek yogurt pinch of sea salt, and pepper and cook for several
12 oz raw goat cheddar, shredded minutes until soft. Using water eliminates the need for
Sea salt & fresh cracked pepper oil or butter. You'll still have the same great taste but
Several leaves of kale, torn into tiny without the added fat! If the pan starts to get dry, simply
pieces add more water. Continue to cook for about 10mins or
so until veggies get very soft and start to dissolve. If
your picky eaters are sensitive to texture, you could also
use an immersion blender or food processor to blend.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked veggies with
the kale, Greek yogurt and shredded goat cheddar,
adding sea salt and pepper to taste as needed.
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ISO Fresh Tomato Sauce
Stop buying tomato sauce and ruining your diet with its sugar content and added sodium. Learn to
easily make a fresher version, that's better for you and tastes incredible to spread atop your next
ISOPASTA dinner.
Servings: 12

289 13 10.5 34 214 5
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ISO Fresh Tomato Sauce (continued)
Directions
Ingredients/Shopping List
1. Cook the pasta according to the
36 ounces Fusilli ISOPASTA package directions. Drain the pasta
4 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes, and return it to the pot.
quartered 2. Meanwhile, in a food processor,
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil puree the tomatoes, oil, garlic, 2-
3 clove garlic, chopped teaspoon salt, and 1-teaspoon
Kosher salt and black pepper pepper.
1 1/2cup fresh basil, chopped 3. Toss the pasta with the tomato sauce
3/4cup grated Parmesan and half the basil. Sprinkle with the
Parmesan and the remaining basil
just before serving.
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ISOPASTA Fusilli with Watercress, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta
With only one taste, it will be undeniably clear that the savory flavors of this ISOPASTA complement each
other so magnificently that there is no need for additional oils or sauces to be used in the recipe.
Servings: 6

595 18 33.5 55 890 8
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ISO Fusilli with Watercress, Cherry Tomatoes, & Feta (continued)
48 ounces Fusilli ISOPASTA 1. Cook pasta according to package

6 cup crumbled low sodium reduced- directions. Place the cheese in a large
fat feta cheese bowl; top with the watercress. Before
12 pints cherry tomatoes, halved draining the pasta, take 1 1/2 cup of the
cooking water from the pot and pour it
18 cups watercress leaves (from 2
over the watercress. (Watercress will wilt
small bunches) slightly and cheese will get soft.)
1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2. Place the tomatoes in a colander. Drain
the pasta over the tomatoes for a super-
quick blanch.
3. Toss with the watercress and cheese;
sprinkle with pepper and serve.
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ISO Garlic Asparagus and Pasta with Lemon Cream
The spicy bite of garlic asparagus meets the tangy tartness of lemon cream in this delectable ISOPASTA
dish that you've got to taste to believe. Adding salmon to the mixture guarantees a house favorite.
Servings: 12

304 23 13.5 33 142 3
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ISO Garlic Asparagus and Pasta with Lemon Cream (continued)
24 ounces ISOPASTA Penne 1. Cook pasta according to package directions;

6 cups asparagus spears cut into 2-inch drain. Return pasta to saucepan.
pieces 2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook asparagus,
24 baby sunburst squash and/or squash, and garlic in hot margarine for 4 to 5
pattypan squash, halved (12 ounces) minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender,
6 cloves garlic, minced stirring frequently. Remove with a slotted
3 tablespoon margarine or butter spoon and add to pasta.
1 1/2 cup whipping cream 3. Combine whipping cream and lemon peel in
6 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel skillet. Bring to boiling. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes
or until mixture is reduced to 1 cup. To serve,
pour cream mixture over pasta mixture; toss
gently to coat.
4. (Tip) Goes well with salmon
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ISO Kale and Cannellini Bean Sauce
This dish is the perfect solution to the wintertime blues. When you're freezing from the inside out warm yourself with
this protein packed Kale and Cannellini Bean Sauce over a hearty portion of ISOPASTA to melt away the cold.
Servings: 12

125 25 1 10 364 3
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ISO Kale and Cannellini Bean Sauce (continued)
Directions
1. In a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray, sauté garlic
6 cloves garlic, minced for two minutes over medium heat. Add kale, salt and red
3 lb. kale, chopped finely pepper flakes and sauté about eight more minutes, or until
Salt to taste kale is well wilted and tender.
3 tsp. red pepper flakes 2. Drain and rinse beans, then add to kale mixture along with
3 (14oz). Can cannellini beans broth and pasta, stirring to combine
1 1/2 cup chicken broth 3. (Optional) if you would like it to be more like a sauce, mash
Nonstick cooking spray the beans and mix with broth before combining with kale.
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ISO Low Carb Meat Sauce
Pass on the prepackaged meat sauces from your grocery store and opt for this healthier, tastier version freshly made at
home. Pour this recipe over your ISOPASTA to skip out on the added sugars and sodium from store bought varieties of
meat sauces, while you pick up the protein intake.
Servings: Approx. 8 quarts

500 10 30 48 399 6
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ISO Low Carb Meat Sauce (continued)
10 pounds lean 90% Fat ground beef 1. In a 16-quart or 2 8-quarts stock pan/s, sauté
12 small onions, chopped chopped onions and carrots in olive oil until
2 Large carrots, chopped limp but not brown. Stir in minced parsley
1/2 cup olive oil and let it go a bit.
4 to 5 tablespoons minced parsley 2. Transfer all to a big bowl and set aside.
2 (15-ounce) can no sugar added Brown ground beef in the pot in 2-pound
tomato puree batches, transferring to the bowl of
2 (8-ounce) can no sugar added vegetables. Add tomato purée, tomato
tomato sauce sauce, and chicken stock to the pot and stir
3 cups chicken both to loosen the good stuff stuck to the bottom.
Salt and pepper to taste 3. Return everything to the pot and simmer,
uncovered, about 30-40 minutes. Season to
taste with salt and pepper. Cool to room
temperature, then package in 2- or 3-cup
freezer containers. Date, label, and freeze.
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ISO Mushroom Bourguignon
An excellent remake on a meaty classic, this mushroom bourguignon bundles all the taste of indulgence
while leaving out the weight of the beef. It also cuts down on cooking time from 3 hours to less than an hour,
making it a perfect contender for quick meal preps.
Servings: 12

210 16 10 9 446 7
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ISO Mushroom Bourguignon (continue)
6 tablespoons olive oil 1. Heat 3 tablespoon of the olive oil and 3 tablespoon of butter
6 tablespoons butter, softened in a medium Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over high heat.
6 pounds cremini mushrooms, in Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet
1/4-inch slices (can use Portobello release any liquid at about 5 minutes. Remove them from
but have a different nutrition pan.
content) 2. Lower the flame to medium and add the rest of olive oil.
1 1/2 carrot, finely diced Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt
3 small yellow onion, finely diced and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook
6 cloves garlic, minced for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly
3 cup full-bodied red wine browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.
6 cups beef broth 3. Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the
6 tablespoons tomato paste bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by
3 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the
4 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once
3 cup pearl onions, peeled the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers
Sour cream and chopped chives or for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the
parsley, for garnish pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.
4. Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until
combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer
for 13 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to
reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.
5. To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of ISOPASTA, dollop
with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or
parsley.
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ISO Newburg Sauce
The thickness and creaminess of this Newburg sauce makes it a perfect solo topping to
ISOPASTA in the colder winter months. During the warmer months it can be paired with seafood to
create an appetizing seasonal dish.
Servings: 12

754 5 75 4 431 1
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ISO Newburg Sauce (continued)
2 cup sweet butter 1. In a double boiler, melt butter, add

1 cup straight sherry sherry, shallots, and paprika, stirring
8 teaspoons chopped shallots constantly until shallots are tender.
1 teaspoon paprika 2. Add cream and well-beaten egg yolks,
8 cup heavy cream stir quickly with wire whisk until sauce
16 egg yolks has thickened.
3. Serve at once.
4. Goes great with seafood
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No-Cook Avocado Sauce with Vegetables
Made from all fresh ingredients and without meat or cheese this dish is one of the most succulent and healthy options to
use to top your ISOPASTA. It's also one of the easiest to create, since there's no actual cooking involved. This meal will
impress your family and friends with minimal effort.
Servings: 12

367 28 14.5 35 193 5
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No-Cook Avocado Sauce with Vegetables (continued)
Directions
1. Bring about 5-6 quarts of salted water to a boil in
a soup kettle. Using times on package as a
Salt
guide, add ISOPASTA Fusilli and cook, partially
36 ounces ISOPASTA Fusilli covered and stirring frequently at first to prevent
12 medium carrots, coarsely grated sticking, until just tender. Add carrots and peas to
3 cup frozen peas the boiling pasta the last few minutes of cooking.
9 large garlic cloves Reserving 1 cup of the pasta water, drain Fusilli
6 avocados halved and pitted and return it to the pot.
3 teaspoon dried basil 2. Meanwhile, mince garlic in a food processor. Add
3/4 cup juice from a large lemon avocados and basil; process until smooth. Add
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil lemon juice, olive oil and a sprinkling of salt;
Grated Parmesan cheese process until smooth.
3. Add sauce and enough pasta cooking liquid to
the Fusilli to create a light, creamy sauce; toss to
coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
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ISO Kale Pasta Salad
Take this easy to make Kale Pasta Salad to your next potluck dinner and impress your friends with your culinary prowess, even if
you're an amateur in the kitchen.
Servings: 12

261 13 8.5 34 320 3
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ISO Kale Pasta Salad (continue)
1. Bring a large pot salted water to a boil. Add garlic and shallot and
16oz Fusilli ISOPASTA boil for 4 minutes. Stir in 2 cup of kale and cook for another 15
4 cups chopped kale seconds. Don’t overcook. Working quickly, use a slotted spoon or
1 cup black olive, drained and cut in half strainer to fish the kale, garlic and shallot from the water and
2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved transfer them to the bowl of a food processor.
1/2 cup crumbled Feta 2. Puree the ingredients, together with the Parmesan-Reggiano
cheese and water (add more water to thin out if needed) until it
2 tablespoon olive oil
reaches a creamy consistency.
Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package
Dressing instructions; drain into a colander and run under cold water for a
couple of minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and set
aside.
2 cup chopped kale 3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat, add the remaining
2 garlic clove, peeled 4 cups of kale all at once and stir-fry until just wilted and tender,
2 small shallot, peeled about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
1/2 cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, grated 4. In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, black olives, stir-
4 tablespoons water fried kale and feta (if using).
2 tablespoon lemon juice Stir in the kale dressing and toss well. Taste and adjust with salt if
needed.
You can serve this pasta salad immediately or you can also keep
it in the fridge and serve it the next day.
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ISO Puttanesca Sauce
Prepare this dish when your craving salt in your diet. Since it gets its salty flavor from the addition of anchovies you
won't get an abundance of sodium but you'll easily squelch your cravings.
Servings: 12

260 25 9.1 31 536 2
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ISO Puttanesca Sauce (continued)
Directions
16 ounces Rice ISOPASTA

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water with salt until
2 tablespoon olive oil barely al dente.
1 red onion, sliced thinly 2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over
6 garlic cloves, minced medium-high heat. Add red onion, garlic, anchovies, and
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes red bell pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant
12 anchovies, rinsed and chopped and onion is slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
2 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes and their juice 3. Add tomatoes and their juice, break them up a bit. Stir in
1 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives capers and olives. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until
2 tablespoon capers thickened, approx 8-10 min. Stir in arugula and simmer for
2 cup freshly chopped arugula a minute until slightly wilted.
Parmesan cheese, crumbled w/fork 4. When pasta is done, drain and add to skillet, tossing it with
Basil leaves sauce to combine. Top with crumbled cheese and torn
Fresh arugula (optional) basil.
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Spicy Stir-Fry with Vegetables
A vegetarian option with a kick. This spicy stir-fry is a stroke of culinary genius with its mixture of vegetables,
protein packed ISOPASTA and spicy chilies, it's got something for everyone.
Servings: 12

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130
Spicy Stir-Fry with Vegetables (continued)
2 Packs of ISOPASTA High Protein Rice 1. Follow directions For making ISOPASTA
4 tablespoon sesame seed 2. Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a jug or
8 tablespoons sesame oil large bowl, and whisk to blend.
4 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 3. Heat the wok or skillet until very hot. Add the sesame
12 garlic cloves, minced seeds and stir-fry over high heat until golden.
10-12 fresh red chilies, minced (use per your taste) Remove and set aside.
4 onion, halved and sliced 4. Reheat the wok and add the oil. Swirl to coat. Stir-fry
4 head broccoli, cut into small florets onions over high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly
tender. Tip in ginger, garlic and chili, and stir-fry for
4 small red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips
10 seconds.
2 small yellow bell pepper, deseeded and cut into
5. Add all the vegetables and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Then
strips
add a splash of stock to the wok and cover to create
16 baby corns, halved lengthwise some steam. Cook for a minute, or until vegetables
16 baby carrots, quartered lengthwise are just heated through and still crunchy.
16 snow peas, trimmed and halved diagonally 6. Increase the heat to high, and stir in half the sauce.
8 tablespoons spring onion, thinly sliced Tip in noodles with the remaining sauces, and spring
Lime wedges, for squeezing onions, and toss to combine. Season with salt and
Sauce pepper, and stir around until everything is blended
8 tablespoons soy sauce and the noodles are heated through.
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 7. Transfer to bowls and top with sesame seeds. Serve
2 tablespoon oyster sauce with hot sauce and lime wedges on the side
8 tablespoons low sodium ketchup
4 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoon chili garlic paste
4 tablespoon vegetable stock (or use water)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
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131
ISOPASTA Penne and Spinach a la Vodka
Look no farther for you meatless Monday meal option. This delicious medley of spinach, tomatoes,
and ISOPASTA is a splendid vegetarian friendly meal choice.
Servings: 12

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132
ISOPASTA Penne and Spinach a la Vodka (continued)
Salt 1. Bring 5-6 quarts of salted water to boil in a large

36 ounces ISOPASTA Penne soup kettle. Using times on ISOPASTA bag as a
24 ounces baby (or coarsely chopped) guide, add pasta and cook, partially covered and
fresh spinach stirring frequently at first to prevent sticking, until
6 tablespoons olive oil just tender. Add spinach to the boiling pasta the
1 1/2 medium sweet onion, such as last few minutes of cooking. Reserving 1 cup of
Vidalia pasta water, drain Penne and return it to the pot.
9 medium garlic cloves 2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over
3 cup each: vodka and chicken broth medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and
3 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes cook until tender and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Add vodka; bring to a simmer and cook until
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk reduced by half. Add broth and tomatoes; return
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra to a simmer and stir in baking soda. Reduce
for topping heat to medium-low and continue to simmer to
pasta sauce consistency, about 15 minutes. Stir
in evaporated milk and simmer to blend flavors,
3 to 4 minutes longer. Add 2/3 of the sauce to
drained pasta; toss to coat. Serve, topping each
portion with additional sauce and a sprinkling of
cheese
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133
Toasted Walnut Spinach Pesto
This pesto recipe is an incredibly quick and easy solution to your dinner dilemma. The baked
walnuts give it a uniquely toasty flavor that provides a splendid pairing to freshly made ISOPASTA.
Servings: 12

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134
Toasted Walnut Spinach Pesto (continued)
Directions
1. Lay nuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer and
4 cup packed Baby Spinach Leaves bake for about 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
4 clove fresh Garlic They are ready when fragrant and slightly
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil browned.
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese 2. Whiz all ingredients up in a high-powered
1 1/3 cup Walnuts blender or food processor. Pesto will stay fresh
Half Lemon Juice in the fridge for a few days. Store in a tightly
Salt and Pepper to taste sealed container with some plastic wrap over the
top of the pesto to help prevent browning
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135
Slow Cook Turkey Bolognese Sauce
Slowly cooking Bolognese sauce over a low heat is the only way to extract the maximum amount
of flavoring but most people don't have that kind of time, which is why this slow cooker recipe is
perfect for busy lifestyles.
Servings: 21

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136
Slow Cook Turkey Bolognese Sauce (continued)
6 tablespoons olive oil 1. Heat oil in a large sauté pan on medium. Add
6 carrots, peeled, finely chopped carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Sauté until
6 celery stalks, finely chopped onions are a little brown/translucent, about 4-5
6 medium onions, finely chopped minutes.
6 cloves garlic, minced 2. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink,
3 pound ground turkey breaking up pieces.
1 ½ cup red wine 3. Add red wine and continue cooking until there is
3 teaspoon dried thyme no more liquid in the pan.
3 bay leafs 4. Spoon meat into crockpot. Add thyme, bay leaf,
9 cups crushed tomatoes tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Salt and pepper, to taste 5. Cook for 4-6 hours.
A few sprigs fresh basil 6. Add fresh basil sprigs half an hour before
serving
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137
Baked Vegetable Ziti
This dish includes a savory blend of ISOPASTA, marinara sauce, cheese and delectable veggies
that is sure to become a family favorite.
Servings: 12

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138
Baked Vegetable Ziti (continued)
Cooking spray or oil mister 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2, 9 x 13

2 tbsp. olive oil baking dish with cooking spray or oil mister.
2 medium onion, thinly sliced 2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and Add onion and cook until softened, about 5
thinly sliced minutes. Add zucchini and mushrooms and cook
16 oz. button or baby bella until softened and liquid has boiled off, about 7
mushrooms, sliced minutes more. Remove from heat.
16 oz. Penne ISOPASTA 3. Add pasta, marinara sauce, ricotta, salt, and
2 large jar marinara sauce pepper to skillet with vegetables. Stir until well
30 oz. container of fat-free ricotta combined.
cheese 4. Pour pasta mixture into baking dish. Top with
Salt and pepper to taste cheese. Bake for 40 minutes. About 30 min in
2 c. reduced-fat Italian blend cheese keep tabs for bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley
(or mozzarella) before serving, if desired.
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
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139
Beef Recipes
One Pot Beef Skillet
This one pot beef skillet recipe is perfect for when you’re strapped for time, or just don’t feel
like spending much energy on meal prep this week. One skillet plus eleven ingredients equals
twelve meals for the week.
Servings: 12

309 22 12.6 26.8 360 4
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140
One Pot Beef Skillet (continued)
Ingredients: Directions:
2 lb Lean ground beef 1. In a very large skillet, brown the ground beef
1 Cups water over medium heat. Add water, salsa, soup
2 Cup salsa and kernel corn; cook for 5 minutes.
2 Can of low sodium tomato soup 2. Add carrots, onions and mushrooms and
2 Cup frozen kernel corn cook another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with
2 Cup sliced carrots cheddar cheese, crushed garlic and onion
2 Cup sliced onion flakes, and then stir before serving.
2 Cup sliced mushrooms
1 Cup low-fat cheddar cheese
1 Clove garlic, crushed
4 Tbsp. onion flakes
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141
Beef Soft Taco
Tacos are one of those quick and easy kid friendly recipes that always go over well at
dinnertime. The problem is, normally they’re packed with unhealthy ingredients and grease.
With these low-calorie, low-fat, veggie packed, tacos you can be sure that your family is eating
healthy, without sacrificing taste.
Servings: 8

490 36.75 19.25 40.5 584 4
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142
Beef Soft Taco (continued)
Ingredients Directions
2 lb Lean ground beef 1. Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet over
2 package Taco seasoning mix medium heat.
2 Onion, chopped 2. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and water and let
2 cup Water simmer for 4-5 minutes.
8 Whole wheat soft tortilla shells 3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
1 cup Fat-free Sour cream (optional- 4. Once cooled, spoon beef into soft tortilla shells and
we like to sub plain Greek yogurt) top with sour cream, salsa, cheese, shredded
1 cup Salsa lettuce and diced veggies.
1/2 cup Low-fat shredded Cheddar 5. Wrap and serve. (makes 8 servings)
cheese (optional)
Diced Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes
(or any other desired vegetable)
Shredded lettuce (or spinach, another
Isolator preference)
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143
Bleu Cheese Petit Sirloin
Low-carb and high protein meal, what could be better? Simple, if that meal melted delicious
bleu cheese over a succulent cut of sirloin and combined to make this culinary masterpiece. A
delectable dinner fit for royalty.
Makes 6 servings

325 0 12 53 360 4
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144
Bleu Cheese Petit Sirloin (continued)
6 6oz grass-fed or organic petite sirloin For best results, let steak adjust to room temperature for
steaks half an hour.
Montreal steak seasoning
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2tsp black pepper 1. Heat skillet on high; coat with cooking spray.
1 1/2 tsp onion flakes 2. Rub steak with seasoning on both sides, then add
3/4 tsp garlic powder to hot skillet.
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes 3. Grill 3-4 minutes or until browned on the first side.
3/4 tsp thyme 4. Flip steaks and top each with 1/4 cup bleu cheese.
3/4 tsp rosemary 5. Cook until the desired amount of doneness, about
3/4 tsp coriander Cooking spray 3-4 minutes more for a medium rare steak. The
1 1/2 cup Reduced-fat bleu cheese bleu cheese will have melted to perfection over
crumbles each steak.
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145
Crock Pot Mega Omelet
This Mega Omelet will feed the entire family (and more) with no early morning effort. It’s
packed with all of the tasty meats, cheeses, and veggies that you love multiplied by six and
cooked overnight so that in the morning all you have to do is serve, and eat.

341 24.25 13.4 32.4 328 2
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146
Crock Pot Mega Omelet (continued)
Dozen eggs 1. Dice or chop all of the meats and vegetables.

20 oz diced potatoes (Here’s the neat trick; use a food processor and all
8 oz cubed ham of this chopping can be done in less than a minute.
4 oz chopped turkey bacon 2. Dump meats and vegetables into the Crock-pot.
6 oz chuck steak, sliced 3. In a small mixing bowl, mix eggs and spices and
1/2 cup Onions pour that into the bowl too.
1 Green Bell Pepper 4. Turn the Crockpot to low heat and leave it on while
1 cup Cheddar Cheese Pepper you go to sleep. You can thank me in the morning.
5. Top with cheese a few minutes prior to serving
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147
Lean Beef Spinach Meatball Pasta
Everybody loves spaghetti, but no one appreciates the lack of nutritional value that a plate of
traditional spaghetti offers. Mix up your pasta night with the inclusion of lean beef spinach
meatballs and even the pickiest eater at the table will devour this meal.
Servings: 5 (approx. 2-3 meatballs per)

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148
Lean Beef Spinach Meatball Pasta (continued)
FOR MEATBALLS: 1. Set oven to 405 degrees F.

2. For added flavor, sauté the red onions in a skillet
30 oz lean ground beef using spray olive or coconut oil.
2 1/2 cup shredded raw spinach 3. Mix together ground beef, chopped raw spinach, red
1 1/4 cup diced red onion 1 tbsp onion, garlic, and spices. Mix thoroughly using your
minced garlic hands until the spinach is completely mixed into the
2 1/2 tbsp cumin Sea salt and pepper, meat.
to taste 4. Form 12 to 15 meatballs of roughly the same size
using your hands. For accuracy, you can use a food
scale to weigh and measure each portion.
FOR PASTA:
5. Place meatballs on a baking sheet and bake in the
oven for 10-12 minutes.
10 oz wheat spinach pasta 6. Cook pasta and stir in tomatoes, spinach, and cheese
3/4 cup marinara (natural and low as desired.
sodium) 7. Mix in cooked meatballs and enjoy!
7 1/2 cup raw spinach
25 cherry tomatoes
5 tbsp low fat Parmesan cheese
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149
Seafood/Fish Recipes
Cajun Halibut with Corn
Not all fish dishes keep or travel well, but this Cajun halibut can be made in advance and frozen for
enjoyment days later. It is great for spice lovers as the Cajun flavors are strong and predominate,
but the corn cuts the heat just enough to make this recipe a favorite with everyone in the family.
Servings: 6

348 29 11.6 30.3 846 3
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150
Cajun Halibut with Corn (continued)
Directions:
Ingredients:
1. In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, oregano,

2 tsp sea salt
cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme, and 1
1 tsp dried oregano
tbsp olive oil. Rub onto the halibut and let sit in the
1 tsp cayenne pepper
fridge for one hour (or, for more
1 tsp paprika
flavor, overnight).
1 tsp minced garlic
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add
1 tsp thyme
remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and,
24 oz of halibut fillets
once it’s heated, add halibut fillets, diced onion, garlic,
2 sliced tomato
and green pepper.
2 sliced green pepper
3. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, flip, and then cook for
1 sliced onion
another 3-4 minutes on the other
4 tbsp olive oil
side (or until fish flakes easily with a fork).
4 cups corn or baby corn
4. Top with tomato slices and serve alongside corn and
1 cup chunky style salsa
salsa. (goes well with asparagus too)
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151
Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese, Bacon and Shrimp with
Pasta style Zucchini
It might be a mouthful to say but once you taste it, your mouth will be too busy devouring this
delicious dish to even try to say it. This recipe features a mouth-watering combination of veggies
prepared into a pasta-like dish that will have the whole family begging for more.
Servings: 5

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152
Roasted Red Pepper, Goat Cheese, Bacon and Shrimp with
Pasta style Zucchini (continued)
10 medium zucchini 1. Slice thin strips of zucchini with a vegetable peeler to

15 oz cooked shrimp make "noodles."
5 oz roasted red pepper goat cheese 2. Heat a nonstick saucepan over medium heat.
5 slice low-sodium bacon 3. Add bacon and cook until desired texture is reached.
10 tsp parmesan Salt and pepper, to 4. Remove bacon and add zucchini to pan.
taste 5. While zucchini is cooking, chop bacon into small bits.
6. After 2-3 minutes, add bacon and shrimp to zucchini.
7. Cook 2 minutes.
8. Mix in goat cheese and stir until melted.
9. Serve in bowl and top with parmesan.
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153
Mustard Baked Salmon with Grilled Asparagus
When discussing the ultimate in healthy meal choices, Salmon comes out on top, and asparagus
isn’t far behind. The tang of the mustard baked salmon pairs perfectly with the bite of the garlic
tossed grilled asparagus in this nutritionally superior dish.
Servings: 5

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154
Mustard Baked Salmon with Grilled Asparagus (continued)
Directions
Ingredients
1. Set oven to 405 degrees F.
5 5 oz wild salmon (measured raw) 2. In a bowl, mix mustard, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice.
5 tbsp dijon mustard 3. Pour the marinade over the salmon to completely cover
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil it. For better flavor, place the marinating salmon in the
5 tsp minced garlic juice from half of a fridge for at least one hour.
lemon 4. Place the salmon on a baking sheet and top with slices
7 1/2 cup grilled asparagus of lemon (if desired). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
2 1/2 tbsp minced garlic 5. Cut the bottom stems off the asparagus spears.
6. Set a nonstick skillet on medium high heat and lightly
spray with coconut or olive oil (if desired).
7. Toss the asparagus and garlic in the skillet and sear for
about 5 minutes, rolling the asparagus so that all sides
are seared real good.
8. Plate asparagus with salmon
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155
Trout Almandine
Impress your friends and loved ones with this simple but elegant trout almandine recipe. They’ll think
you slaved in the kitchen for hours to prepare this mouth-watering meal, when in reality you’ll spend
less time making it than your guests will spend talking about it.
Servings: 6

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156
Trout Almandine (continued)
6 small trout 1. Braise trout in white wine until done

3/4 cup white wine 2. Remove trout, and drain off fat
2 1/4 tsp butter 3. In the skillet, add butter and lemon juice, and sauté
Juice of 1 1/2 lemon almonds until lightly browned
1/2 cup slivered almonds 4. Mix in chopped parsley, and pour almond mixture over
3 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped trout
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157
Tuna Apple Salad
A new spin on an old favorite this tuna apple salad is guaranteed to put a smile on your families
faces during lunch or snack time. It’s perfect for tuna sandwiches at lunch or to dip pita or chips into
for a light and healthy snack.
Servings: 5

327 18 2 60 750 3
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158
Tuna Apple Salad (continued)
10 tbsp chopped celery 1. Drain water from cans and place tuna in a bowl.
10 cans of tuna in water 2. Finely chop celery and apple and add to tuna.
5 tbsp sweet relish 3. Stir in sweet relish, garlic powder, and mayo.
2 1/2 apple, diced
solid dash garlic powder
15 tbsp fat-free mayo
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159
Pork Recipes
Orange Molasses Pork Chops with Skillet Roasted Sweet

Potatoes
No picky eater left behind! When you combine these orange-molasses pork chops with succulent roasted
sweet potatoes you create a simple yet scrumptious meal the whole family will enjoy.
Servings: 6

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160
Orange Molasses Pork Chops with Skillet Roasted Sweet
Potatoes (continued)
4 ½ Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided 1. Place pork chops in a freezer bag with 1/2 of the orange
6 boneless pork chops, about 1/3 lb. each juice, molasses, basil and a dash of salt and pepper. Shake
Juice of 1 1/2 oranges, divided well to evenly coat pork chops. Let marinate in the
6 Tbsp. molasses refrigerator for at least three hours.
3 Tbsp. dried basil 2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3 sweet potato, cubed 3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over
3 tsp. cinnamon medium heat.
4. While the skillet is heating, toss the sweet potatoes in a
3 tsp. garlic powder
large bowl with remaining orange juice, olive oil, cinnamon,
1 ½ tsp. allspice
garlic, allspice, honey and a dash of salt and pepper.
bit of honey 5. When skillet is hot, throw in onions and sweet potatoes.
salt and pepper to taste Cook, stirring often, for 10-12 minutes, until softened.
1 ½ white onion, sliced 6. Clear a space by pushing the sweet potatoes and onions to
the outer edge of the skillet and place the pork chops in the
middle of the skillet. Sear the pork chops for about four
minutes, flipping after two minutes, reserving the marinating
juices in the bag.
7. Add the marinating juices to the skillet and carefully transfer
the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until
vegetables are tender and pork chops are cooked through.
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161
Pork Cutlets with Sautéed Peppers and Beans
For those days when you need a little extra protein kick these pork cutlets served with sautéed
peppers and beans are there to help. They’ll provide you with that extra boost of energy that you
need before or after your workouts or just while you’re busy running your hectic life.
Makes 8 servings

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162
Pork Cutlets with Sautéed Peppers and Beans (continued)
4 tablespoons olive oil 1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large

16 pork cutlets (about 3 pounds), skillet over medium-high heat. Season the
pounded 1/4 inch thick pork with Â¼ teaspoon each salt and black
kosher salt and black pepper pepper. Working in 4 batches, cook the
4 medium bell peppers, thinly sliced pork until browned and cooked through, 2
4 large shallots, thinly sliced to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
2 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, 2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a
rinsed second large skillet over medium-high
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved heat. Add the bell peppers, shallots,
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until
softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add the beans, olives, parsley, and vinegar
to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve
the pork topped with the vegetable mixture.
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163
Pork Sliders with Smashed Avocado
It seems these days that you can’t turn a page in a recipe book without seeing avocado in the
ingredients list. This super food is not only good for you but can be paired with just about anything
to create a delicious dish, or enhance an already enjoyable meal.
Servings: 8

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164
Pork Sliders with Smashed Avocado (continued)
16 (1-ounce) whole-wheat slider 1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat cut sides
buns, halved crosswise of buns with cooking spray. Place buns, cut sides down, in
Cooking spray pan; cook 1 minute or until lightly toasted.
24 ounces extra-lean ground pork 2. Combine pork, parsley, salt, and garlic powder in a medium
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf bowl, gently mixing with hands. Divide mixture into 8 equal
parsley portions, shaping each into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Lightly coat
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt both sides of patties with cooking spray.
1 teaspoon garlic powder 3. Arrange patties in pan coated with cooking spray; cook 2
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, minutes. Turn patties over; top patties evenly with cheese.
shredded (about 1/2 cup) Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 4. Combine lemon juice and avocado in a bowl; mash avocado
1 ripe peeled avocado with a fork, and stir to combine. Spread avocado mixture
4 small ripe tomatoes, sliced evenly over bottom halves of buns. Place 1 patty on each
16 small Bibb lettuce leaves bottom bun. Top each with 1 tomato slice and lettuce leaf.
Top with top halves of buns. Serve immediately.
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165
Red Hot Currant Glazed Pork Chops
It seems these days that you can’t turn a page in a recipe book without seeing avocado in the
ingredients list. This super food is not only good for you but can be paired with just about anything
to create a delicious dish, or enhance an already enjoyable meal.
Servings: 8

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166
Red Hot Currant Glazed Pork Chops (continued)
1 cup red currant jelly 1. Using a whisk, combine red currant jelly, soy sauce, hot
2 tsp. lower-sodium soy sauce sauce, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
1 1/2 tsp. hot sauce 2. Place pork and 1/4 cup of the jelly mixture on a rimmed
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper baking sheet; toss to coat. Cover, and let marinate in the
8 bone-in loin pork chops, about 1/2- refrigerator for an hour. Reserve remaining jelly mixture.
inch thick 3. Preheat broiler to high.
1/2 tsp. kosher salt 4. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Broil for 4 minutes, or
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper until desired degree of doneness. (Do not flip the chops.)
2 lb. carrots, diagonally cut into 1- 5. Steam carrots for 10 minutes, or until tender. Combine
inch pieces carrots, parsley, butter, and mustard in a bowl; toss to coat.
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Serve pork chops with carrots and reserved jelly mixture
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
4 tsp. stone-ground mustard
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167
Sweet Dijon Pork & Quinoa
The apple, mango, mustard mix that covers this pork creates the perfect balance of sweet and
salty that will have even the pickiest eaters mouths watering. It’ll make you forget that you’re eating
a healthy meal and make you think you’re cheating on your nutritional diet with dessert for dinner.
Servings: 8

431 41.4 11.2 42 180 4
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168
Sweet Dijon Pork & Quinoa (continued)
Ingredients: Directions:
3lb of Pork Tenderloin 1. Mix together Dijon mustard, honey and water
2 apple, diced 2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat
2 onion, chopped 3. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes
1 cup mango, diced 4. Add pork and sauté for another 2-3 minutes
4 tbsp Dijon mustard 5. Add in apple, mango, and Dijon mustard mix
2 tbsp honey 6. Saute until apple is tender and pork is cooked through
2/3 cup water 7. Serve over quinoa for a complete meal
4 cups cooked quinoa
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169
Chicken Recipes
Cashew Chicken with Baby Corn
The next time your craving Chinese food, put down the phone and pick up a skillet. Trust me, you’ll
thank us later. Not only is this cashew chicken delicious, but it’s actually good for you, unlike any MSG
laden cheap Chinese restaurant food.
Servings: 8

424 13.75 22 52.24 370 1
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170
Cashew Chicken with Baby Corn (continued)
1 cup Low-sodium Chicken Broth 1. Combine together the chicken broth, oyster sauce,
4 tbsp. Oyster Sauce soy sauce, Splenda, cornstarch, and white vinegar
2 tbsp. Low-sodium Soy Sauce and set aside.
2 tbsp. Splenda 2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2 tbsp. Cornstarch 3. Add in chicken breast chunks, stir-frying for 6-8
2 tbsp. White Vinegar minutes.
4 tbsp. Olive Oil 4. Add peppers, mushrooms, and baby corn, cooking for
8 3 oz. Chicken Breasts, skinless 2-3 minutes longer.
and cut into chunks 5. Add combined mixture from step 1 to the skillet,
Salt and Pepper to taste reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
4 Red Peppers, chopped 6. Sprinkle with cashews and green onions, toss, and
2 cup Mushrooms, sliced then serve.
1 cup Baby Corn
4 Green Onions, sliced
1 cup Cashews
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171
Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
Sometimes you just need a comfort meal. Don’t lose your progress by choosing one that’s full of fat,
calories, and carbs. Instead make this chicken and broccoli casserole that tastes and feels like a cheat
meal without the overwhelming regret to follow.
Servings: 8

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172
Chicken & Broccoli Casserole (continued)
30 oz cooked chicken breast 1. Set oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

3 cup 2% Greek yogurt 2. Cook chicken breasts in a nonstick skillet with no
2 cup chicken broth (Add more if seasoning, or boil the chicken breasts in water. Tear
you find it too dry, but be careful the chicken into pieces and set aside.
not to make it "soupy") 3. In a bowl, mix chicken, broccoli, brown rice, red
2 cup reduced-fat mozzarella onions, Greek yogurt, chicken broth, mozzarella, and
4 cups cooked quinoa & brown rice Italian seasoning.
mix 4. Place it all in a large casserole dish.
4 cups raw broccoli, chopped 5. Top with wheat breadcrumbs or amaranth flakes.
1/2 cup red onion 6. Bake for 25 minutes.
1 cup crushed amaranth flakes,
wheat breadcrumbs, or panko
crumbs
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
Sea salt & pepper to taste
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173
Chicken Stew with Vegetables
Whether it’s the middle of winter or just a chilly, rainy day you’ll love this chicken stew with vegetables.
It’ll warm you from the inside out without packing on the pounds. It even makes enough to freeze and
store for the next stormy day.
Servings: 8

454g 37.75g 12g 59g 644 7
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174
4 tsp. Olive Oil 1. Heat the oil in a large pan.

2 cup finely chopped Onion 2. Once bubbling, add in onions, carrots, mushrooms,
8, 3 oz. Chicken Breasts, sliced and peppers along with garlic; sauté for 3-5 minutes.
4 cups diced Zucchini 3. Next, add in chicken and continue to cook for 4-5
2 cup chopped Carrots minutes.
2 cup diced Red Pepper 4. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and reduce to
2 cup diced Yellow Pepper low heat, covering and simmering for 30 minutes.
2 cup diced Green Pepper 5. Serve immediately.
2 cup diced Mushrooms
1 1/2 tsp. dried Oregano
Choice amount of tomatoes
4 cloves Garlic, minced
4 cups White Beans
4 cups Low-sodium Chicken Broth
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175
Crispy Protein Chip Chicken
Crispy chicken tenders are a staple from childhood that sticks with us through the years. Over time we realize that
the classic chicken nugget we once loved isn’t quite as nutritious as we remembered but this recipe changes
everything we thought we knew. It combines protein with protein and just a pinch more protein, to create the
ultimate crispy chicken.
Servings: 8

267g 10g 8g 38g 644 7
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176
Crispy Protein Chip Chicken (continued)
2 lb. chicken breast 1. Set oven to 400 F.

4 bags Quest Protein (or likeness) Sea 2. Crush bags of protein chips to create crumbs. Add the crumbs to a
Salt chips sealable bag.
2/3 cup chopped walnuts 3. Add crushed walnuts to the sealable bag.
6 tbsp Dijon mustard 4. In a bowl, mix mustard, honey, and cayenne.
3 tbsp organic raw honey 5. Slice the chicken breasts into tenders or fingers.
2 tsp cayenne 6. Rub the mustard mixture over the tenders and ensure they're all covered.
1 tsp cumin Careful not to drench the tenders in sauce because this will cause the
crust to be soggy.
7. Place the tenders in the sealable bag one by one. Gently shake the bag.
Remove the tenders from the bag and place on a baking sheet or baking
rack. The baking rack is preferred because it will leave all sides crispy.
8. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes. Be careful not to let the crust burn.
Remember, the chicken should cook a bit faster since the pieces are
smaller.
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177
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry
Eating nutritiously doesn’t have to mean meals without flavor, and as this recipe proves often means the
exact opposite. This meal is packed with enough flavor and spice to satisfy even the biggest skeptic of
healthy eating.
Servings: 8

156g 2g 4.5g 26g 294 1
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178
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry (continued)
Directions
Ingredients
1. Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces. Spray a nonstick
skillet with coconut oil and set on medium-high heat. Cook
2 lb. chicken breast the chicken breasts. Do not worry about seasoning, that part
1 cup thinly sliced red onions comes later.
1 1/2 cup lite coconut milk (canned) 2. Spray another nonstick skillet with coconut oil and place on
1 cup low sodium chicken broth medium heat. Add the red onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté
2 tbsp garlic paste (or minced garlic) until the red onion is nearly translucent.
2 tbsp fresh ginger 3. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and seasonings to the
2 tbsp curry powder skillet. Stir with a spatula. Let the sauce simmer, and then
1 tbsp turmeric cover. Reduce to low heat to allow the sauce to cook and
1 tbsp smoked paprika thicken.
1 tbsp cayenne 4. Add cooked, chopped chicken breasts into the coconut curry
Sea salt and pepper to taste mixture. Stir with a spatula and cook covered for about 5
minutes on low heat. Season with sea salt and pepper to
taste.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the sauce to
thicken.
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179
One of the hardest things to determine when eating fresh, natural, and healthy is how long
certain foods will stay fresh once they’ve been cooked. You can finally stop guessing because
we’ve compiled freshness lists of the most popular vegetables, meats & poultry, and fish used
in cooking for you to reference anytime you need it.
The following lists solely contains cooked foods.
Click Icons Below
Vegetables Meat & Poultry Fish
Back to top ↑
180
Vegetables
Find Your Veggie In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Artichokes 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Asparagus 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Beans (Snap/String/Wax) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Beet Greens 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Beets 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Bitter Melon 3-5 Days N/A
Black-Eyed Peas 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Bok Choy 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Broad Beans 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Broccoli 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Brussels Sprouts 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Burdock Root/Gobo Root 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Cabbage 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Cardoon 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
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181
Carrots 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Cauliflower 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Celeriac/Celery Root 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Celery 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Chayote 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Chickpeas/Garbanzos 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Chinese Cabbage 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Chinese Long Beans 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Collard Greens 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Corn on the Cob 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Cranberry Beans 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Dandelion Greens 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Dock 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Eggplant 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Fiddlehead Ferns 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes) 3-5 Days N/A
Jicama 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Kale 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Kohlrabi 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Leeks 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Lima Beans 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Mushrooms 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Mustard Greens 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Nopales 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Okra 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Onions 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Parsnips 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
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182
Peas (Green) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Peas (Sugar Snap) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Peppers (All Varieties) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Potatoes (All except sweet potatoes 3-5 Days 10-12 Months

and yams)
Pumpkin 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Rutabagas 3-5 Days 8-10 Months
Salsify (Vegetable Oyster) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Shallots 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Snow Peas 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Soybeans 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Spinach 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Squash (Summer) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Squash (Winter) 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Sweet Potatoes 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Swiss Chard 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Taro 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Tomatoes 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Turnip Greens 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Turnips 3-5 Days 8-10 Months
Yams 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Yardlong Beans 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
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183
Meat & Poultry
Find Your Meat In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Bacon (Unopened Package) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Brisket 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Heart 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Kidneys 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Liver 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Ribs 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Roast 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Steak 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef Tongue 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Beef, Stew Meat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bison Chops 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bison Roast 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bison Steak 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bison, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bison, Stew Meat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
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184
Bratwurst Sausages 3-4 Days 1-2 Months
Breakfast Sausages 3-4 Days 1-2 Months
Calibou 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Chicken Breasts 3-4 Days 4 Months
Chicken, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Chitterlings 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Corned Beef 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Cornish Hen 3-4 Days 4-6 Months
Country Ham 1 Week 1 Month
Deer 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Duck, Whole 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Giblets, Chicken 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Giblets, Duck 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Giblets, Goose 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Giblets, Turkey 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Goat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Goose, Whole 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Guineafowl 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Italian Sausage 3-4 Days 1-2 Months
Lamb Chops (All Cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Heart 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Kidneys 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Liver 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Ribs 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Roast (All Cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Steak 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb Tongue 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
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185
Lamb, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lamb, Stew Meat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Meat Pie (All Types) 3-5 Days 1-2 Months
Meatballs 3-4 Days 3-4 Months
Meatloaf 3-4 Days 3-4 Months
Moose 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Partridge 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pheasant 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Chops (All cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Heart 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Kidneys 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Liver 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Ribs (All cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Roast (All cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Steak 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork Tongue 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pork, Stew Meat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Quail 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Rabbit 3-4 Days 4-6 Months
Sausages 3-4 Days 1-2 Months
Squab / Pigeon 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Turkey Pieces 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Turkey, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Turkey, Whole 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Chops 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Hearts 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
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186
Veal Kidneys 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Liver 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Ribs 3-4 days 2-3 Months
Veal Roast (All cuts) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Shanks (osso buco) 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Steaks 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal Tongue 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal, Ground 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Veal, Stew Meat 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Venison 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Wild Boar 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
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187
Fish
Find Your Fish In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Arctic Char 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Bluefish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Carp 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Catfish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Clams 3-4 Days 3 Months
Cod 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Crab (Still In Shell) 3-5 Days 3 Months
Crab (Out Of Shell) 3-5 Days 3 Months
Crayfish (Crawfish) 3-4 Days 3 Months
Flounder 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Frog Legs 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Grouper 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Haddock 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Halibut 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Lobster (In Shell) 2 Days 3 Months
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188
Lobster (Shell Removed) 3-4 Days 3 Months
Mackerel 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Mahi-Mahi 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Monkfish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Mullet 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Mussels 3-4 Days 3 Months
Octopus 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Orange Roughy 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Oysters 3-4 Days 3 Months
Perch 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Pollock 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Rockfish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Salmon 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Scallops 3-4 Days 3 Months
Sea Bass 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Sea Trout 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Shark Steak 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Shrimp 3-4 Days 3 Months
Skate 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Smelts 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Snapper 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Sole 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Squid / Calamari 3-4 Days 3 Months
Striped Bass 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Swordfish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Tilapia 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Trout 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
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189
Tuna 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Turbot 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
Whitefish 3-4 Days 2-3 Months
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190
The following lists solely contain fresh, whole, and raw foods, oils and herbs.
One of the hardest things to determine when eating fresh, natural, and healthy is how long
certain foods will stay fresh in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. You can finally stop
guessing because we’ve compiled freshness lists of the most popular fruits, vegetables,
meats & poultry, fish, dairy & eggs, oils, and herbs used in cooking for you to reference
anytime you need it.
Click Icons Below
Fruit Vegetables Meat & Poultry
Fish Dairy & Eggs Oils Herbs
Back to top ↑
191
Fruit
Find Your Fruit In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Apples 1-3 Days (or until 3-4 Weeks 10-12 Months

ripe)
Apricots 1-3 Days (or until 4-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Avocados 4-7 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 3-6 Months
ripe)
Bananas 2-5 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 2-3 Months
ripe)
Blackberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Blueberries N/A 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months
Boysenberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Cantaloupe Melons 2-4 Days (or until 7-10 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Casaba Melons 2-4 Days (or until 7-10 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Cherimoya 2-5 Days (or until 1-2 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Cherries N/A 4-7 Days 10-12 Months
Clementines 1 Week 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months
Cranberries N/A 2-4 Weeks 10-12 Months
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192
Crenshaw Melons 2-4 Days (or until 7-10 Days 10-12 Months
ripe)
Currants N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Elderberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Feijoa 2-3 Days (or until 1-2 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Figs N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Fruit Salad N/A 5-7 Days N/A
Gooseberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Grapefruit 1 Week 2-3 Weeks 10-12 Months
Grapes N/A 5-7 Days 10-12 Months
Guava N/A 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Honeydew Melons 2-4 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Huckleberries N/A 7-14 Days 10-12 Months
Kiwi 2-3 Days (or until 5-7 (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Kumquats 3-5 Days 2-3 Weeks 10-12 Months
Lemons 1 Week 2-3 Weeks 3-4 Months
Limes 1 Week 3-4 Weeks 3-4 Months
Litchis (Lychees) N/A 5-7 Days 10-12 Months
Mangos 2-5 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Nectarines 2-3 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Olives N/A 2-3 Months N/A
Oranges 1 Week 2-3 Weeks 10-12 Months
Papayas 2-5 Days (or until 2-3 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Passion Fruit 2-5 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 6-8 Months
ripe)
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193
Peaches 1-3 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Pears 1-4 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Persimmons 1-4 Days (or until 2-3 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Pineapple 1-2 Days 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Plantains 3-5 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Plums 2-3 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Pomegranate 1-2 Weeks 1-2 Months 10-12 Months
Prickly Pears 2-5 Days (or until 1-3 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
ripe)
Quines 2-5 Days (or until 2-3 Weeks (once 10-12 Months
ripe) ripe)
Raspberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Sapote (Marmalade 2-5 Days (or until 3-5 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
Plum) ripe)
Star Fruit 2-5 Days (or until 5-7 Days (once ripe) 10-12 Months
(Carambola) ripe)
Strawberries N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Tangerine (Mandarin 1 Week 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months

Orange)
Ugli Fruit 1 Week 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months
Watermelon 7-10 Days 2 Weeks 10-12 Months
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194
Vegetables
Find Your Veggie In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Alfalfa Sprouts N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Ancho Peppers 1 year N/A N/A

(Dried Poblanos)
Artichokes N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Arugula N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Asparagus N/A 3-4 Days 12-18 Months
Bamboo Shoots N/A 1 Week N/A
Banana Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Beans N/A 3-5 Days 12-18 Months

(Snap/String/Wax)
Beet Greens N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Beets N/A 2 Weeks 12-18 Months
Belgian Endive N/A 4-5 Days N/A
Bell Peppers/Sweet N/A 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months

Peppers
Bitter Melon N/A 5 Days N/A
Black-Eyed Peas N/A 2 Days 10-12 Months
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195
Bok Choy N/A 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Broad Beans N/A 2 Days 10-12 Months
Broccoli N/A 3-5 Days 12-18 Months
Brussels Sprouts N/A 3-5 Days 12-18 Months
Burdock Root/Gobo N/A 1-2 Weeks N/A

Root
Cabbage N/A 1 Week 12-18 Months
Cardoon N/A 1-2 Days N/A
Carrots N/A 3-4 Weeks 12-18 Months
Cassava/Yucca N/A 2 Days N/A
Cauliflower N/A 1 Week 12-18 Months
Celeriac/Celery Root N/A 10-14 Days N/A
Celery N/A 1-2 Weeks 12-18 Months
Chayote N/A 3-4 Weeks 10-12 Months
Chickpeas/Garbanzo N/A 2 Days 10-12 Months

s
Chicory Greens N/A 3-5 Days N/A
Chili Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Chinese Cabbage N/A 4-5 Days 12-18 Months
Chinese Long Beans N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Collard Greens N/A 4-5 Days 10-12 Months
Corn on the Cob N/A 1-2 Days 8 Months
Cranberry Beans N/A 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Cucumber N/A 1 Week N/A
Dandelion Greens N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Eggplant N/A 5-7 Days 6-8 Months
Fennel N/A 7-10 Days 10-12 Months
Fiddlehead Ferns N/A 1-2 Days N/A
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196
Frisee Greens N/A 3-5 Days N/A
Garlic N/A 3-5 Months 10-12 Months
Ginger Root N/A 2-3 Weeks 1 Month
Green Onions N/A 7-10 Days 10-12 Months

(Scallions)
Guero Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Habanero Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Horseradish Root N/A 1-2 Months N/A
Jalapeno Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Jerusalem Artichokes N/A 1-2 Weeks N/A

(Sunchokes)
Jicama N/A 1-2 Weeks N/A
Kale N/A 5-7 Days 10-12 Months
Kohlrabi N/A 4-5 Days 10-12 Months
Leeks N/A 7-14 Days 10-12 Months
Lettuce (Bibb) N/A 3-4 Days N/A
Lettuce (Boston) N/A 3-4 Days N/A
Lettuce (Butterhead) N/A 3-4 Days N/A
Lettuce (Iceberg) N/A 1 Week N/A
Lettuce (Leaf) N/A 1 Week N/A
Lettuce (Lollo Rosso) N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Lettuce (Mache) N/A 1-2 Days N/A
Lettuce (Romaine or N/A 1 Week N/A

Cos)
Lima Beans N/A 3-5 Days 8 Months
Mesclun Greens N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Mung Bean Sprouts N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Mushrooms N/A 4-7 Days 10-12 Months
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197
Mustard Greens N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Nopales N/A 1- 2 Weeks N/A
Okra N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Onions N/A 5-7 Days 10-12 Months
Parsnips N/A 3-4 Weeks 10-12 Months
Peas (Green) N/A 3-5 Days 12-18 Months
Peas (Sugar Snap) N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Pimientos N/A 1-2 Weeks 10-12 Months
Poblano Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Potatoes (All except 1-2 Weeks (at normal N/A 10-12 Months
sweet potatoes and room temperature)
yams)
Pumpkin 1-2 Months N/A 10-12 Months
Radiccho N/A 3-5 Days N/A
Radishes N/A 10-14 Days N/A
Rhubarb N/A 5-7 Days 10-12 Months
Rutabagas N/A 2-3 Weeks 8-10 Months
Salsify (Vegetable N/A 1-2 Weeks N/A

Oyster)
Serano Peppers N/A 1 Week 10-12 Months
Shallots 1 Month 1 Month 10-12 Months
Snow Peas N/A 3-4 Days 10-12 Months
Sorrel N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Soybeans N/A 3-5 Days 8 Months
Spinach N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
Squash (Summer) N/A 4-5 Days 10-12 Months
Squash (Winter) 1-2 Months N/A 10-12 Months
Sweet Potatoes 5-7 Days (at normal N/A 10-12 Months

room temperature)
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198
Swiss Chard N/A 2-3 Days 10-12 Months
Taro N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Tomatillos N/A 2-3 Weeks 10-12 Months
Tomatoes 1-5 Days (or until 2-3 Days (once ripe) 2 Months
ripe)
Truffles N/A 2-14 Days 6-8 Months
Turnip Greens N/A 1-2 Days 10-12 Months
Turnips N/A 2-3 Weeks 8-10 Months
Water Chestnuts N/A 1 Week N/A
Watercress N/A 2-3 Days N/A
Yams 5-7 Days (at normal N/A 10-12 Months

room temperature)
Yardlong Beans N/A 3-5 Days 10-12 Months
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199
Meat & Poultry
Find Your Meat In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Bacon (Unopened N/A 1 Week after “use by” 1-2 Months

Package) date on package
Beef Brisket N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Beef Heart N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Beef Kidneys N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Beef Liver N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Beef Ribs N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Beef Roast N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Beef Steak N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Beef Tongue N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Beef, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Beef, Stew Meat N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Bison Chops N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Bison Roast N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Bison Steak N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Bison, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
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200
Bison, Stew Meat N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Blood Sausage N/A 1 Week (after ‘use by’ 1-2 Months

(unopened package) date on package)
Bologna (sliced at N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months

Deli)
Bratwurst Sausages N/A 1-2 Days 1-2 Months
Breakfast Sausages N/A 1-2 Days 1-2 Months
Canadian Bacon N/A 3-4 Days 1-2 Months
Calibou N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Chicken Breasts N/A 1-2 Days 9 Months
Chicken (sliced at N/A 1 Week (after ‘use by’ 1-2 Months

Deli) date on package)
Chicken Cutlets N/A Date On Package 6 Months

(unopened package)
Chicken Strips N/A Date On Package 6 Months

(unopened package)
Chicken Tenderloins N/A Date On Package 6 Months

(unopened package)
Chicken, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Chicken, Whole N/A 1-2 Days 1 Year
Chitterlings N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Corned Beef N/A 5-7 Days 1 Month
Cornish Hen N/A 1-2 Days 1 Year
Country Ham (Whole 1 Year N/A N/A

& Cured)
Deer N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Duck (Smoked Breast N/A 1 Week (after “use 1-2 Months

/ Vacuum Sealed) by” date on package)
Duck, Whole N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Giblets, Chicken N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Giblets, Duck N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
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Giblets, Goose N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Giblets, Turkey N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Goat, Ground/Stew N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months

Meat
Goat, Roast N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Goose, Whole N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Guineafowl N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Ham (sliced at Deli) N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months
Ham (uncured) N/A 3-5 Days 6 Months
Italian Sausage N/A 1-2 Days 1-2 Months
Jellied Beef Loaf N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months

(sliced at Deli)
Knockwurst N/A 1 Week (after ‘used 1-2 Months

(unopened) by’ date on package)
Lamb Chops (All N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months

Cuts)
Lamb Heart N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Lamb Kidneys N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Lamb Liver N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Lamb Ribs N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Lamb Roast (All N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months

Cuts)
Lamb Steak N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Lamb Tongue N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Lamb, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Lamb, Stew Meat N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Liverwurst (sliced at N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months

Deli)
Moose N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Olive Loaf (sliced at N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months
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202
Deli)
Pancetta (sliced at N/A 1 Week 1-2 Months

Deli)
Partridge N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Pastrami (sliced at N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months

Deli)
Pheasant N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Polish Sausage N/A 1 Week (after ‘use by’ 1-2 Months

(Smoked Kielbasa - date on package)
unopened)
Pork Chops (All cuts) N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Pork Heart N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Pork Kidneys N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Pork Liver N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Pork Ribs (All cuts) N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Pork Roast (All cuts) N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Pork Steak N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Pork Tongue N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Pork, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Pork, Stew Meat N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Quail N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Rabbit, Pieces N/A 1-2 Days 9 Months
Rabbit, Whole N/A 1-2 Days 1 Year
Roast Beef (sliced at N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months

Deli)
Salami (sliced at Deli) N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months
Sausages N/A 1-2 Days 1-2 Months
Squab / Pigeon N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Turkey (sliced at Deli) N/A 3-5 Days 1-2 Months
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Turkey Pieces N/A 1-2 Days 9 Months
Turkey, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Turkey, Whole N/A 1-2 Days 1 Year
Veal (All cuts) N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Veal Hearts N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Veal Kidneys N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Veal Liver N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Veal Ribs N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Veal Roast (All cuts) N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months
Veal Shanks (osso N/A 3-5 Days 4-6 Months

buco)
Veal Steaks N/A 3-5 Days 6-12 Months
Veal Tongue N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Veal, Ground N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Veal, Stew Meat N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Venison N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
Wild Boar N/A 3-5 Days 6-9 Months
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Fish
Find Your Fish In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Arctic Char N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Bluefish N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Carp N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Catfish N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Clams N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Cod N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Crab N/A 1-2 Days N/A
Crayfish (Crawfish) N/A 1-2 Days N/A
Flounder N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Frog Legs N/A 1 Day 2-3 Months
Grouper N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Haddock N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Halibut N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Lobster N/A 1-2 Days N/A
Lobster Tails N/A 1-2 Days 6 Months
Mackerel N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
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205
Mahi-Mahi N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Monkfish N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Mullet N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Mussels N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Octopus N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Orange Roughy N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Oysters N/A 1-2 Days 3-4 Months
Perch N/A 1-2 Days 4 Months
Pollock N/A 1-2 Days 4 Months
Rockfish N/A 1-2 Days 4 Months
Salmon N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Scallops N/A 1-2 Days 3-6 Months
Sea Bass N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Sea Trout N/A 1-2 Days 4 Months
Shark Steak N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Shrimp N/A 1-2 Days 3-6 Months
Skate N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Smelts N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Snapper N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Sole N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Squid / Calamari N/A 1-2 Days 3-6 Months
Striped Bass N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Sushi N/A 1 Day N/A
Swordfish N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Tilapia N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Trout N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
Tuna N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
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Turbot N/A 1-2 Days 6-8 Months
Whitefish N/A 1-2 Days 2-3 Months
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207
Dairy & Eggs
Find Your Dairy In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
American Cheese N/A 1-2 Months 3 Months
Appenzeller Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Asiago Cheese (Hard N/A 1 Year 10-12 Months

& Aged)
Beaufort Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Bel Paese Cheese N/A 1-3 Weeks 2 Months
Blue Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 6 Months
Boursault Cheese N/A 1 Week N/A
Brick Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Brie Cheese N/A 1 Week 3 Months
Butter N/A 1 Month (after ‘sell 6-9 months

by’ date on package)
Buttermilk N/A 2 Weeks 3 Months
Camembert Cheese N/A 1 Week 3 Months
Cheddar Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Cheshire Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Colby Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
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208
Cottage Cheese N/A 7-10 Days 3 Months
Derby Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Dubliner Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Edam Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Egg Whites (out of N/A 2-4 Days 1 Year

shell)
Egg Yolks (out of N/A 2-4 Days 1 Year

shell)
Egg, Whole N/A 3-5 Weeks 1 Year
Emmental Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Farmer Cheese N/A 5-7 Days 6 Months
Feta Cheese N/A 5-7 Days 3 Months

(crumbles)
Feta Cheese (in N/A 3 Months 3 Months

brine)
Fontina Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Gloucester Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 6 Months
Goat Cheese / N/A 2-3 Weeks 3 Months

Chevre
Gorgonzola Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 6 Months
Gouda Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Gruyere Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Havarti Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Jarlsberg Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Lancashire Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 6 Months
Limburger Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Mascarpone Cheese N/A 2 Months 3 Months
Milk, Pasteurized N/A 1 Week (after “sell 3 Months

by” date on package)
Milk, Evaporated 1 Year N/A N/A
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(unopened)
Milk, Evaporated N/A 5-7 Days N/A

(opened)
Milk, Powdered 1 Year N/A 3 Years

(unopened)
Milk, Powdered 3 Months N/A 3 Years

(opened)
Milk, Condensed 1 Year N/A N/A

(unopened)
Milk, Condensed N/A 5-7 Days N/A

(opened)
Milk, Ultra High 6 Months N/A N/A

Temperature UHT
(unopened)
Milk, Ultra High N/A 1 Week N/A

Temperature UHT
(opened)
Monterey Jack N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months

Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months

(sliced at Deli)
Mozzarella Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 6 Months

(wrapped block)
Muenster Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Neufchatel Cheese N/A 2 Weeks 3 Months
Parmesan Cheese N/A 1 Year 10-12 Months

(wrapped block)
Parmigiano Reggiano N/A 1 Year 10-12 Months

Cheese (wrapped
block)
Port Du Salut Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Provolone Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 2 Months
Ricotta Cheese N/A 3-5 Days (after date 3 Months

(unopened) on container)
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210
Ricotta Cheese N/A 1-2 Weeks 3 Months
(opened)
Romano Cheese N/A 1 Year 10-12 Months

(wrapped block)
Roquefort Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks 6 Months
Sour Cream N/A 10-14 Days (after N/A

(unopened) date on package)
Sour Cream (opened) N/A 2 Weeks N/A
Soy Milk, N/A 7-10 Days (after date 3 Months

Refrigerated on package)
Stilton Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 6 Months
Swiss Cheese N/A 3-4 Weeks 3 Months
Tilsiter Cheese N/A 2-3 Weeks N/A
Yogurt, Refrigerated N/A 7-10 days (after ‘sell 1-2 Months

by’ date on package)
Oils
Find Your Oil In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Avocado (unopened) 1 Year 1 Year N/A
Avocado (opened) N/A 6-8 Months N/A
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Canola (unopened) 2 Years N/A N/A
Canola (opened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Chili (unopened) 2 Years N/A N/A
Chili (opened) N/A 2 Years N/A
Corn (unopened) 2 Years N/A N/A
Corn (opened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Grapeseed 18 Months N/A N/A

(unopened)
Grapeseed (opened) N/A 1 Year N/A
Hazelnut (unopened) 1 Year 1 Year N/A
Hazelnut (opened) N/A 6-8 Months N/A
Olive (unopened) 2 Years 2 Years N/A
Olive (opened) 18-24 Months 18-24 Months N/A
Peanut (unopened) 2 Years N/A N/A
Peanut (opened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Safflower (unopened) 2 Years N/A N/A
Safflower (opened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Sesame (unopened) 18 Months N/A N/A
Sesame (opened) N/A 1 Year N/A
Truffle (unopened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Truffle (opened) N/A 6-8 Months N/A
Vegetable 2 Years N/A N/A

(unopened)
Vegetable (opened) 1 Year N/A N/A
Walnut (unopened) 1 Year 1 Year N/A
Walnut (opened) N/A 6-8 Months N/A
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Herbs
Find Your Herb In The Pantry In The Refrigerator In The Freezer
Basil 7-10 Days N/A 4-6 Months
Chives N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Cilantro (Coriander) N/A 7-10 Days 4-6 Months
Dill N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Lemon Grass N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Marjoram N/A 10-14 4-6 Months
Mint N/A 7-10 Days 4-6 Months
Oregano N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Parsley N/A 7-10 Days 4-6 Months
Rosemary N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Sage N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Savory N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Tarragon N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
Thyme N/A 10-14 Days 4-6 Months
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The Encyclopedia of Meal Prep PDF

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The Encyclopedia of Meal Prep PDF

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Cooking and meal prepping should be enjoyable.

Here at Isolator Fitness, we strive to

The Right Tools for The Job

Meal Prep Bags

High Capacity Slow Cooker

Foil Baking Sheets & Pans

Before you Cook

Clean out your Refrigerator & Freezer

Before you even go shopping, you’ll want to

Meal Prepping Is Necessary To Avoid Disease

Surviving a poor diet isn’t much

It allows time for:

People who meal prep:

Since meal preppers are fully equipped

If you’re new to meal prepping check

1. Choose your meat

Operating Costs Roughly $1.50 per hour Roughly $2 per cookout

Ease Of Assembly Difficult Simple

Ease Of Use Simple Difficult

Portability / Size Designed for Transport (32”) Designed for Transport

Temperature Control More Control (Pressure Less Control (No Systems or

Cleaning Brush Grates Clear Clean Out Ashes & Brush

Environmental Impact Uses Propane (must be Uses Charcoal (made from

● Choose Lean Meats

Ribs are up next in the popularity contest. They are an

Wood Type Best Used With Flavor Notes

Acacia Beef and Vegetables Light mesquite

Alder Fish, Pork, Poultry, Light- Sweet and musky smoke

Almond All Meats Nutty and sweet smoke

Apple All Meats Mild and Sweet (sweeter than

Apricot All Meats Mild and Sweet (sweeter than

Ash Fish and Red Meats Light but distinctive smoke

Bay Most Meats and Vegetables Medium floral smoke (spice

Beech Meat and Seafood Mild

Birch Pork and Poultry Medium smoke (similar to

Blackberry Poultry and Small Game Slightly sweet and delicate

Cherry All Meats Sweet and Fruity smoke

Chestnut Most Meats Sweet and Nutty smoke

Cottonwood Pork and Ribs Subtle (use with other woods

Fig All Meats Mild and Fruity

Grapefruit Beef, Pork, Fish, Poultry Mild smoky

Grapevines Poultry, Lamb, Beef, Pork, Tart, Aromatic, and Heavy

Guava All Meats Floral and Fruity

Hickory All Meats Sweet to Strong (heavy

Lemon Beef, Pork, Poultry Medium smoke (hint of fruit)

Lilac Cheese, Pork, Poultry Subtle (hint of floral)

Maple Poultry, Turkey, Ham, Mild smoky and Sweet

Mesquite Most Meats and Vegetables Strong, Sweet, and Earthy

Mulberry Beef, Poultry, Game Birds, Mild, Sweet, and Tangy

Olive Poultry Light (similar to mesquite)

Peach Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Fish Mild, Sweet, and Woodsy

Pear Poultry, Game Birds, Pork Subtle, Sweet, and Woodsy

Persimmon Beef and Pork Strong, Sweet, and Dry

Pimento Jamaican Foods (Jerk Peppery (spiced flavors

Sassafras Beef, Pork, Poultry Mild, Musky and Sweet (root

Seaweed Clams, Crab, Lobster, Spicy and Natural

Walnut Beef, Pork, Venison, Game Strong and Powerful (mix

With A Charcoal Grill

Cajun Seasoning (Spice Blend)

In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store in a dry

All-Purpose Seasoning (Spice Blend)

In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store

In a small bowl mix ingredients together and store