This article is part of a brand partnership.
Cooking healthy meals from scratch every day may seem impossible, especially if you have a tight schedule. When your time is divided between work, family, and other things to do that occupy most of your day, you may often wonder how to serve healthy food to your family.
In the end, you may rely on meal delivery services or dine out because you can’t cook as much as possible. Or, if you cook, you most likely opt for cooking processed foods, such as canned soups and instant noodles that are high in added sodium and saturated fat because they are easier to prepare.
Well, eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. If you hate cooking or don’t have time to prepare healthy foods, here are some tips to help you prepare healthy convenience foods.
How to Eat Healthy Without Cooking
Healthy eating, as defined by HealthCanal, means eating a balanced meal rich in different nutrients that can help improve overall health and wellness. This includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats.
Eating healthy foods has a positive on both your mental and physical health. It can help in weight loss and maintenance and reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Here are some top tips for you to try:
Buy Precut Food
If you want to eat healthily but have no time to cook your own meals, buy precut vegetables and fruits. They are convenient and easy to serve, especially when making salads. This will help you ensure you get all the vitamins and other nutrients you need while saving time on cutting on fruits and veggies.
Listed below are the best pre-cut vegetables and fruits to consider.
• Fresh green beans
• Apples
• Sweet potatoes
• Coconut
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Cucumber
Prepare Meals Ahead of Time
Meal prep is simply preparing food that will last several meals. Most meals that are prepared can last for a whole week. When doing this, you have to do some initial investments, such as buying jars and containers for storing food.
For beginners, you should start by preparing meals for 2 to 3 days, then store them in the fridge. If meal prepping for three days may seem exhausting, some foods can be prepared without much work.
For example, hard-boiled eggs, where you can boil as many as you want, then store them in the fridge. In addition, salads are easy to prepare, just cut the fruits and veggies and store them in jars.
Here is other good stuff you can include:
• Whole grain (oats, brown rice)
• Meat (chicken, salmon)
Consider Healthy Food Delivery Options
If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to eat foods, consider meal delivery services that offer healthy and premade meals. This is a great option if you have a busy lifestyle and want to eat something healthy without cooking.
There are different delivery services to choose from, so do your research before choosing one. Make sure that their services offer healthy meals made from fresh produce that will fit your needs.
Always Have Some Healthy Snacks At Home
When you’re busy, it’s easy to neglect healthy eating habits at home. You can avoid this by preparing snacks ahead of time, so you don’t have to eat food between meals.
Snacking during the day can keep your hunger levels so you won’t overeat, but you have to choose foods wisely. It’s best to choose healthy snacks such as yogurt, pretzels, apple slices, unsalted nuts, cheese, and popcorn.
Prepare No-Cook Meals
One great way to eat healthy without cooking is by preparing no-cook meals. Salad may seem the top choice, but other meals require minimal effort.
Here’s a rundown of food you don t have to cook:
• Overnight oats
• Gazpacho
• Steamed vegetables
• Lettuce wraps
• Healthy sandwiches
• Vegetable rice paper roll
These choices are convenient and delicious; they are also low in calories, which can help you lose or control weight.
Drink Smoothies
When you don’t have the time to cook and eat something healthy, smoothies are the way to go. Drinking smoothies is one of the easiest ways to increase your vegetable intake. You can include it in your healthy diet, which can help you achieve the recommended daily veggie intake.
Green smoothies are made from natural blends of fruits and leafy vegetables. Unlike juices, green smoothies can retain the beneficial fiber content of whole foods.
The health benefits of greens, such as kale, spinach, arugula, and other greens, help improve digestive health, immunity, and bone strength, lower the risk of chronic disease, and aid in weight loss because it has a low carb.
To make a green smoothie, you must blend all the ingredients at once, and that’s it. Aside from leafy greens, you can add nuts, mango, banana, pineapple, or any fresh fruit. Do not add sugar since fruits already contain natural sweetness.
Eat Dried or Dehydrated Foods
You can find a variety of dried fruits in the grocery store, such as mangoes, strawberries, kiwis, and apricots. Or you can dehydrate your own fruits and veggies at home.
The good thing about dehydrating food is that they retain all the nutrients, and you can store them for over a year without going bad. You can dry any food from vegetables, fruits, meat, etc. Just make sure to eat them in moderation since dried fruits can contain a lot of sugar.
Bonus Tips:
• Minimize food preparation in the kitchen by buying frozen vegetables instead of their fresh counterparts.
• Buy a big crock pot or slow cooker to save cooking time and attend to other things.
• Find a cooking partner who loves to cook and share the cost of meals.
Conclusion
Being busy is not an excuse to rely on fast foods or continuously eat unhealthy foods. There are different ways where you can eat healthy without cooking. You just need to find a way that works for you and your schedule.
Follow our tips above to give you an idea of how to achieve a healthy lifestyle without spending too much time in the kitchen.