It’s so hard to follow a healthy eating regime when you’re a busy parent – and it’s even harder when you’re surrounded by yummy-looking dishes through social media. When time is short and resolve is weakened, it’s all too easy to over-indulge rather than putting in the time to make something healthy. But as tempting as it is to go for a quick-fix diet to lose a few pounds, following a balanced eating plan, at least most of the time, is the only way to stay healthy.
Nutritionist Emma Wight-Boycott, speaking on behalf of liquid iron supplement Spatone, has given us four clever tricks to make sure healthy eating is possible when you’re juggling family, a social life, a job and everything else that life throws at you:
Preparation
Pulses and beans are a great ingredient to use as the basis for meals. They can be soaked, cooked and placed in freezer bags to use at a later date. They can then be added to casseroles and stews. You can also prep vegetables by chopping them and freezing in portions for use later. Simply stir fry from frozen! Pinterest has some brilliant and inspirational ideas for healthy eating.
Time-saving ingredients
We all want to, but increasing our vegetable intake can be a great time saver as well, for example using raw vegetables. Most of us think that raw means cold; however, if you take things out of the fridge a couple of hours before you need them, or the morning of the evening you will eat them they can be delicious prepared with a simple dressing. Try spiralising courgette and using lemon juice, olive oil and pepper.
Salmon
This is my go-to protein along with a prepared cous cous salad when I want a good, nutritious meal that can be prepared very quickly. I buy the cous cous and make enough for a few days use.
Cook in bulk
Another way to save time is to make enough for a few days. The best foods to do this with are stews that gain even more flavour over a day or so. Cook one on a Sunday to give yourself an easier start to your week on Monday evening.