Life gets really busy sometimes and we tend to neglect our nutrition. Grabbing fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner has become a common occurrence in many people’s lives. Most of us have no idea how to make it through busy times with out our diet suffering. This is why I’ll give you some ideas on how to eat healthy when you’re busy.
Meal Prep
This idea is very popular in the fitness community due to people having specific diets for certain goals. Meal prep involves putting meals together at a less busy time so all you have to do is reheat the meal and eat it when you are busy. This also includes chopping up vegetables or proteins and freezing them until you need them.
I personally would rather have something I made myself than something at a restaurant because I know what I put in it. An easy formula would be a protein source, vegetables and a carb source. That way you have a balanced meal at your fingertips. These meal prep containers have three compartments and would be perfect to store your meals.
Salad Kits
I have a hard time getting vegetables in because I tend to be a little picky. Over the years I have gotten much better but I have a hard time trying new things. This is where salad kits come in.
If you are like me, your salads can be boring if you make them yourself. Mine usually is just lettuce, a protein and salad dressing. This is where salad kits come in. There are so many chopped salad kits on the market you can feel like you’re eating some creation from a restaurant minus the extra calories.
For example, I tried out a new one this week and it has red and green cabbage, carrots, broccoli stalks and kale (pictured above). The toppings include feta cheese, almonds, toasted quinoa and a strawberry vinaigrette. I add some pre grilled chicken and some strawberries to it and it’s perfect.
Just make sure to look at the servings on the back because these bags have 3 servings usually. If you need a little more bulk, just find some chopped lettuce to go with it and you have a large salad.
Batch cooking
It is always easier to just cook a large amount of something and have it later on. Utensils will only get dirty once and you put all the effort in once.
Also, it tends to be cheaper when you buy larger quantities of food. We buy a large five pound of chicken breasts every few weeks. My husband grills all of it, cuts it up and freezes it. We use it for salads, sandwiches, or anything we can you use chicken breast in. It’s great because it saves time and money and it’s healthy.
If you wanted variety, you could bake the chicken with different seasonings (barbeque, buffalo, Italian) and have several different flavor profiles ready for different meals.
Meal planning
Every week, I sit down either by myself or with the family and we plan out what we will eat for the week. This is important for our house because I like having a plan. Also, if you already have decided what you will be eating and shop, you will be less likely to hit up the drive thru.
I can prep anything I need to ahead of time and plan around our busy schedule. For example, this week, one of my daughters has dance around dinner time. I have to take her but I need to have a dinner ready, so I will prep a casserole earlier in the day and when my husband comes home (while I drop her off) he can put it in the oven for me.
Basically, everyone’s schedule is like a giant puzzle and you have to see how to make it all fit together.
Slow cooker
Or how to eat healthy if you don’t like to cook
This is the busy family’s best friend. My slow cooker has helped me have dinner ready many times when I don’t feel like putting any effort in or I can’t be home to make anything by dinner time. My crockpot lasagna soup has been a hero many times for me on busy evenings.
If you are unfamiliar, you can put several ingredients in, let it slow cook over the whole day and dinner is waiting for you! It’s almost like a magic trick and I cannot recommend it enough. I really like my Hamilton Beach slow cooker.
This is a great way to eat healthy if you hate cooking. I cannot stress to you enough how little effort is involved.
Always be prepared
I know this is something the Boy Scouts love to say, but it is so true! When I know I will be out for a length of time, I make sure to bring snacks. The kids need one (so they don’t get hangry) and I need one. Usually, I pick out a protein bar (these are my favorites) and put it in my purse.
This keeps me from being at the mercy of what I see while I’m out. If I get hungry, I might make a bad choice and grab something that wouldn’t be in my best interest. This way, I’m prepared with something healthy that I know I like.
Other Helpful Links
How to eat healthfully at a Restaurant
Greek Souvlaki Sheet Pan Dinner