If you want to eat healthier but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen, I wrote this article for you. One of the biggest barriers to eating well is the extra time it takes to prepare homemade meals from scratch. Even with a few time-saving hacks, preparing meals with fresh, real foods takes more time than opening a box of Kraft Dinner or going to a drive-thru. But I think you and your health are worth it, and I hope you are too.
Here are 4 tips to save time and prepare healthy, nutritious meals for you and your family:
1. Meal plan. Each week, create a rough plan of what you are going to have for dinner each week. Yes, this takes time, but it will save you a lot of time at the supermarket. Planning ahead also eliminates the need to decide what to have for dinner when you’re tired at the end of the day (and less likely to make a healthy choice).
2. Use some processed foods. Eating real food doesn’t mean you have to grind your own oats or grow your own lettuce. While it may be best to eat fresh, local foods, it’s not always realistic. Consider buying pre-cut or frozen vegetables, pre-washed salad, low-sodium canned tomatoes, and canned beans. There are also healthier condiments available at the store: look for salad dressings (read labels and look for ingredients you can pronounce), low-sodium tomato sauces, and marinades to create quick, flavorful meals
3. Always do extra. It takes just a little longer to cook a double or even triple batch of a recipe. Pack some of the leftovers into containers for lunches or another dinner later in the week and freeze the rest. You can also make a big stew or soup when you have a little more time, maybe on the weekend, just to fill up your freezer. Be sure to label the containers with the contents and the date! When roasting chicken or cooking meat, also make more to use for other meals throughout the week. You can also cook extra rice ahead of time and freeze it.
4. Chop the vegetables ahead of time. When you’re looking in the fridge for a snack, you probably don’t feel like buying a plate full of vegetables. I understand! But, if you already had pre-cut vegetables, you’re more likely to eat them. Once a week, spend 15 minutes washing and chopping carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and other vegetables so they’re ready to eat. I pack them in containers so I can take one to work every day.
5. Get a slow cooker. Add a few ingredients in the morning and come home to a hot, nutritious meal. When you find a delicious and easy recipe, bookmark it to remind yourself to make it again.
There’s no question: Eating healthy takes a little more planning, preparation, and time. But, these time-saving hacks can get you reaping the money-saving and health benefits of cooking at home in a fraction of the time.
ENJOY!