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| Fitting Healthy Eating into Your Family's Busy Lifestyle |
 emilyb writes, "Families must find a way to make health a family value. Healthy food choices are possible in your busy life, if you take the time to plan ahead and make dinner time a priority in your home. Here are some strategies to help you and your family make healthier choices."
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Time management is a challenge for all of us. Even in the age of Smart Phones and texting, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done. Often making healthy lifestyle choices takes a backseat to everything else on your lengthy to-do list.
As a busy parent, you are likely juggling a job, your kids' extracurricular activities, volunteer commitments, church obligations, maintaining your household, and you probably like to sleep 8 hours a night? There are more challenges than ever to raising a healthy family.
But if there is one thing I know, it is more important than ever for families to be well nourished. Finding the time and energy to prepare nutritious meals is a challenge for all of us, especially when the temptation of convenience food is so great. Simple, good quality, whole foods don't have to require a lot of time, but they do require planning. Nutritious meals can be put together quickly when the groundwork is laid ahead of time. Health should be our number one priority, above all else on the to-do list, which we tend to forget when we are rushing around from one commitment to the next. Here are some strategies to help you and your family make healthier choices:
1) Preparation is key - Use Sunday as prep day to prepare for the week ahead. It is much easier to eat healthy when the food is ready to go. Here are some items you can prepare for the week ahead:
-Grill chicken breasts to use in salads or wraps
-Make hummus to eat with veggies
-Wash greens and put in plastic bags with damp paper towels
-Make a big pot of soup or chili in the slow cooker and freeze in smaller portions for easy lunches
-Bake some muffins to freeze (your kids will love to help!)
-Make a pot of quinoa or rice to use throughout the week for breakfast porridge or refried rice (they can be frozen in individual bags as well)
-Boil some eggs for quick snacks
-Organize your fridge so all produce is visible and easily accessible
-Make extra veggies to use in eggs or a salad
2) Stock your pantry - It is definitely easier to avoid the Chinese take-out when you have some basics on hand ready to prepare. Have the ingredients at home so you don't ever get stuck eating something that doesn't support your goals. Eating healthy doesn't mean you have to be a gourmet cook, but it is much easier with a well-stocked pantry. Things to include:
-Whole wheat or gluten-free rice pastas
-Whole grains, including quinoa and rice
-Canned tomatoes for quick pasta sauces
-Chicken or vegetable broth for cooking grains or soups
-Whole grain breads, tortillas or wraps (they can be frozen)
-Canned beans for a quick salad
-Condiments such as vinegar, tamari and extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings and marinades
-Frozen organic veggies or edamame
3) Pack snacks - It is much easier to stay the course when you are prepared. Put the kids to work and get them to help with preparation. Set them up with a veggie brush and let them scrub the veggies and package them up into individual bags for the week. Other snack ideas:
-Fresh fruit
-Strips of red pepper, zucchini and carrot sticks with hummus
-Nuts and dried fruit
-Homemade granola bars
-Rice cakes and almond butter
-Container of Greek yogurt with fruit
4) Develop a repertoire of easy-to-prepare meals - Look online for quick and easy recipes made with all natural ingredients. Many recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less and only have 5 ingredients. Taking the time to do some recipe research will save your sanity in the long run. Then once you find a "hit" with the family, store the recipe in a book or on Pintrest. When you find a recipe you like, double it and freeze the leftovers.
Families must find a way to make health a family value. Healthy food choices are possible in your busy life, if you take the time to plan ahead and make dinner time a priority in your home. Following these tips will allow you to save time in the kitchen and spend more time with your family. I'll admit that it is not always easy, but every small step you make towards a healthier lifestyle will benefit your family for years to come.
Emily Barker, CHHC
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Posted on Apr 16, 2012 09:43am.
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