The laziest way to eat healthfully
20carrots
Posts: 279 Member
I'm almost to my goal weight and trying to figure out what to do/how to eat after Jenny Craig. I think part of the reason it's worked for me is the "not having to think" aspect. Getting home late from work, then trying to slap something together always lead to not so great choices.
So, my question is, what is the laziest way I can eat clean/healthfully for life after JC? I do not really enjoy cooking (maybe on the weekends every once in a while) and I don't have time. I could do some crock pot stuff I guess, but really, I want some super easy ideas.
Maybe it's a food delivery service, maybe it's picking freshly prepared stuff at the market every day--ideas please!
So, my question is, what is the laziest way I can eat clean/healthfully for life after JC? I do not really enjoy cooking (maybe on the weekends every once in a while) and I don't have time. I could do some crock pot stuff I guess, but really, I want some super easy ideas.
Maybe it's a food delivery service, maybe it's picking freshly prepared stuff at the market every day--ideas please!
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Replies
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I eat a lot of frozen food. Not necessarily ready meals but for example tomorrow's lunch will be 2 sticky BBQ quorn fillets, Mediterranean couscous (frozen but you could buy dried ready flavoured) and salad, 340 cals and easy peasy.0
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For me a lazy meal means putting some fish or chicken into the oven to grill/broil, throw in tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms together, and in half an hour, done.
Or boil potato, cut some carrots and celery to make potato salad.
Or have a sandwich - lots of lettuce, prosciutto ham, Gouda cheese.
Or throw into one pot cook - chicken, beef, throw in your favorite vegetables, add chicken stock, spices, in slow fire cook half hour to 45 mins.0 -
Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice, Kashi, Smart Ones are all the same as Jenny Craig. It's all about portion control in the long run.0
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Have lots of staples on hand at all times. Pretty much all my meals follow the same formula: chicken breast, frozen vegetables, some kind of rice or pasta, and a sauce or marinade.
I chop up the chicken into bite sized cubes with kitchen shears (so much easier than a knife), saute in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, add some kind of frozen vegetables and a sauce that complements the flavor, and a normal sized serving of rice or pasta (which is about 200 calories, so if you go lighter on carbs than I do, have less).
So... chicken, teriyaki marinade, oriental blend vegetables and brown rice. Or chicken, vodka sauce, italian blend vegetables, and penne pasta. Chicken, lemon garlic marinade, italian vegetables, bow tie pasta, greek yogurt (makes the sauce thick and creamy, but healthy) and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Chicken, pepper & onion stir fry mix, southwest marinade or a glob of salsa, black beans, and rice, and some taco cheese melted on top.
Easy, delicious, with minimal mess. Sometimes all I end up using is one big frying pan. Sometimes a pan and a pot for boiling pasta. If I use some kind of frozen pasta like ravioli, I just chuck them in the frying pan with the sauce and a little extra water, and let them simmer about 10 minutes. Sometimes (ok, lots of times) I go lazier and use Knorr Rice Sides or Rice A Roni.0 -
I don't cook....I 'assemble'!
I have a lot of cooked chicken breast strips on hand always. You can actually find these at Walmart and in different flavors too. I'll have a lot of different salad kits on hand, ready to steam green beans, brocolli, or cauliflower. I can have a meal ready in 5 min. After steaming, I'll throw the diced chicken and veg in a skillet for a few minutes with lots of garlic and a bit of butter. Easy peasy!!
Frozen stuffed fish or stuffed chicken breasts. Throw 'em on a cookie sheet and into the oven.
I'll also get those ready made pot roasts, and the Uncle Bens express brown rice. Stuff like that. One of my favorite meal/snacks are ryvita crackers with garlic hummus and a few slices of lean ham or smoked turkey on top. So tasty!! I don't always eat processed food, but when I've had a long day, these are staples I fall back on. Also, think soup, chili, etc. You can make these on a sunday in the crockpot and freeze them in single serve containers.
I'm not a fan of cooking, so I try to make things as simple as possible. 0 -
Eat "normal" food, just pick healthier options for it! That way it's still easy (at least to me).
If my family is having burgers and fries for dinner, I'll get either lean turkey or 93% lean beef. Instead of regular buns, I"ll get whole wheat thin buns. Instead of iceburg, we put fresh baby spinach on top. Fresh tomato slices, low sodium ketchup. Sweet potato fries instead of regular fries. In the end you're filled up with a familiar but healthy meal.
That being said, some times I will do something more complicated and time consuming. Normally, familiar but healthy options are my route. I do weigh portions with a scale to make sure I'm not over or underestimating my calories.0 -
I am THE laziest cook probably ever.
I typically eat fish just about every day. I buy around two pounds of cod every week and just cut a piece, throw it in the oven with some pepper and then I measure out/microwave some frozen veggies. I add some lemon juice as I eat it and that's it. VERY easy and tasty.
Rice and pasta are also easy options that can be prepared in one big vat and portioned out.0 -
I eat prepackaged stuff. But I don't have to watch my sodium levels, so it gives me freedom to do that.0
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All the meals I "cook" are easy. I don't do difficult cooking or baking. I don't have the time.
I always grill a bunch of chicken and put it in everything: salads, chicken sandwiches, fajitas, quesadillas, mini pizzas, or just eat some grilled chicken with lemon pepper or garlic salt, or whatever you want on it!
Frozen veggies are my lifesaver. You throw them in a pan with some water and steam them for 3-5 minutes. Done. Either just eat them as a side or I put them in my pasta dishes to make them better for me.
Salads are also very easy. My favorite dressing is the raspberry walnut vinegarette. With some grilled chicken, sliced apple, walnuts or almonds in spring mixed greens, you have a respectable meal. I also like feta cheese, but I almost never have it in the house
Microwavable long grain and wild rice or mashed potatoes. Great sides for just about any meat dish.
Pork chops are my favorite, they are probably the only "cooking" I do. Sprinkle garlic salt, cover with flour, brown on one side with olive oil in a pan, then flip to other side, add 1/2 a cup of water, cover and turn heat to low. Let it sit for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pork chops. AMAZING.
Lloyd's shredded pork is another favorite. Microwavable and filling. I use the sandwich thins to make sandwiches out of it. It's not perfect, but it's really good.
Burritos or tacos with ground turkey instead of beef is another fantastic idea. Or make it fajita style with chicken.
Hope this helps!0 -
Thanks everyone! I forgot to mention I don't eat meat...makes things a little more difficult. I used to be vegetarian but am now eating seafood (not fish though), which I guess opens a few more doors.0
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Thanks everyone! I forgot to mention I don't eat meat...makes things a little more difficult. I used to be vegetarian but am now eating seafood (not fish though), which I guess opens a few more doors.
Not really, I'm the same, plenty of the meat substitutes (if you like them) can be cooked from frozen. No hassle at all.0 -
Cook eggs in the microwave. Eat your veg raw. Stay away from the cheese.0
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Tofu = yummy
Still applies!0 -
When you do cook - make huge batches. Maybe a giant pot of vegetarian chili, or a pan or two of a veggie lasagna, so that you can eat out of it all week. If you took one weekend and made large batches of several dishes you like, you could portion and freeze them, and then just heat and eat throughout the week. Then you could replace one dish each weekend.0
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Come up with a menu of about 5 things that you like and that meet nutritional requirements, and just rotate. (Making the same things often means you have the ingredients to hand & get quicker at cooking them.) Make extra for lunches and pack or freeze. Make a biggish batch of quinoa or brown rice every couple of days to throw in to things.
Easy veggie meals I like:
- Lentil salads (open can, rinse for a while to get rid of some of the sodium, chop up preferred veg & chuck it in).
- Sauteed portabella mushrooms & rice
- Bean & reduced fat cheese burrito0 -
Have lots of staples on hand at all times. Pretty much all my meals follow the same formula: chicken breast, frozen vegetables, some kind of rice or pasta, and a sauce or marinade.
I chop up the chicken into bite sized cubes with kitchen shears (so much easier than a knife), saute in a frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, add some kind of frozen vegetables and a sauce that complements the flavor, and a normal sized serving of rice or pasta (which is about 200 calories, so if you go lighter on carbs than I do, have less).
So... chicken, teriyaki marinade, oriental blend vegetables and brown rice. Or chicken, vodka sauce, italian blend vegetables, and penne pasta. Chicken, lemon garlic marinade, italian vegetables, bow tie pasta, greek yogurt (makes the sauce thick and creamy, but healthy) and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Chicken, pepper & onion stir fry mix, southwest marinade or a glob of salsa, black beans, and rice, and some taco cheese melted on top.
Easy, delicious, with minimal mess. Sometimes all I end up using is one big frying pan. Sometimes a pan and a pot for boiling pasta. If I use some kind of frozen pasta like ravioli, I just chuck them in the frying pan with the sauce and a little extra water, and let them simmer about 10 minutes. Sometimes (ok, lots of times) I go lazier and use Knorr Rice Sides or Rice A Roni.
Bump ALL these ideas!0 -
You could always up your intake of raw fruits, veggies, and nuts. What can be lazier than that?0
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Find some seasonings you like and bake chicken or fish for about 30 minutes and top with seasoning.
Throw some veggies in a nonstick pan with a small amount of sauce you like (I am really into bbq sauce right now) for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ta da! Dinner is served.0 -
When you do cook - make huge batches. Maybe a giant pot of vegetarian chili, or a pan or two of a veggie lasagna, so that you can eat out of it all week. If you took one weekend and made large batches of several dishes you like, you could portion and freeze them, and then just heat and eat throughout the week. Then you could replace one dish each weekend.
This is what I do, because I'm also super-super lazy. I'll cook beans and maybe a grain and portion them out into containers and freeze them. I don't mind eating the same thing for lunch and dinner most days a week. I made a new recipe last weekend that turned out well so I'll be doubling it and freezing it next weekend.
I also keep veggie burgers on hand but I don't know if that would count as "healthfully".0 -
I've lost 17lbs eating Lean Cuisines, Kashi, Jimmy Dean D'light breakfast sandwiches, etc. Basically forcing myself into portion control. It was also a super stressful time in my life and I couldn't work up the mental energy to cook, log recipes into MFP, etc.
My bff used a meal delivery service for awhile. If you can afford to spend more and you're interested in more fresh foods then that's a great option.0 -
Thanks everyone! I forgot to mention I don't eat meat...makes things a little more difficult. I used to be vegetarian but am now eating seafood (not fish though), which I guess opens a few more doors.
I find that lots of flavor is the key, no matter what it is....try buying cooked frozen shrimp, scallops and calamari. in a saucepan, add a bit of butter, a bit of milk, lots of garlic and cajun spice. after this is heated, throw in the frozen seafood, and voila!
Do you eat eggs? We always have some hardboiled in the fridge. we'll make egg salad, etc. or just grab one as a snack. again, adding a bit of hot sauce or mustard to your egg salad makes all the difference taking it from blah to delicious!0 -
If you don't mind cooking a bit on weekends then why not prepare 2/3 large dishes, then freeze them. It's relatively easy to throw together bolognaise sauce, curry etc. Then all you need to do is zap them in the microwave on an evening, & either do salad or use some frozen veggies.0
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I do all the cooking in my home. We have a weekly menu for 6 days/week, that way I do not have to think, and I'm intimately familiar with the dishes I cook, so most meals I can prepare in about 15-20 minutes. Some things I'll prepare on Sunday and eat on all week (i.e. bean salad, steel cut oats, brown rice, soup). Also, preparing a menu makes grocery shopping a heck of a lot easier and cheaper.0
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I'm almost to my goal weight and trying to figure out what to do/how to eat after Jenny Craig. I think part of the reason it's worked for me is the "not having to think" aspect. Getting home late from work, then trying to slap something together always lead to not so great choices.
So, my question is, what is the laziest way I can eat clean/healthfully for life after JC? I do not really enjoy cooking (maybe on the weekends every once in a while) and I don't have time. I could do some crock pot stuff I guess, but really, I want some super easy ideas.
Maybe it's a food delivery service, maybe it's picking freshly prepared stuff at the market every day--ideas please!
Prep food in bulk. For instance, I use a lot of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Most of the time, I use it in strips. You can cook up a big batch and then divide (get a kitchen scale - it's worth it) into meal size portions for you to work with. Either that, or simply cut into strips and freeze in separate freezer bags until you're ready to cook them. You can do this with vegetables too, but buying frozen is just as good.
You can also make pasta sauce this way. I like to doctor up the stuff in a jar with extra seasonings. I figure out a portion and put it in a freezer bag. You can literally have pasta anytime you want this way. Add some chicken strips for protein. Just make sure you log everything you do on MFP and you'll figure out pretty quickly how to eat.0 -
I'm almost to my goal weight and trying to figure out what to do/how to eat after Jenny Craig. I think part of the reason it's worked for me is the "not having to think" aspect. Getting home late from work, then trying to slap something together always lead to not so great choices.
So, my question is, what is the laziest way I can eat clean/healthfully for life after JC? I do not really enjoy cooking (maybe on the weekends every once in a while) and I don't have time. I could do some crock pot stuff I guess, but really, I want some super easy ideas.
Maybe it's a food delivery service, maybe it's picking freshly prepared stuff at the market every day--ideas please!
Meals are over rated.
Just hit your macros in a balanced way and do it with lean, clean, and unprocessed foods.
Buy an apple and dip it in "no other ingredient" almond butter (but make sure you measure both, lazy has it's limits).
Buy salmon fillet (this thing is huge) cook it on the weekend, but don't eat it on the weekend. Freeze it instead. Then when you go to eat it, have it with brocolli and grapes.
Buy turkey bacon and fry up the whole package. In the morning, eat a hard boiled egg (you can buy them already hb'ed at the store), eat the bacon, eat a banana, and eat some baby carrots.
Eating isn't hard when you have options already cooked and ready to go. Plan ahead.0 -
You could always up your intake of raw fruits, veggies, and nuts. What can be lazier than that?
THIS!
Just keep it balanced. Nuts ALWAYS combined with a fruit or a veggie. Fruits & Veggies make a terrible combo because they are all carbs and no protein or fats.0 -
Awesome ideas! My contribution isn't very meaningful- preplan ur meals, including what u would have if u were eating out. Most restaurants have their nutritional info online, and if they don't I usually figure it's cuz they don't want people to know (unless it's obviously a mom n pop kinda place).
But really, i'm here to steal everyone else's ideas 0
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