Healthy eating doesn’t have to be hard and time consuming – yes you can still eat well (and deliciously) without sacrificing Sunday afternoons doing meal prep. Bodiology dietitian, Deanna Mak gives her top five healthy eating hacks which take less than 60 seconds, and are completely stress-free!
image via pinterest
1. Keep healthy snacks on hand, always
This may seem self-explanatory, but most people fall off track by not keeping nutritious and healthy snacks on hand, resulting in us searching through cabinets and fridge for anything (or not so healthy snacks) in sight. Healthy snacks such as raw nuts, sliced carrots and celery sticks, a punnet of blueberries or Greek yoghurt are great options for curbing sweet snacking and good to maintain energy levels too! You’ll thank yourself for taking a minute to set aside the time to plan your snacks for the day contributing to your healthier self.
2. Add frozen veggies
Frozen veggies are just as nutritious, if not more nutritious than fresh. Yes- that’s right! Shortly after harvest, frozen veggies are blanched and then frozen straight away which helps retain their goodness, including essential vitamins and minerals. The other valuable benefit of frozen veggies is the minimal preparation required – simply add them to dishes such as your evening stir-fry or add a handful with a portion of protein for lunch, ready to heat.
3. The power of protein (and a good blender)
Protein carries an important role in our diet, in particular as we age. Adding protein to your meals can assist with building and retaining lean muscle mass, help keep you feeling full for longer, as well as after exercise muscle recovery. Try to add a source of protein to every meal, whether it be chicken, dairy, lean beef, eggs or tofu.
A delicious 60 second smoothie is a quick way to include protein into our diet – without spending unnecessary hours in the kitchen. One of my favourite combinations is Turmeric, Ginger and Banana. Add all ingredients into a blender and blitz for 60-seconds until smooth – 1 frozen banana, 2cm of ginger and turmeric, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 cups of reduced fat milk and 2 scoops (40g) of original Bodiology powder.
Also, make sure you invest in a good quality blender as they’re a fantastic tool to make so many quick meals and snacks – whether it be smoothies, soups and chowders, dips and spreads (great with celery and carrot sticks!).
4. Real and Whole
Incorporating real and whole foods has become an extremely popular ‘food trend’ over the last few years. Sometimes referred to as eating ‘clean,’ it means embracing whole foods like fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, plus healthy protein and fats. Enjoying these foods raw as nature delivered them, can not only retain essential nutrients, but also help save time when cooking meals as there is no cooking required, win, win! Think fresh fruit and veggies and raw nuts and seeds.
5. Add variety to your shopping basket
Variety is the spice of life! When it comes to eating healthy, it is easy to get stuck eating the same foods day after day. This comes with the risk of flavour fatigue, boredom and missing out on the nutrients different foods have to offer. Try adding a couple of different foods to your basket each week e.g. choose walnuts instead of cashews, bok choy instead of broccoli or turkey instead of chicken. In Japan, the government even recommends eating 30 different foods each day. Try counting how many you’re getting- you might be surprised!
Although simple, these hacks take 60 seconds (or less) and could make all the difference when keeping yourself accountable to your health and nutrition goals!
