How to Maximize Your Meat Purchases by Incorporating Plant-Based Foods

As you're meal planning, it's easy to focus mostly on the main protein: Burgers on Monday, chicken tacos on Tuesday, etc.

But, as United Supermarkets' Corporate Dietitian Brenda Garcia says, fruits, veggies, and other plant-based foods not only provide important nutrients and balanced meals, they can stretch meat purchases a bit.

For example, grilled chicken can top off a salad of spinach, berries, feta, walnuts, and your favorite vinaigrette. Or you could chop cucumbers and tomatoes and pile them onto a whole-wheat pita with that grilled chicken and hummus.

To stretch ground beef a bit further, mix in a can of beans. It'll add fiber and protein, and blend right into many dishes.

Or, you could mix chopped mushrooms into ground beef, form patties, and grill burgers. As long as you have the grill fired up, you could grill veggies like zucchini, eggplant, green pepper, onion, and portobello mushrooms. Asparagus and sweet corn are other seasonal favorites.

To make meal planning and shopping even easier, United Supermarkets has revamped its online recipes to integrate the ingredient lists with online shopping tools. Think how much easier that makes it to find seasonings and products you haven't used before.

Some of our favorite and trending recipes with plenty of plant-based ingredients include:

• Poached Eggs with Sautéed Kale, Mushrooms & Tomatoes
• Italian-Style Spinach Salad with Tuna, Marinated Veggies & Goat Cheese
• Seared Ribeye & Roasted Thai Green Curry Veggies with Sesame Seeds
• Sesame Chicken Soba Noodle Bowl with Broccoli, Carrots & Miso Dressing
• Blueberry Oatmeal Bowl with Figs and Chia by Quaker®

There are so many more healthy, plant-forward recipes on United Supermarkets' website. United Supermarkets is committed to providing the tools you need to make nutrient-dense meals within your schedule and budget. Explore shopunitedsupermarkets.com.