10 Ways to Nourish Yourself During Busy Weeks
Make a game plan. But not too rigid! Think about your schedule for the week. What days will you be home for meals vs away? Take an inventory of what you already have at home and what possible meals you can make. Split up the duties if you have helping hands at home. Have someone do the chopping (or shopping) for you! (Grocery pickup options can be helpful here).
Always keep snacks available. Sometimes we find ourselves hungry at unexpected times, which can cause us to get hangry if we don’t have a snack close by. Whether it’s at your desk, in the car, or in your backpack, pockets, or purse, having a balanced snack on hand can be really convenient in settling hunger until you’re able to get home and make a meal.
Clean and chop all of your fruits and veggies (and any other washable/choppable ingredients) at one time. Immediately after getting home from the store is a good time to go ahead and prep some of these items. Whether it’s for ingredients in a meal or just for snacking, this helps save time (and stress) during the cooking or decision-making process. Get all the steps out of the way that you can. This might also include combining spices for a recipe and setting them in an airtight container until it’s time to use.
Prep breakfast and/or lunch the night before. Even if you can’t completely prepare everything, giving yourself a head start in any way can save time and stress in the morning. Set out your lunchbox and go ahead and pack room-temp items. Planning to have a bagel, English muffin, or other toastable foods in the morning? –set it beside the toaster with other ingredients and utensils you may use.
Cook once, eat twice. If you know that you’ll be crunched for time and energy, cook a little extra and use the leftovers for meals or even snacks! Who says a small portion of casserole or pasta can’t be a snack?
Keep a binder of your favorite recipes that are easy and quick. Use dividers to separate recipes from easy and quick to recipes that will take longer or may need additional hands to help! Try to keep only recipes in the binder that you’ve tried and know you like.
Utilize frozen fruits and veggies. Not only will they not spoil as quickly, but they are also usually cheaper (and sometimes pre-chopped)! Throw some frozen peppers and onions or broccoli into a recipe; or use the steamable veggie bags as a side.
Use snack foods to create a meal. Use various food groups, such as string cheese, deli meats, raw veggies with dip, crackers, dried or fresh fruit, and nuts to create a balanced meal.
Be patient with yourself and know that it doesn’t have to look perfect! Keep it simple. A PB&J with a premade salad or apple slices is a great balanced meal!
Don’t forget to nourish your soul! Take time for self care and relaxing activities that bring you comfort and joy. Reach out to others, spend time with family and friends, go on a walk to enjoy nature, snuggle up with your fur babies, or get cozy and read a book before bed.
—Post by Devon Pulley, MS, RDN, LDN