With 2022 wrapping up a well-needed burst of festivity, we’re excited about the clean slate the new year brings. Resolutions will be made and will be challenging to keep. But, with insight and common sense, the pledges you make for yourself and your family about food can be rewarding. Here’s a starter for making the best decisions about how you’ll eat this year.

Make a shopping list and stick to it

No more going to the grocery store with your credit card and vibes. Instead, check your pantry and refrigerator for must-haves for the first grocery shopping day of the year. Then use this list as your organiser, updating it each week. This way, you’ll buy what you need and recognise patterns in your spending.

Don’t cut; add

It’s easy to default to a list of everything you won’t eat this year. No carbs! No sugar! And while that may be a realistic goal for the diligent among us, a fail-safe approach for most of us is to focus on the positive by adding better choices and more variety to what we’ll eat. Go for more affirmative pledges, like eating lean protein and drinking more water.

Consider the 80/20 rule

Take it easy on yourself and set balanced goals that you will stick to for the long haul. For example, the 80/20 rule says 80 per cent of the time, focus on what you should be doing, like eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fat. Then 20 per cent of the time, you can splurge a little and eat some of the foods you shouldn’t eat every day but like to enjoy from time to time. After all, living well is about occasional splurges without going overboard.

Meal prep

Want to know why fitness professionals are always meal-prepping? It works! While you don’t have to prep an entire week’s worth of meals, it does make time and food sense to get the heavy lifting out of the way. For example, cut pumpkin into small pieces and freeze to use as the base for soups or roasted in a salad. Wash vegetable greens and store in wrapped paper towel layers in plastic seal bags. Season chicken and freeze in easy-to-cook portions.

Start a herb garden

Fresh herbs elevate your cooking and are better for you too. Start with the essentials: thyme, parsley, rosemary, basil, chives and oregano and get ready to awaken your inner chef.

Read your labels

The more you know about what’s in your food, the better you can manage your macronutrients. Look for simplicity in your food, like No Antibiotics Ever, No Added Sugar, and No Added Salt.

Add new recipes to your repertoire

Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles, Pita Pockets, Lemon Rosemary Chicken recipes from The Best Dressed Chicken are great starting points for a year of good eats.

Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles

For the chicken and marinade:

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless Best Dressed Chicken Breast, butterfly and cut into 1″ strips

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspon sea salt, optional

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the noodles:

12 ounces noodles

For the stir fry

4 tablespoons peanut or sunflower oil — plus more if needed — divided

1 cup bell peppers, cut into strips

1 medium carrot, cut into strips

1 small zucchini, cut into strips

2 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 small green Scotch bonnet, minced, or to taste

1 stalk lemongrass, crushed

1 teaspoon honey

2 stalks of scallion, chopped

Small bunch cilantro, chopped

Lime wedges

Method:

Combine all the marinade ingredients. Pour the marinade over chicken strips, and using gloves, rub into the chicken. Marinate for 1 hour.

Cook the noodles as per packaging instructions. Drain the noodles and run under cool running water. Set aside.

Remove the chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium to high heat in a wok or heavy bottomed frying pan. Sauté the chicken strips, in small batches, adding extra oil to the pan as needed, until the strips are nicely browned on each side. Remove each batch to a bowl and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the sliced bell peppers. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the carrots strips. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add to the plate of bell peppers.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the zucchini strips. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add to the plate of carrots and bell peppers.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, if needed. Sauté the onions and Scotch bonnet pepper for a minute. Add to the plate of cooked vegetables.

Deglaze the pan with the rice wine vinegar scraping up the cooked bits. Add the stock, soy sauce, honey and lemongrass to the pan and bring to a boil. Turn the flame to low. Add the seared chicken back to the pan and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the lemongrass has infused the sauce and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the lemongrass.

Add the vegetables and cooked noodles to the chicken and toss well to combine and heat through. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the stir fry with chopped scallion.

Divide the stir-fry into serving bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro and squeeze of lime.

Chicken Pita Pockets

Ingredients:

3 The Best Dressed Chicken Deboned Breast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cucumber Sauce

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup shredded cucumber

1 tablespoon fresh dill

1 clove garlic minced

Filling for the pita

1 medium tomato

1 small head of romaine lettuce

1 onion

Method:

Combine the cumin, oregano, garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper together.

In a cast-iron skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

Rub the seasoning over both sides of the chicken breast. Place the chicken in the skillet that has the olive oil.

Brown both sides of the chicken. Once the chicken is browned turn down the heat a bit and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the temperature has reached 165°F.

While the chicken is cooking make the cucumber sauce.

Shred the cucumber with a box grater. Make sure to squeeze the liquid out of the cucumber and set aside. Chop the dill and mince the garlic.

Mix the Greek yogurt and the mayonnaise together.

Add the cucumber, dill, and garlic mix until well combined.

Assemble the pitas

Take half of a pita and spread with some of the cucumber sauce. Stuff with the chicken, tomato, lettuce, and onion. Top with additional cucumber sauce if desired.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

8 boneless, skinless Best Dressed Chicken thighs, patted dry

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves finely minced — divided

2 cups cherry tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, smashed

¼ teaspoon pepper flakes

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 lemon juice and zest

2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Method:

Season the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper and half the fresh or dried rosemary.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken thighs for about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, increase the heat under the skillet and add the tomatoes and garlic. Stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and red pepper flakes and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sherry and lemon juice scraping up any brown bits from the pan bottom. Add the Chicken broth and the rest of the rosemary and bring to a boil.

Return the chicken thighs to the pan, turn the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 30 mins. or until a knife inserted into the chicken thighs release juices that run clear. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with lemon zest and serve with your favourite sides.