Stuck on what to cook? Have a lot of things you want to try, but simply not enough time? If you are someone who is struggling when it comes to creating delicious and quick meals amongst your busy schedule, then this article is for you! Figure out ways to whip up a nice meal with a hearty protein like ground beef! Why should you choose ground beef as your favorite protein to whip up for lunch or dinner? Keep reading and we will let you know!

All the Great Things About Ground Beef

Ground beef is a great option for easy meal ideas because it is such an easy thing to whip up. It takes just a few seasonings and around 10 minutes before you have delicious ground beef that is ready to use in almost anything! The great thing about ground beef is that not only is it delicious and easy to cook, but it is also a great source of protein! A typical 1 lb. of ground beef that is about 70% lean meat and 30% fat can contain up to 65 grams of protein! This is great because eating a good amount of protein can help with keeping your energy up high while keeping you full and alert for the day. It also helps with creating strong hair and nails. In addition, ground beef doesn’t contain too many calories (about 150 calories per 3 ounces), which makes it a great way to stay fuller longer without having to eat too many calories in one meal!

Defrosting Ground Beef for Preparation

  Before learning about all the different ways to cook with ground beef, it is first important that you understand how to prepare ground beef for cooking. Like many other meats, ground beef requires being in the freezer if not being used immediately or within the next 24 hours, therefore you need to allocate time to defrosting before cooking the ground beef on the stovetop. One of the best ways to defrost ground beef is by thawing it at least 12 to 24 hours in advance. If you plan your meals out ahead of time, then you can defrost the ground beef by simply putting it in the refrigerator about 12 to 24 hours in advance. That’s all! The refrigerator will do the rest in bringing the temperature down without making the meat too warm. If you decide to use ground beef as a last-minute decision, then you can try to take at least one hour to defrost the ground beef in a bowl of cold water before cooking. Once you have done this step, then the ground beef is prepared and ready for cooking!

Easy Recipes Utilizing Ground Beef

Crunchy ground beef tacos with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce. All you need to do is grab a taco seasoning packet to season up your ground beef. Grab some crunchy shells and some delicious taco ingredients and voila! Dinner is served!

• Cuban Ground Beef with spices, olives, and tomatoes. It is a delicious, hot meal that is easy to whip up and tastes great with a bed of white rice!

• Classic Lasagna. Lasagna is a super easy and classic food to eat for dinner. All you need is ground beef, lasagna noodles, some cheese and seasonings and you are good to go! Layer your lasagna up and serve with some warm garlic bread for a super simple and delicious meal!
• Delicious Sloppy Joes. Sloppy joes are a family favorite! This recipe is super easy to do! You just cook up some ground beef, onion, garlic powder, yellow mustard, green bell pepper, ketchup, brown sugar, and salt and pepper. Then you pour the delicious Manwich over a burger bun and there you have it! Sloppy but delicious sloppy joes!

With these dinner ideas and all that you have learned about ground beef, it is time that you see for yourself all that ground beef has to offer! You won’t really know its power until you really try it for yourself!