Most of us know what we are supposed to eat, but many of us wonder how to find the time to shop for fresh foods, let alone prep and cook them.  This is difficult with our busy schedules and is often what stands in the way of incorporating healthy foods into our diets.  Here are a few tips acquired from experience and patients to help you manage healthy eating on even the busiest of schedules.  After all how productive can you be when you are unwell?

1. Eat dinner for breakfast.  Prepare extra servings at dinner to eat at breakfast or lunch the following day.  Believe it or not, soup makes a great breakfast!
2. Make lists.  Chose a few recipes you plan to eat that week and write down ingredients that you need to make those meals, this will help to reduce food waste.
3. Pick a day to prepare meals for the week.  Spend a few hours cooking on a quiet evening and store foods in the freezer until ready to eat.  A glass or two of red wine may make this task more enjoyable!  It is much easier to eat healthy when foods are readily available.
4. Use your crockpot.  If you don’t own one, get one!  They are great for cooking stews and soups but they are also handy in the summer when you don’t feel like turning on the oven.  There are many great recipes available online, it is truly no-fuss cooking.
5. Speaking of online, keep a bookmarked folder of all of your favorite recipes and recipes that you want to try.  This makes it much easier when compiling your list for recipes to try during the week and adds variety to your diet.
6. Shop in season.  Fruits and veggies are typically cheaper and have higher nutrient content when you are shopping in season.  Look to see what’s in season in your region.
7. Join a food group.  Consider getting some friends or neighbors together for a monthly food exchange. This allows you to try new foods and acquire new tastes.  You could also take turns cooking for each other once a week.
8. Don’t forget the old standbys that are easy and quick to make for days when the time is short.  Instead of relying on the drive-thru, keep easy to prep foods readily available.  Ideas include salads, frozen veggies, and pre-cooked meats that can be added to wraps or salads.

If you have other tricks or tips you would like to add, please do!  Add them to the comment section of this posting.  Happy eating!

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