Top Tips for Eating Well (When You’re Short on Time)

1. Plan smart, cook less

It’s a simple fact that planning and cooking meals takes time. When you are already busy, this can lead to a lot of stress and overwhelm. Do future you a big favour and be sure to make at least one extra portion every time you cook. This means less time planning, less time cooking and less feelings of stress and overwhelm.

2. Upgrade your meals

There’s no need to change everything. Small tweaks, or “upgrades”, can go a long way. Instead of starting from scratch, start with what you know and love – then, give it a healthy upgrade. How could you add more protein, fibre or healthy fats to your favourite meal? Could you add one more vegetable? Now how about two?

3. Look ahead and prepare

Look forward to your week ahead and pinpoint the times you know you will struggle to stay on-track. Are there moments you are likely to skip a meal or reach for convenience foods? Instead of allowing yourself to arrive at these moments unprepared (and then be forced to deal with the consequences like energy slumps, guilty feelings and digestive discomfort), be prepared and have a plan. Can you prep a meal for those days? Can you have some healthy snacks on standby?

4.  Make things easy

Do yourself a favour and make things easy! Stock your cupboards with convenient items you can use to build quick, healthy meals. Think tinned beans and fish, frozen vegetables and grain sachets (just avoid the ones with lots of added ingredients you don’t recognise). 

5.  Have a collection of go-to recipes

It’s always a good idea to have a few reliable recipes up your sleeve – ones you know how to make, that help you feel healthy, and that you can pull out when you’re too busy to plan or make decisions.