Everybody seems to be super busy these days – which means eating healthy, balanced meals seem to go out of the window. However, taking care of your health is important, and just because it’s easier to grab Mcdonalds and other fast food options doesn’t mean you should.
We all do it. I do it all the time. even though I get up 2 hours before I have to be at work, I still find I get busy getting ready and most of the time playing with my blog. I have done it more and more lately and I too need to find a better way to get the good food I need.
Below, you’ll find useful hacks to help you eat well when you’re time-poor but still want to eat healthily:
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Choose A Day To Meal Prep For The Week Ahead
If you can find just one day or evening where you can meal prep, schedule it in each week. Try to make as many lunches and snacks for the week ahead as you can. Think of meals that are easy to make that you can easily portion out into containers and take with you to heat up, or just grab when you get home. Things like wheelhouse pretzels could make a good snack – you shouldn’t deprive yourself of the foods you love. This is all about balance.
Make Meals In Bulk And Freeze Them
When meal prepping, it’s probably a good idea to make your meals in bulk and then freeze them. You can then get home from work and cook them, without even thinking of ordering take out. When you’ve always got something in the freezer to cook you’ll save money and ensure you’re getting the healthy food you need.
Learn How To Read Nutritional Labels
You won’t always be able to grab something you made earlier or have food with you. Life happens! So, the best thing you can do is learn how to read nutritional labels. This can seem daunting but it’s actually far easier than you would believe. Here are some pointers:
- Don’t get drawn in by marketing a ‘slimming world’ or ‘weight watchers’ meal doesn’t mean you are eating healthy, and it probably won’t fill you up
- Don’t just look at overall calories for a meal – look at protein, fat, and carbs too
- Make sure you pay attention to things like saturated fat, as too much is not a good thing
- Make sure you check out the portion sizes, and that you’ve estimated the numbers properly. For example, the back of a packet might say 500 calories per serving, but the serving size could be half of the packet. If you eat the entire thing, you’re eating far more than you realize.
You don’t have to get obsessed with nutritional labels, but you can make better, more informed choices when you learn how.
Keep It Simple
You don’t have to cook amazing meals each and every night. Keep it simple. For stir-fries, for example, you just need to throw all of the ingredients into a pan and keep on stirring until cooked. Using a slow cooker is also a great idea, as your food will be ready when you arrive home!
Figure Out What To Pick Off The Menu Going out to eat can be scary, but figuring out what to pick off the menu will help you. If you want pizza, have pizza! Just don’t have extra-large fries covered in cheese on the side. Try to keep things balanced – that’s all you have to remember.