Contrary to other nutritionists and dietitians, I am not the best at meal planning. As I have mentioned before—a lot of factors affect people’s food choices for the day, and one of the biggest for me is I want to eat something I’m in the mood for and I want is FAST.

One thing that has been a game changer in my kitchen has been an Instapot. You can cook rice, meats, stews, vegetables, potatoes, and much more, in a fairly short amount of time. You can also use it as a slow cooker or to sauté foods as well. 

Here are my top 3 items I like to make with my Instapot:

#1- Rice

Rice is a great addition to a meal if you want an easy starch. You can use brown rice or wild rice if you want a little more fiber. Rice goes well with saucy dishes, Asian entrees, and makes a great side dish if you add different herbs and spices.

If you’re wanting to make rice for just yourself, all you have to do is add 1/2 cup of your choice of rice to your Instapot. Next, try getting rid of some of the starch by adding water and agitating the rice. Drain the water and do this one more time. Then add in about ½ cup of water (I like to use the finger test which you can find out more about at https://lifehacker.com/measure-rice-to-water-ratio-using-your-finger-1709670061).

Then there’s usually a “rice” button, but this would be the same as cooking it on medium pressure for 15 minutes. This is such an easy and fast way to get a quick starch to your meal. Keep in mind 1 cup of plain white rice has about 45g carbohydrates but only 2g sodium. You can switch it out for brown rice and add an extra 4g of fiber to your diet as well!

#2- Shredded Chicken

Another favorite that I like to make is shredded chicken. I like using shredded chicken in different soups and stews, as well as tacos or barbecue. You just add whichever spice, herb, or sauce to the dish and it’s good to go! 

Making shredded chicken in an Instapot is also very easy. You just add a thawed chicken breast into the pot and add some water on top (I like to add chicken broth) until the chicken is partially covered. Next, you press the “poultry” button (equal to 15 minutes at medium pressure). 

Once done cooking, just use two forks to shred. I find it easier that the stove top method of shredding chicken.