3 Tips for Eating Healthy in a Time Crunch

These days seem to be busier than ever before! I know it can be complicated to eat well when you’re busy running errands, dropping kids off at sporting events, and attempting to tackle the never-ending laundry pile. When you know time will be scarce, there are still a few simple things you can do to ensure you and your family are feeding your body greatness.

Try these 3 tips for eating healthy in a time crunch:

ONE: Be Prepared.

When you’re crazy-busy, the best way to guarantee adherence to your healthy food choices is preparation. It takes the same amount of time to unwrap a banana and a hard-boiled egg as it does to unwrap a sugar-laden breakfast bar.

Schedule time on the weekend to do your grocery shopping for the whole week. Make it easier for you to reach for the healthy options by having them readily available. You can hard boil a bunch of eggs at the same time, meal prep on the weekends, or make a large salad that you’ll pull from throughout the week.

TWO: Create Go-To Meals.

Did you know, most people habitually eat the same five meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Create your own healthy go-to meals that can be made easily and eaten even when you’re brain dead or running from one thing to another. When you have these go-to healthy meals in your back pocket, it’s almost like you’re putting healthy eating on autopilot.

THREE: Know Your Restaurants.

Even with your best intentions and pre-planning, an unscheduled dining out experience is bound to happen from time to time. That’s not the end of the world, but be smart about what you order for you and the kiddos.

Thankfully, most restaurants have healthy choices on their menus. If they don’t have something that fits your plan, don’t be shy: ask them to prepare a certain dish with some modifications. It’s easy to ask them to switch the salad dressing for a healthier one, or a crispy chicken for a simple grilled one.

AND… Don’t Give Up!

The first week of planning will take longer, but once you get into a rhythm, you’ll save time and money, and you’ll feel better too! It takes time to get in the rhythm of healthy eating and preparing when you’re busy! But it’s worth the effort.