Convenience Foods

triciab79

I use to do a protein shake for my first snack/meal of the day. Lots of vitamins and protein, low carbs, and it really couldn't be any quicker or easier. I eat about every 2 hrs so the fact that it doesn't keep me till noon is not an issue.

bonitacash08

I buy the preseparated egg whites (kind of like egg beaters but the only ingredient is egg white). You can just pour a bit into a saute pan and scrambled eggs don't take too long. I literally give myself enough time to brush my teeth and put on pants before I leave for work and I make myself a breakfast and lunch every morning in about 10 minutes.

My usual breakfast:
Low Carb Tortilla (80 cals)
4-5 tbs egg whites (~35-45 cals)
3 oz. Sauteed Mushrooms (20 cals)
Sauteed Spinach (~20 cals for 2 cups uncooked)
______
~160 cals total!

Yum and the protein and fiber keeps me full for hours!! Plus I have enough calories left over to have coffee with real creamer lol

SweetestLibby

Why not prepare foods in advance? Those quick, ready to grab meals tend to lack nutrition and can be high in sodium, sugars, etc. It really doesn't take a lot of time to prepare healthy meals at home for quick grab and go times.

When you cook dinner, cook extra portions. When it's ready portion out the extras, put in containers and pop into the fridge or freezer for lunches. It doesn't take much more time since you are already making dinner. Put in some extra veggies, extra meat, etc. If you cook chicken breast for dinner, bake extra. Than take them and than cut some up for salads, wraps, stir frys, etc. Leave some whole for a meal. Cut some up for sandwiches. When you chop veggies for dinner, chop up extra for snacks or to freeze for quick adding to meals....There are tons of ways to make good food when you don't have a ton of time.

I do this every week. I don't have a lot of time during the week for cooking with work, school, and the gym so I use the weekends for meal prep.

TeaBea

I definitely need to do all my prep the night before .....breakfast ideas.

3/4 C Kashi Go Lean mix in: Dannon Light & Fit, 1/4 C frozen raspberries, 1 TBL sliced almonds. 250 Calories ... 16.8 gms protein, 10.5 gms fiber, 4.6 gms good fat ..... keeps me full until lunch. At night, place dry ingredients in a sandwich bag .... ready to mix with yogurt and berries in the a.m.

5 minute oats can be started the night before.... cutting cooking time in half. Place oats in a covered ceramic dish .... add boiling water (cover) and soak overnight. In the morning add your toppings and microwave 2 - 2.5 minutes. CorningWare covered soup mugs are perfect for this.

sprintto50

I grab an english muffin with peanut butter for breakfast. I can eat it when I get to it. I make soup in batches and freeze it in lunch size containers and also bring leftovers or a microwave entree. For a treat I sometimes make a toasted PB and J at work using packets I "borrow" for our local breakfast place.

toxikon

Make breakfast burritos! I made 20 and froze them all and had a 3-minute breakfast prep for 2 weeks.

Just make A LOT of scrambled eggs (add some veggies), bacon and shredder cheese... add to whole-wheat tortillas and wrap! Then wrap them all in plastic wrap and throw them in the freezer.

al369

Prep the night before. Cook on Sunday and have leftovers on Mon-Tues for lunch.

My go to breakfast is overnight oatmeal in a jar. Or eggs. They take 5 minutes! I'm a busy, full time working, single mom and I find time to make my own food. You can do it, you just have to choose to.

HMD7703

Okay I just started tracking a week ago and haven't been doing a great job. I need to get to the store this weekend and purchase tons of veggies and fruit.

I need to know what you guys have as your quick foods for breakfast and lunch. I don't have time to whip up eggs for breakfast in the morning. I normally eat a special k protein meal bar by they are higher in sugar. Also, I have been bringing Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers meals for lunch.

So give me all your convenient quick foods for a busy mom on the go.

Thanks.

Busy mom here too!
The mornings are crazy in my house, so I try to prepare the night before. I wish I remembered to do a huge prep on Sunday nights like the other posters suggested. Sigh. Anyway, every morning it takes me about 5 mins to grab my breakfast and make lunch. (I do make the kids lunches the night before and try to prep most of mine the night before as well.)

B - protein shake or coffee and Special K Pastry Crisp (OMG like Skinny Girl Pop Tarts YUM)
L - low carb tortilla, lunch meat, cheese and mustard. I bag them separately instead of making the wrap in the morning - that way it doesn't get soggy by lunch. I make baggies of whatever I have around - nuts (almonds), olives, Wholly Gauc 100 cal pack, protein bar (Atkins) or protein shake post lunch.

Like others have said, I try to cook enough at dinner to make a small lunch for the next day.

Question: Can you not get up a bit earlier to make Breakfast and Lunch? Or prep the night before?

phillrachel

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will write down a ton of the ideas and add them to my grocery run for the weekend.

I think I will get better at making healthy quick breakfasts at home once my daughter starts Kindergarten in August. I should get in the habit now though. I will have to feed her breakfast every morning. Now she eats at daycare.

I need to make healthier dinner recipes too. I do bring leftovers but need to bring more healthy leftovers. And I agree on the big salads being made on the weekend and cutting up veggies. Wish I liked more veggies though.

I can't wait for Spring and Summer when we get fresh fruit and veggies in our stores for a reasonable price. I live in the Midwest where winter never ends and good fruit and veggies at a good price are nowhere in sight. Bought strawberries yesterday and they were not so great. It was a real let down!

filthyfit12

If you need something quick in the morning, Quest bars are a good choice. They are well rounded with good carbs and protein, not to mention their outstanding fiber content. You can pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and they are heaven! And they keep you full longer than any meal bar I have ever had!

^ This.

Also, freeze ziploc bags with smoothie ingredients in them. Pop them in the blender in the morning and you're good to go!

Or grab a handful of nuts!

filthyfit12

If you need something quick in the morning, Quest bars are a good choice. They are well rounded with good carbs and protein, not to mention their outstanding fiber content. You can pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and they are heaven! And they keep you full longer than any meal bar I have ever had!

^ This.

Also, freeze ziploc bags with smoothie ingredients in them. Pop them in the blender in the morning and you're good to go!

Or grab a handful of nuts!
^That sounds dirty, but you get the idea

Colombianchick29

fresh and easy has soup containers low on cal's and not so bad on sodium. They are in the kitchen to go section. About under 4 bucks, and I can get 3 lunches from one container.

christinefultz

I do most of my preparation on the weekends. I eat two egg whites for breakfast with some fruit i have cut up/split up on the weekend. I also make a batch of no flour/no sugar oatmeal muffins and take two of those to work (they're only 124 calories!). I make a spinach salad at home with just spinach and cheese and then add my nuts/dried fruit/dressing at work. i often throw some chicken/tuna salad in it (made on the weekend) or a boiled egg white. super easy and super quick and much healthier than a boxed lunch!

aarikadanielle

Non fat greek yogurt, fruit, and a whey protein shake are what i normally start my morning with, no preparation other than scooping powder into my shaker!

christinefultz

Make breakfast burritos! I made 20 and froze them all and had a 3-minute breakfast prep for 2 weeks.

Just make A LOT of scrambled eggs (add some veggies), bacon and shredder cheese... add to whole-wheat tortillas and wrap! Then wrap them all in plastic wrap and throw them in the freezer.

I've done this several times and love them!

katesmash

My "go to" lunches for a quick pack on the way out the door with the kids so I can get to work: leftovers if I have them. If I don't have leftovers, them my "go to" is a portion of raw almonds, yogurt, and fruit.

For breakfasts, I usually grab myself a bowl of cereal if I'm short on time. It doesn't take long to eat a bowl of cereal. If I have slightly more time, I'll make a piece of toast with some peanut butter.

rmhand

I prep food on the weekends or while I'm cooking dinner. I make a couple servings of oatmeal and let cool and separate then microwave in the AM on my way out the door to the gym. Lunches are usually leftovers from dinner, I typically make extra to take for lunch.