If you're anything like me, you're feeling decidedly overfed right about now. A late Thanksgiving overlapped with Hanukkah, which rolled right into the holiday party season, which was topped off by Christmas and New Year's. I feel like I’ve been eating nonstop for the last five weeks.

And so, while I'm not setting any hard-and-fast resolutions, I am making a point of eating a little bit better with the arrival of the new year. For me, this means less meat and sugar — and more vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

I find that resetting my eating habits has everything to do with advance planning. Instead of waiting until I'm hungry to start thinking about the next meal, I make a few hearty bean or grain salads to keep in the fridge. Then making a meal is as simple as putting a few handfuls of baby arugula or tender spinach in a bowl and spooning the premade salad on top. It acts both as a dressing and a hearty, filling element.

One dish that is very good for this keep-in-the-fridge treatment is Guy Fieri's  Turmeric Roasted Chickpea and Lentil Salad. You toss a drained can of chickpeas with a little oil and a few spices, then roast them until they’re crisp and meaty. While they cook, you simmer lentils with half an onion, a hunk of lemon and a few crushed garlic cloves until they are tender. The drained lentils get tossed with the chickpeas, along with some minced roasted red pepper and torn parsley. It is filling, flavorful and just the thing for a post-holiday  Weekender.

— This recipe instructs you to roast your chickpeas in a cast-iron skillet. While it’s a nice vessel for this kind of work, if you don’t have one, a small rimmed baking sheet will work just as well.

— Speaking of the chickpeas, consider cooking up a double batch. They make a nice, crunchy snack and a small handful makes a very good afternoon pick-me-up (all that fiber and protein).

— This salad will keep well in the fridge for the better part of the week. If you’re pushed for time, pack it up in single-portion containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.

Marisa McClellan is a food writer and canning teacher who lives in Center City Philadelphia. Find more of her food (all cooked up in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at her blog, Food in Jars. Her first cookbook, Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round, is now available.