Healthy
Eating On-The-Go
A lot of people ask me if there's
any way they can eat healthy without putting any effort into it. They
want healthy eating to just happen... without having to worry about
it. They're busy, and they don't have a lot of extra time to devote
to menu-planning or cooking.
Unfortunately, there's no magic “healthy eating" pill. However,
the good news is that you already have all the skills you need to eat
healthy. That's because you are an expert at getting things done. You
get dressed in the morning, take your kids to school, get yourself to
work, cross things off your to-do list, exercise, etc.
All you have to do is make healthy eating a part of your daily routine. This requires putting a few systems in place to help you integrate cooking and shopping into your schedule. The six tips in this article will help you do just that.
Tip #1: Stock up on snacks!
Fill your purse, car, briefcase, workout bag, and desk with healthy
snacks so that you always have good options available to you. This way,
even if you're on the go, you'll never be caught unprepared. Some great
snack ideas:
- Baggies of sliced apples, bananas or celery to dip in peanut butter
- Veggie sticks (try cucumber, mushrooms, or pepper) and dip (hummus,
bean dip, salsa or your favorite dressing)
- Fresh fruit mixed with slivered almonds, walnuts, or pecans
- Tomato, mozzarella, and basil with balsamic vinegar on top
- Kashi "TLC" crackers and bean dip or jam
- Organic yogurt and fresh fruit - grapes and berries are the fastest
to prepare
- Odwalla Bars or LARA-BARs
- Trail mix - raisins, chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit
- Edamame (these are soybeans - found in bags in the freezer section)
- Amy's or Healthy Valley soups (choose ones with beans or chicken in
them)
- Amy's Breakfast Burritos
Tip #2: Create a Default Shopping List:
If you need to hit the grocery store, but don't have time to look through
cookbooks and create a meal plan.. just use a default shopping list.
This is a shopping list that contains the ingredients you need to make
two simple recipes that you a). like to eat and b). already know how
to make and c). know are fast and simple. I have five different default
shopping lists, and I print one out when I head to the store. That way,
I don't even have to think before I leave the house. It makes my shopping
trips very fast and easy, too.
Click here to view one of my default shopping lists.
Tip #3: Stock up Your Pantry and Freezer:
The next time you make a big trip to the grocery store, spend 15 minutes
making a 'restock' list for your pantry and freezer. Print this list
out and hang it up somewhere convenient in your kitchen.
This list should contain all the items you want in your pantry and freezer
at all times, so that you can throw together quick meals even if you
don't have fresh food in the house. Whenever you get close to running
out of one of the items, simply put a checkmark next to it (in pencil)
on the list. Then, when you head to the store, take the list with you
so you can restock without wondering what you've got at home. Bring
the list back home, erase the pencil mark, and voila! You have your
empty list again, ready to go!
Here are some staple foods that can provide inspiration for your pantry restocking list:
- Canned beans
- Canned salmon
- Canned or bagged tuna
- Whole grain crackers (like Kashi TLCs)
- Whole grain cereal
- Whole wheat pasta or rice pasta
- Rice milk or soy milk
- Soups (try Amy's or Healthy Valley)
- Chicken or veggie stock
- Whole, rolled oats
- Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth
- Tea
- Natural sweeteners like honey, stevia, agave nectar, or maple syrup
- Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds
- Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter or tahini)
- Dried fruit or raisins
- Condiments like olive oil, sea salt, soy sauce, vinegar
- Salad dressing
Here are some staple foods that can provide inspiration for your freezer re-stocking list:
- Frozen veggies
- Frozen fruit for smoothies
- Frozen whole grain waffles
- Edamame
- Sprouted whole grain bread
- A few healthy frozen meals, just in case
- Family-packs of chicken, fish, or meat
Tip #4: Be Creative About When You Cook
If you're too busy to cook a meal when you get home, then you may need
to be creative about when you cook. Here are a few ideas to help you
out:
- Get a headset so you can cook while you talk on the phone
- Chop veggies and fruit while watching TV at night
- Make one night of the week 'cook in bulk' night - turn off TV, email,
and phone - isn’t your health worth it? You can freeze the bulk meals
you make and have leftovers for the entire week.
- Chop up all veggies immediately upon getting home from the store -
put them in individual containers or baggies
- If you're going to watch TV at night, put grains or soup on stove
to cook while you veg out
Tip #5: Get Help!
No, this doesn't mean hire a chef to cook for you (although, if you
have this option, go for it!). This means stocking your kitchen with
cooking tools that will make your life much easier. Some of my favorites?
· A crockpot - this will cook your dinner for you while you’re at work.
You’ll come home to a great-smelling house and a warm meal.
· A food processor - if you hate chopping vegetables, then this tool
will be your savior.
· Non-stick pans - these basically clean themselves!
Tip #6: Shop by Color!
Next time you’re at the store, pick up a fruit or vegetable from every color of the rainbow: red pepper, orange carrot, yellow squash, green broccoli, blueberries, purple grapes, brown mushrooms, and white onions – you’ll get all the necessary nutrients your body needs… and you’ll save time, too!
Tip #7: Simplify Your Cooking!
Spend the extra money to buy pre-cut veggies for stir fries - you can
just dump them in the pan with some chicken or tofu and have a quick
easy meal. If vegetables tend to wilt or mold in your fridge, don't
buy vegetables you have to chop. Buy those that are ready to be cooked.
One of my favorite purchases is a package of pre-cut butternut squash.
I put the squash right on to a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil,
sea salt, and cinnamon over it, and then bake it at 350 degrees for
35 minutes. By the time I'm done unpacking the groceries, I have a sweet
treat ready to eat! If I had to open up the squash and cut it myself,
it would just sit in the fridge for weeks... so now I’ve learned my
lesson and I only buy it if it's pre-cut.
Buy salad dressings and pre-made sauces (like peanut sauce or sweet
& sour sauce). You will save a lot of time if you don't have to
worry about how to flavor your meals. You can just pick the dressing
or sauce that has the flavor you’re craving.
Another idea (this one is great for families) is to have a condiment tray on your table at all times. Fill it with items like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, organic ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, salt, pepper, tahini, cinnamon, garlic salt, etc. Then each family member can flavor his/her own meal and make it personal!
Know thyself and thy cooking rules – don't try to be too ambitious with
prep times and cooking details, or you may end up ordering take-out
instead.
