Most people lead busy lives because they’re juggling their work, family, and social obligations. Whether they’re making their video gaming more fun or closing important business deals, it can leave little time for anything else.
Sadly, being busy can make it hard for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, it’s important to stay fit if we want to avoid being ill. In this article, we’ll discuss 8 ways that you can still eat healthily when you’re busy.
1. Have Your Food Delivered
This can be a great option if you don’t have time to cook or go grocery shopping. There are plenty of healthy meal delivery services that will do the work for you. When all you have to do is heat and eat, it can be a great way to save time and make sure you’re getting nutritious meals. You can choose exactly what goes into your food by checking out the ingredients before you order. This way you won’t be consuming processed foods containing high sugar, calories and fats.
There are plenty of great meal delivery services out there, including HelloFresh, Home Chef, and Blue Apron. By going online you can discover the cheapest food delivery app, whether it’s DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates or Uber Eats. You can also read about saving money with food delivery subscriptions, and whether you should tip the delivery driver.
2. Cook In Bulk
By cooking larger portions, you can easily have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. This not only saves you time, but it also means you’re less likely to order take-out or eat unhealthy convenience foods. You can also freeze some of your leftovers for future use on especially busy days. Some examples of dishes that can be made in bulk are:
- chili
- soup
- casserole
- curry
- pasta dishes
- stews
These can all be easily reheated for a quick and healthy meal when you’re short on time.
3. Meal Prep
Meal prepping is similar to cooking in bulk in that it involves preparing ahead of time so that you have healthy meals on hand. The difference is that with meal prepping, you portion out the food into individual servings so that you can grab and go as needed.
Some great examples of dishes that can be made ahead of time and then portioned out are quinoa bowls, roasted chicken, and hard-boiled eggs. As with cooking in bulk, the advantage of meal prepping is that it saves you time and money in the long run.
4. Pre-Plan Your Meals
To do this, take the time (usually on the weekends) to sit down and map out what you’ll be eating for the upcoming week. Look at your work schedule and find pockets of time where you can cook a meal or heat up leftovers. This method makes it easier for you to go shopping once a week, rather than multiple times. This can help you with your busy schedule, and reduce the amount of food wastage. For instance, if you use half a jar of cooking sauce for a meal, choose another meal that week that’ll use the remainder.
Another advantage of pre-planning is that you can ensure that you’re getting a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week. If breakfast is usually rushed, plan to have leftovers or quick options like hard-boiled eggs or overnight oats on those days. If you know Wednesday nights are always hectic, plan to have a crockpot meal that day.
5. Buy Healthy Snacks
Healthy snacks are foods that are low in calories and high in nutrients. They’re important because they help you maintain a healthy weight, have more energy and avoid cravings. The major snack categories are fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Some specific examples would be:
- an apple
- a carrot
- a handful of almonds
- a few sunflower seeds
If you’re short on time, you can buy pre-packaged healthy snacks at most local grocery stores or health food stores. Look for those that:
- are made with whole grains
- have no added sugar
- are low in sodium
Another option is to make your own healthy snacks. This can be a great way to save money and control the ingredients. Some easy and healthy snack recipes include roasted chickpeas, energy bites, fruit and yogurt parfaits, and roasted kale chips.
6. Remove Temptation
One of the best ways to avoid eating unhealthy foods is to remove all temptation from your household. If you don’t have any unhealthy snacks in the house, you won’t be able to eat them!
Get rid of things like chips, cookies and candy, and replace them with the healthier alternatives we’ve just discussed. You should also keep your healthy snacks in easily accessible places so that you’re more likely to grab them when you’re looking for a bite to eat.
7. Find Some Quick And Easy Recipes
When you’re busy, the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. And if you have to cook, you may be tempted to just order takeout instead. So try to find some recipes that can be made quickly and easily – and that only contain a few ingredients.
A few simple recipes that are also healthy could be things like roasted salmon with Brussels sprouts and quinoa, grilled chicken with roasted veggies, or a simple salad with hard-boiled eggs. Some other examples include:
- Stir-fries
- Soups
- Omelets
- Smoothies
- Salads
8. Cook Simple, One-Pot Dishes
The advantages of cooking these are that they’re less time-consuming, use fewer ingredients and don’t require as many dishes, pots and pans. The latter means that there’s going to be less clear-up time as a result! Some simple, one-pot recipes include:
- Chicken and rice
- Beef and vegetable stir fry
- Vegetarian chili
- Tomato soup
As you can see, these 8 strategies can help you eat quality food, even when you have a heavy schedule. You’ll be more organized and in control, and able to enjoy your meals without worrying about your health. Then you can focus on living your life to the full, whether it’s at work or with family and friends.