Healthy meals seem like a great idea until you realize how little time you have. One of the most common misconceptions regarding healthy eating is how much time it takes and how much money it costs to eat a healthy meal, but it’s simply not the case. You can eat a quick, healthy meal in a matter of minutes if you take the time to learn a few helpful tricks and tips. It’s easier than you think, you don’t need a lot of additional time, and you might even be surprised you never thought of these ideas yourself.
Pre-Plan Your Menus
If you want to spend some time making healthy meals at home, it’s a lot faster when your menu is pre-planned and you have everything on hand. When you know in advance what you’re cooking all week, you get to go to the store and pick up what you need. When you have what you need on hand, you’re more likely to go through with cooking.
For example, if you want to make a healthy salad with grilled chicken one night but you don’t have the vegetables to make the salad, you have to stop by the store on your way home that day. It takes more time, your meal feels like a bigger effort, and you’re less likely to want to stop, get out of the car, and actually take that time. If you have everything at home already, you go right home and cook your dinner.
Consider Meal Delivery
The best about meal delivery is you can opt for a healthy food delivery service. Most all of the meal delivery programs available right now have healthy options for people to choose from, and you can get everything you need delivered to you at home one day a week so it’s all there. The menu is already chosen for you, the food is right there, and you made no effort. You didn’t make a list. You don’t do any shopping, and you just cook the meal according to the instructions. It’s easy, and it’s a wonderful alternative to fast food on a busy week.
The other bonus about delivery services is most companies don’t lock you in. You’re not required to order every week if you’re on vacation, you don’t love the available menu options, and so on. You get to pick and choose the weeks you want food delivered, and that makes your life a lot simpler.
Think of Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorites
There are some meals that might not be so healthy, but they are quick and easy. For example, you can make spaghetti in no time, but it might not be as healthy as you’d like. Try subbing your pasta for whole wheat or veggie pasta or even spaghetti squash. Use homemade tomatoes to make your tomato sauce so it’s a bit healthier. Instead of using ground beef, use ground turkey in your spaghetti. Skip the garlic bread and have a healthy salad on the side.
Instead of eating buffalo chicken wraps, make yourself a Caesar salad, grill some chicken, and wrap it up in a whole wheat wrap for a healthier take on your favorite foods. If you love cheeseburgers, make them with ground turkey, a little grilled pineapple and green pepper on top, and wrap them in large romaine leaves. It’s healthier, it’s easier, and it’s delicious.
If you can find time to create a few healthy menu items that don’t take much time to cook, you might find yourself more willing to eat healthier. It’s all about the time you spend in the kitchen and the effort it takes. If you can find a way to get past your mental blocks about healthy eating, you might find it’s a lot quicker and more affordable than you imagined.