Short cuts and tips for eating healthy when time crunched
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mexico4fun
Posts: 31 Member
Here are some tips I use, please add yours to the list!
1) COOK ONCE, USE AT LEAST TWICE.
When I am cooking dinner, I always cook more meat, eggs, rice or potatoes than I need. Rice keeps in the fridge for a few days and freezes nicely in ziploc containers and can be reheated in minutes just like ready made. The best thing I have invested in was a rice cooking pot that goes in the microwave; perfect rice everytime! It is great to steam veggies perfectly too. When I am cooking chicken breast for dinner, I fill the pan so I have plenty for salads, wraps or just as protein on the go.
2) BUY FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN BULK AT PLACES LIKE COSTCO OR SAM'S
I heard a while ago that if you are buying fruit and veggies in big quantities and they are going bad, it likely means that you are not eating enough of them. Think about it...3-5 fruit and veggies each a day for a family of 4-6, it shouldn't take long for them to get gone. Chop veggies and place in containers in the fridge (celery keeps best in a container of cold water) when you get home from doing groceries. In clear storage containers, you are more likely to grab extra veggies to add to omlettes, salads etc. because the work is already done. Use green vegetable storage bags (I grab them at the dollar store); they really work at keeping fruits and veggies fresh longer.
3) SET A MEAL PLAN (at least) A WEEK AT A TIME
You wouldn't go to a meeting or take a trip unprepared, treat this the same way. Get your kids involved in picking out some staple dinners and try some new recipes. Take inventory of what you have in your freezer and get it emptied. Save the extra shopping time and use what you have already.
4) INVEST IN A SLOWCOOKER AND THEN SLOWCOOK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Nothing is better than throwing a bunch of veggies and chicken in a slow cooker and coming home to a dinner ready to go. Soups are terrific too.
5) STICK TO WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
Whole food is cheaper and better for you.
6) INVEST IN GOOD QUALITY STORAGE CONTAINERS AND USE OFTEN
I use plastic Ziploc storage containers as well as some Purex glass ones.
7) USE FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN PLACE OF FRESH
This is quick, healthy and easy to use in many things and are often cheaper than fresh. When I buy fresh and they start to get a little limp, pop them in the freezer before they go bad. I've done this even with spinach and used it in soups and baked dishes later on.
8) Your turn.....
9)
10)
1) COOK ONCE, USE AT LEAST TWICE.
When I am cooking dinner, I always cook more meat, eggs, rice or potatoes than I need. Rice keeps in the fridge for a few days and freezes nicely in ziploc containers and can be reheated in minutes just like ready made. The best thing I have invested in was a rice cooking pot that goes in the microwave; perfect rice everytime! It is great to steam veggies perfectly too. When I am cooking chicken breast for dinner, I fill the pan so I have plenty for salads, wraps or just as protein on the go.
2) BUY FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN BULK AT PLACES LIKE COSTCO OR SAM'S
I heard a while ago that if you are buying fruit and veggies in big quantities and they are going bad, it likely means that you are not eating enough of them. Think about it...3-5 fruit and veggies each a day for a family of 4-6, it shouldn't take long for them to get gone. Chop veggies and place in containers in the fridge (celery keeps best in a container of cold water) when you get home from doing groceries. In clear storage containers, you are more likely to grab extra veggies to add to omlettes, salads etc. because the work is already done. Use green vegetable storage bags (I grab them at the dollar store); they really work at keeping fruits and veggies fresh longer.
3) SET A MEAL PLAN (at least) A WEEK AT A TIME
You wouldn't go to a meeting or take a trip unprepared, treat this the same way. Get your kids involved in picking out some staple dinners and try some new recipes. Take inventory of what you have in your freezer and get it emptied. Save the extra shopping time and use what you have already.
4) INVEST IN A SLOWCOOKER AND THEN SLOWCOOK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Nothing is better than throwing a bunch of veggies and chicken in a slow cooker and coming home to a dinner ready to go. Soups are terrific too.
5) STICK TO WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
Whole food is cheaper and better for you.
6) INVEST IN GOOD QUALITY STORAGE CONTAINERS AND USE OFTEN
I use plastic Ziploc storage containers as well as some Purex glass ones.
7) USE FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGGIES IN PLACE OF FRESH
This is quick, healthy and easy to use in many things and are often cheaper than fresh. When I buy fresh and they start to get a little limp, pop them in the freezer before they go bad. I've done this even with spinach and used it in soups and baked dishes later on.
8) Your turn.....
9)
10)
0
Replies
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Good suggestions - I do many of these myself. I haven't quite mastered getting ingredients into the Crock Pot in the morning on workdays. I do it on weekends though. Here are some of my favorite time savers:
- Cook up a batch of black beans on weekends and use for salads, sides, and tacos during the week.
- Soak bulgar for salads and sides during the week. So easy - just boil water and use one part dried bulgar to two parts water, let sit and it's done. Put in fridge for later.
- Clean and chop celery, radishes, carrots and peppers and put into individual sized baggies for a snack at work.
Have enough low fat mozeralla cheese sticks on hand for the whole week and take to work as snack - I love eating mine with a crisp organic apple around 3:00 PM.
- Cook a whole chicken and/or 4-5 chicken breasts to have for lunches during the week.
- Make homemade salad dressing using canola oil, seasoned rice vinegar, crushed red pepper, lime juice, stevia and cilantro for a sweet and sour dressing to top chicken salads for lunch.
- Boil 6-8 eggs to have as snacks or chopped up in salads for lunch.0 -
I've done some of those things as well. Another thing that saved me time (and money) was making my own version of the Starbuck's spinach breakfast wrap. I make a big batch of them and then freeze them. When I use one, just move another down to the fridge for the next morning's breakfast.0
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Can you post the recipe of how you make it?0
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Ingredients
1/4 c reduced fat feta crumbles
1/4 c frozen spinach
3 pieces of sundried tomatoes in oil and spices, chopped
1/2 cup egg whites
1 95% FF low carb multi grain tortilla
By the time I have everything out, I have an assembly line and a lot of little cups prepared so I can put my tomato, feta and spinach onto each egg white after I've cooked it. It ends up being like an omelet and I put it on the wrap. Wrap it in foil and into the freezer it goes.0 -
Sounds quick and tasty! Do you then pop it in the microwave and if so for how long (minus the tin foil I'm guessing)?0
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Yes...minus the tin foil :-)....I wrap mine in a paper towel before I microwave it also. I microwave mine for about a minute. For a thawed one, that's plenty. I haven't tried microwaving a frozen one. When you bite into it...be careful of the water (from the frozen spinach...I know of no way whatsoever to get ALL the water out). It's not a huge amount but there is some. Just be aware. You don't want to mess your work clothes up! And I think it's very good.0
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That recipe does sound delicious - and easy enough for me to try one of these days when I have some extra time :-)0
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Make grab & go breakfasts & lunch options that will keep in the fridge/freezer for 2 or 3 days & make several meals -
- salad in a jar (I use tall ziploc containers)
-oatmeal in a jar
- green smoothies
-egg white/veggie omelettes in muffin cups
- portion, chop & bag snacks for the work week - nuts, popcorn, raw veggies0 -
Make grab & go breakfasts & lunch options that will keep in the fridge/freezer for 2 or 3 days & make several meals -
- salad in a jar (I use tall ziploc containers)
-oatmeal in a jar
- green smoothies
-egg white/veggie omelettes in muffin cups
- portion, chop & bag snacks for the work week - nuts, popcorn, raw veggies
How do you make the veggie omelets in muffin cups? I would really like to make some of those... they would be a great mid-morning snack.0
