Life is busier than ever these days. Between work, family, and other obligations, finding time to eat healthy can be a challenge. However, it is possible to eat nutritious meals even when you’re short on time. Here are some tips for eating healthy on a busy schedule:
Meal Prep
One of the best ways to ensure you have healthy meals ready to go is to meal prep. Take an hour or two on your day off to chop vegetables, cook proteins, and assemble balanced meals. Portion them out into individual containers so they’re ready to grab and go throughout the week. Some good meal prep choices include chicken or tofu stir fries over cauliflower rice, salmon with roasted vegetables, and quinoa bowls with beans, greens, and avocado.
Keep Your Kitchen Stocked
Dieting can be challenging when your kitchen isn’t well stocked with healthy essentials like eggs, Greek yogurt, nuts, canned fish, whole grains, frozen fruits and vegetables, beans or anything else to create quick healthy meals on-demand. Keep all these nutritious staples stocked so they are easily accessible for fast meal-prep! Stock up on snacks like fresh fruit, Balance of Nature, and trail mix so you have things to munch on when hunger hits.
Opt for Fast Cooking Proteins
Chicken breasts, fish fillets, eggs and tofu are all proteins that can cook quickly. Keep these on hand along with frozen veggies, so you can stir-fry or scramble up a nutritious meal in under 10 minutes. Canned tuna, salmon and beans are other fast protein options for salads and sandwiches.
Keep Healthy Convenience Items On Hand
When you’re really pressed for time, having healthy convenience items can be a lifesaver. Assemble meals quickly with pre-chopped veggies, pre-cooked lentils and quinoa, canned soups and tuna in no time with items such as frozen veggie burgers, organic frozen pizzas and burritos in your freezer storage for emergency meals. Just try to choose items with minimal additives and sodium.
Utilize Your Slow Cooker
A slow cooker can do wonders when time is limited. Simply toss in ingredients in the morning, and come home to a hot, healthy meal at night. Soups, stews, chilis and shredded chicken are just a few hands-off slow cooker meals. Make big batches on your day off and portion out meals for the week ahead.
Do Batch Cooking
Similar to meal prep, batch cooking entails making double or triple batches of healthy recipes to eat throughout the week. Make a giant pot of veggie chili, roasted vegetables, or a hearty soup. Store portioned out servings in the fridge or freezer. This allows you to get multiple meals from just one session in the kitchen.
Always Have Go-To Quick Meals
Think about your go-to meals for when time is extremely limited. These will be different for everyone, but some good options are omelets, toast with nut butter and banana, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat. Keep the ingredients for your favorite quick meals on hand for a fast, healthy bite when needed.
Choose Healthy Takeout
Sometimes takeout is unavoidable when life gets crazy. You can still make relatively healthy choices when ordering out though. Opt for grilled, roasted or steamed protein and veggies instead of anything fried. Load up on the veggie toppings and ask for sauces on the side. Thai, Indian, Mediterranean places often have great lighter options too.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
Avoid skipping breakfast if your morning schedule is hectic; doing so sets you up for overeating throughout the day! Even a light breakfast, such as yogurt, fruit and toast or a smoothie on-the-go will set the right precedent and reduce chances of overindulgence later on in the day. Start each day right by starting it right! Eating balanced meals first thing may lessen the chances of unhealthy snacking later.
Snack Smart
Bringing healthy snacks with you ensures you won’t be stuck grabbing sugary treats when hunger hits. Keep snacks like fresh fruit, trail mix, nuts, roasted chickpeas, and protein bars in your purse, desk drawer and car so you’ll always have something nutritious on hand. Pair snacks with a bottle of water to keep hunger at bay and energy up throughout the day.
Eating healthy when life gets busy is certainly challenging, but very doable if you get organized. Follow these tips to put healthy, home-cooked meals on your table even when time is tight. With some advance planning and kitchen strategizing, you can succeed in your health goals even during your busiest times.
