Let’s face it, sitting down for every meal and making sure all our nutritional content is met at each meal is just not realistic 100% of the time. But while we all have different versions of busy, it should not be an excuse for unhealthy or mindless eating. This will do us more harm than good so we’ve put together a short, comprehensive guide of healthful eating myths to dispel our “excuses” that anyone can follow even on the busiest of days! Let’s make the best of isolation, by learning to love our bodies a little more!
1. I don’t have time to eat healthy
This is a big one and one that we truly believe to be true. The best way to combat a perceived lack of time is to simply be a boy scout and always be prepared! Keep your healthy snacks in all your handy places – purse, car, gym bag, work drawer. Then, pick a day in the week that you have an hour or two to spare (this is often a Sunday afternoon but it doesn’t have to be) and get yourself ready for the week. Write out your menu for the week and get started!
Here’s some tips on food prep:
- Buy your groceries – include plenty of protein, fresh fruit and vegetables and healthy, portable snacking options
- Have storage containers cleaned and ready to go. Buy new ones if it will make you get excited about meal prep!
- Chop your veggies so they are ready to throw into a salad or soup or stir fry
- Cook your protein. Roast some chicken, bake some fish, fry up some ground turkey. Now it is ready to toss into a casserole or heat up and serve alongside your favorite side dish.
- Portion and freeze excess meat, veggies and fruit. If you buy extra, and are not going to use it within the week, an excellent time saving plan is to have portions ready to pull out of the freezer. You can use your frozen fruits and veggies for smoothies, soups, baking and so much more!
- Be creative!
My Personal Favourite Food Prep Resources:
- Healthy on the go snacks you can take with you
- An extensive Food Prep shopping guide:
- Soup stock recipes and guides
2. I don’t like vegetables (or other “healthy” foods for that matter…)
Then what DO you like? Do you like cauliflower with cheese sauce? Do you like grilled peppers from the BBQ? How about homemade turkey burgers? Healthy food does not have to be boring food. Get creative. Buy a new glossy cookbook. Go on Pinterest. Ask your mom/dad/uncle/sister for their favorite recipes. As long as protein and vegetables are the star of the dish, then make it what YOU like. Let’s get away from the idea that we have to eat plain baked chicken and steamed broccoli to have a “healthy” meal (unless that is what you love!).
Here’s a few of my favourite homemade healthy (+ yummy!) recipes:
- 31 Quick + Healthy Veggie Side Dishes in 30 min or less
- The Best Stuffed Bell Peppers with Turkey + Vegetables
- Sweet + Savoury Warm Quinoa + Brussel Sprouts Salad
- Coconut Cauliflower Rice Buddha Bowl with Tofu + Peanut Sauce
- Apple Sauce Banana Oat Muffins
- Actually Delicious Turkey Burgers
- Best Classic Stuffed Peppers
- Make-Ahead Vegetarian Moroccan Stew
3. I need more flavour in my food
Great! Get creative with spices, homemade dressings and sauces, BBQ rubs and marinades. Adding in a variety of new and different spices will add so much flavour and variety to your food and give it a “face lift”. Stock up on different spices from around the world. Experiment with different types of vinegar. Research healthy alternatives or versions of cream sauce. Making your own flavour allows you to keep out the hidden sugars and fats and chemicals that are so often found in store bought varieties. Also, experiment with food pairings and discover new partnerships. The worst that can happen is you don’t like what you made and you don’t make it again but you just might discover your new favourite dish!
Here’s some ways to spice up your dish!
As you can see, there really aren’t any excuses that can’t be overcome if you are prepared and get creative. Use the many resources at your fingertips to find new and interesting ways to enjoy your food while making healthy choices!
Here are a few websites that I use as my go to when looking for new, tried and tested recipes…
You can do it and your body will thank you for it!
Meal prep can sometimes be intimidating to learn, and we can help you make that leap if you need it! Reach out to us, and one of our nutrition coaches will assist you along the way.