We all know that it can be hard enough to ensure that you make healthy choices every day by avoiding the tasty temptation of carbs, sweets and deep-fried foods. But things are even more difficult when you’re constantly on-the-go for work, school or just everyday life.
When you’re busy or stressed, cooking nutritional meals for yourself or your family can be hard to prioritize, and sometimes it’s far easier to settle for unhealthy options simply because you know that they’ll satisfy your hunger quickly.
We appreciate the struggle, so to help you stay on top of things, here are a few healthy eating tips for when life gets crazy and cooking nutritional meals seems too hard.
Do Your Weekly Food Prep
It’s always wise to plan in advance. Consider what meals you have time to cook for the week, and either cook them in batches or prep the ingredients ahead of time. You will be so thankful for your proactive planning on those nights when you come home from an exhausting day at work to find your dinner ready to go.
One amazing kitchen appliance all busy people should invest in is a crockpot or slow cooker. These kitchen wizards are super easy to use: simply throw ingredients together in the morning and by the time you get home in the evening, your dinner will be finished! The Healthy Fish has some awesome crock pot recipes for you to try out, if you need some inspiration.
Don’t Keep Junk Food in the House
We can’t emphasize enough how important this one is! When in a rush, people tend to gravitate towards whatever is easy, accessible and guaranteed to taste good, which can lead to grabbing a bag of chips or a chocolate bar rather than taking the time to cook a proper meal.
It can be dangerous to build habits like this, so it pays to really assess each item you put in your cart. Be sure to load up on staple pantry ingredients that can be whipped up into healthy meals—cans of tuna and soups, microwaveable rice packets and sachets of oatmeal should be added to the top of your shopping list!
Pack Light and Healthy Snacks
Nothing has the ability to unravel the healthiest of eating plans like snacking. Even when they’re not hungry, many people choose to snack when they’re bored, tired, stressed or sad, and what they choose to snack on is not always super nutritious. When you’re constantly on-the-go and rushing between meetings or appointments, it’s always good to have some healthy snacks on hand to help curb the temptation to eat something you’ll regret later.
Some great options for quick and healthy snacks include sticks of celery and carrots with hummus, a banana with almond butter or some baked yam chips with a little drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.
Don’t Resort to Fast Food
No matter what, when you’re on the road, don’t stop to eat at a fast food joint. Instead, choose a healthier option like sushi or soup, or make your way to a restaurant with more options than a burger and fries combo. Fast food joints may be convenient, but that’s where the benefits end.
When eating out, the key to making healthy choices is being discerning when ordering. Avoid dishes that are fried, and instead opt for something grilled or baked. Similarly, ask for the sauce or dressing on the side. Overall, just try your best to stay away from anything too greasy or fatty, or anything that’s overkill in an otherwise healthy option.
Stock up on Frozen Foods
Keeping your freezer stocked with frozen veggies and frozen fish makes for quick and easy meal prep. Some people worry that freezing fish can have an impact on its nutritional value, but that’s just not true—fresh or frozen, fish has the same levels of essential nutrients. High protein fish like Tilapia are great options to have on hand in the freezer, as they can be defrosted quickly and are super easy to cook up with just a few ingredients.
We understand that eating healthy while you’re on-the-go can seem like an impossible task, but in truth, all it takes is a little planning and a steadfast will. Temptation is everywhere, but with a little self control, busyness doesn’t have to be synonymous with unhealthiness.
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