Juggling work and meals

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Stacey_Lorraine
Stacey_Lorraine Posts: 60
in Motivation and Support
I'm new to this site and after struggling with weight issues all my life i finally feel strong enough to beat and bury my issues ^_^. I've recently moved into my own place with my partner and my issue is we both work full time and he hasnt really got a clue about cooking even after spending 2 years teaching him.

I work 8:30am until 6pm monday to friday then 10am until 6pm on weekends, so this is where im having problems i dont really want to eat after 6pm but have to thus only having a 3-4 hour gap between dinner and bedtime.

Any advice is welcome i dont know where to start really as before i would just put anything in the oven but i want to break that habbit and face my demons.

Thanks

Replies

  • rnroadrunner
    rnroadrunner Posts: 402 Member
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    3-4 hrs is fine. on your day off plan your week of dinners and prepare ahead of time. when I cook chicken breasts I allways cook up the whole bag and we eat on it through the week. the sides can be made fast while you are reheating. this also makes it easier to control your calories. good luck
  • mayasmom
    mayasmom Posts: 61 Member
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    That's a tough schedule. You may want to look for a few cookbooks that have healthy crockpot recipes and also anything that has fast "whole food" recipes ... things that can be assembled quickly. If you have a Trader Joe's in your area they have a lot of less processed foods that are delicious and reasonably priced.

    As much as you can, try to stay away from the highly processed foods. And...if you can spend even 1 hour a week doing some prep work, you'll have healthy foods ready for you when you come home from work.

    Good luck!
  • crysthom
    crysthom Posts: 27
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    I have a friend who cooks his week worth of meals on Sunday's and freezes them.
  • britachu
    britachu Posts: 157
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    I have a similarly busy schedule (working about 65 hours a week), and I have a few things that I do that help, although sometimes I end up buying food at one of my works (Barnes & Noble cafe, super unhealthy!).

    Another poster mentioned this already, but cook up a full package or two of chicken all at once and use it throughout the week. If you keep wraps on hand at home, and some veggies, you can make a quick chicken wrap (I like to add buffalo sauce to the chicken, yum!). You can also add taco seasoning for instant tacos!

    I also like to cut up all of my lettuce and my favorite veggies on the day I go to the grocery store, throw it all in a gallon size ziploc bag, then I can just serve myself a salad when I'm in a rush or don't feel like cooking. Add some of the above chicken to get some protein.

    I like to make turkey burgers too -- make the whole package (or two) or turkey or hamburger at one time, then freeze the patties individually. They only take a few minutes on my George Foreman to cook, and they're better for you than the pre-made store patties. While the patty is cooking, I like to cook up a few mushrooms and some onion slices to put on top.

    Soup/chili is another thing that you can make a large portion of and freeze in individual serving sizes to use throughout the week.
  • ABrideToBE
    ABrideToBE Posts: 94 Member
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    Slow cooker is your best friend. Right before you go to work, dump all ingredients in the pot. When you come home, you have a lovely meal.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Find some good slow-cooker recipes. That way, dinner can be ready by the time you get home, and you still have plenty of time before you go to bed.
    You can also do major cooking on your day off, put everything in freezer-able containers with enough for one day in each, then you can pop them in the microwave when you get home and have a good dinner without spending a lot of the evening cooking.
  • laneybird
    laneybird Posts: 532 Member
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    I also work long hours, I work 12 hours (7am-7pm)... I have found that preparing my food saves SO much money and ofcourse helps me keep track of my calories. On evenings when I do not get home until 8:30 or 9:00, I will take a Lean Cuisine for dinner for the next day and eat about an hour before I get off work... then hit the gym. One of my easiest, fave meals is putting chicken breasts in the crock-pot with some bbq sauce. Then add quick and easy sides and you have a few meals that you can spread out. I've also noticed that since I break my day up with Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner that you feel like you are eating all day but you also aren't just starved for dinner and it doesn't take as much to fill you up. Good luck!!
  • ocsurfmama
    ocsurfmama Posts: 127
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    I take one day or several hours in the late evening to cook a variety of foods. Then I portion them and freeze them in zip lock freezer bags. Makes meal prep during my crazy long days quick and easy. I just grab a meal from the freezer and thaw it in the refrigerator and then it's ready to heat as soon as I get home. The crock pot idea someone mentioned works great too! Also, maybe pack healthy snacks to take to work with you. It doesn't matter as much what time you eat but that you try to spread your calorie intake evenly throughout your 24 hours.
  • Stacey_Lorraine
    Stacey_Lorraine Posts: 60
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    Thank you everyone i didnt think of cooking a weeks worth of stuff for some reason lol... i do worship my george forman and slow cooker. I think i might actually go a cook aload of chicken and bits now for the coming week ^_^ i cant believe how much of a help this site has been already every one on it is great ^_^ x

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