What do you always pack for lunch at the office? If you’re like many adults, you probably reach for something that’s easy to transport, like a sandwich or salad. But lunch doesn’t have to be boring or plain. Try these simple tips to pack nutrient-packed food options so you keep healthy lunches on hand all week long.
If you lead a busy lifestyle, it’s understandable if cooking and preparing healthy meals from scratch seems impossible. Working long days, taking care of a family or a home, and trying to stay healthy and active all add up, and before you know it, you haven’t eaten well all week. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Believe it or not, there are easy ways to make nutritious meals and snacks that are quick, healthy, and delicious.
Some people benefit from eating convenience food, but eating convenience food isn’t an option for others. College students, for example, may have to work multiple jobs, have limited free time, and might be on a budget. This can make cooking from scratch a challenge. However, there’s one food option that college students can easily prepare at home: nutrient-dense, low-cost, and nutrient-dense options.
As you may have heard, the best way to improve your overall health is by eating more vegetables and fewer animal products. But when trying to add more plant foods to your diet, it can be tough to know what to create to make mealtimes interesting. To help, we’ve created a list of ways to prepare nutrient-rich food options, so you can start cooking healthier meals for your family.
Learn healthier cooking methods
Cooking from scratch is a great way to prepare healthy meals at home, but when you already spend your whole day working, it can be difficult to find the time to prepare healthy, home-cooked meals. Instead of ordering take-out or stopping by a sandwich shop, learn how to cook healthy meals with quick and simple recipe ideas. Healthy cooking methods include steaming, broiling, baking, and roasting, all of which are quick ways to prepare healthy meals.
Cooking healthy is about more than just eating a healthy diet. Heading into the kitchen with a plan and preparing meals and snacks that are nutritious will help you avoid unhealthy options. There are plenty of ways to plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks that are free of processed foods, full of nutrition, and save you time and money.
Cooking a recipe for a healthy meal from scratch can be intimidating. Even though you may be an expert in the kitchen, you might not be able to jump right into making a stir fry, but that’s why there are healthy cooking methods. But as health care professionals, we have specific home cooking methods we use to promote better health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Use a variety of vegetables and fruits
The USDA recommends eating a variety of vegetables and fruits every day, but it can be hard to stick to a varied diet. While you might struggle to eat a variety of foods, adding a few servings of vegetables and fruits to some of the main dishes you eat every day can help you to include more fruits and veggies in your diet naturally.
When shopping for groceries, it is easy to get swept up by the processed, packaged foods often labeled as “healthy” at the grocery store. These foods are convenient, but your body doesn’t know any better. It takes more calories to digest these processed foods than the unprocessed foods, plus most people don’t even realize how much sugar is in these packaged foods. Instead, when shopping for groceries, try to buy whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Also, keep spices in your pantry, as these spices contain powerful antioxidants and have numerous health benefits.
When it comes to healthy eating, fruits and vegetables are essential ingredients. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients, and they offer a hefty dose of fiber, too. However, choosing the right mix of raw and cooked vegetables and fruits can be tricky. For example, some fruits reheat well, while others do not.