Now is about the time when the never ending to-do list consisting of homework, meetings, work, exercise, and sleep starts to pile up. You start to think, “If only there were 25 hours in the day…better yet, 26.”
The last thing you want to do is spend your precious time preparing dinner, especially when you can order out or pop something in the microwave. Now is the time to be taking your health seriously. You’ll perform better on tests and essays, your cardio sessions will be more effective, and you’ll generally have more energy.
Here are some tips to prepare healthy meals when you don’t have any time:
1. Cook a big batch on Sunday. Dish it out into serving sizes; put some in the refrigerator and some in the freezer. This works really well with meals like chili, hearty soups, and veggie burgers!
2. Keep chopped veggies in the refrigerator. Veggies like carrots, broccoli, and celery are easy to store. Cucumbers spoil quickly when they sit around too long, so cut them up right before you eat them. Add it all to a bowl of romaine lettuce or spinach, and drizzle on your favorite vinaigrette. Beans, whole grains, and fruit make this simple dish a satisfying meal.
3. Plan your meals before you go grocery shopping. It’s easier to eat a healthy dinner on Tuesday night, when you bought the ingredients on Sunday.
4. Finally, invest in a healthy cookbook or scour the internet for easy, healthy recipes. Lisa Lillien, otherwise known as Hungry Girl has great cookbooks with healthy, low calorie meals that are all easy to make and yummy! There are a whole host of healthy eating blogs out there. When you know your meal is going to be delicious, it’s easy to be excited about eating healthy!