Eating a healthy diet takes time and effort, or so it would seem. Celebrities have it easy as they can afford to employ personal chefs to prepare bespoke meals for them, but the rest of us have to make do with a paltry hour spent shopping down the local supermarket and one of Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks. Of course, when time is short or the boss wants us to do yet more overtime, we often resort to eating out or dialling for a takeaway, neither of which is good for our waistline or wallet.
The Secret of Healthy Eating
The key to eating healthily is to include a variety of different foods in your diet and make sure that there are enough fruits and vegetables on the menu. Ideally it should be a case of all things in moderation since eating too much of some foods is likely to lead to problems further down the line. If you have no idea what you eat over the course of the average week, but you are feeling under par and lacking in energy, it is a good idea to keep a food diary so you can identify where the problem areas might be.
Why Bother with Home Cooked Meals?
There is often a misconception amongst busy people that cooking a meal from scratch is time consuming, but as long as you have the ingredients to hand and choose a simple dish to prepare, this is not the case at all. Unlike a microwave meal or a fat-laden takeaway, home cooked meals made from fresh ingredients are much better for you as they contain more nutrients.
I’m too busy to Eat Healthily!
Modern life is stressful enough without feeling guilty about your failure to eat a healthy diet, but the good news is that eating healthily can be stress free if you plan your meals in advance. All you have to do is spend a bit of time thinking about what your schedule is over the course of the coming week and plan some meals accordingly. Take advantage of seasonal ingredients and stick to simple recipes if time is likely to be in short supply. Quick and easy dishes such as pasta only take a short time to prepare, yet are full of nutrients, and if you make double quantities, you can put the rest in the freezer for another night.
Take Advantage of Online Shopping
Online shopping is a godsend for busy people. Instead of dashing around the local supermarket at some unholy time of night, you can sit at home and add ingredients to a virtual shopping basket. The more you shop online, the easier it gets as the system remembers your favourites and makes suggestions. And if you have your list of planned meals to hand, you won’t forget anything vital.
Try Fruit and Vegetable Delivery Boxes
Fruit and veg delivery boxes are another great way of ensuring you eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruit and vegetable delivery boxes can be customised to suit your individual needs. All you do is place an order and in no time at all, a box of freshly harvested fruit and vegetables is delivered straight to your door.
Store Cupboard Staples
Always keep a selection of staple ingredients in your cupboard, so if all else fails you can drum up some pancakes or an omelette. Good kitchen cupboard staples include:
- Tinned tomatoes
- Baked beans
- Flour
- Eggs
- Rice
- Pasta
- Jars of pasta sauce
- Tinned tuna
A combination of any of the above can produce a healthy meal in no time at all if you arrive home too late to cook anything overly complicated.