Save Time in ’09! Time-Saving Tips for Eating Healthy

The new year is not so new anymore! I was thinking of how time flies and how to make the most of your time every day. Many people trying to change their eating habits, site the lack of time to prepare food as a excuse for using processed and packaged foods. But preparing real food to bring out its natural flavor and texture doesn’t have to take a lot of time.

As part of a clean diet, I eat six meals a day. It seems like every time I look up, its time to eat again. I usually don’t mind that part (!!!) but preparing whole foods six or seven times a day can be overwhelming!

To make the most of your time, here are some time-saving tips for eating clean:

• Take the time to cook in bulk and add seasonings later. This is probably the biggest time-saver I use. Cook lean meats in bulk without spices or heavy flavors. Keep about three days’ worth of lean meat in your fridge and freeze the rest. You can use the pre-cooked meat in an omelet, on a salad, or season it and serve it as part of a meal. You can also precook:
  • Rice and other grains – simply warm and serve
  • A blend of onion, pepper, and mushrooms to use for seasoning meals later
  • Veggies such as broccoli or cauliflower, just make sure to lightly steam them so that they don’t get soggy later
  • Mashed veggies such as squash and cauliflower
• Fresh is best, but low-sodium canned veggies and fresh frozen fruits and veggies are the next best thing. You can also use your freezer to avoid throwing out spoiled fruit. If it looks like it is about to go, freeze bite-sized pieces of fruit in a single-layer on a lined cookie sheet. Once it is frozen, package it up in resealable freezer bags. Frozen fruit makes a nice treat straight from the freezer or use it to make sorbet.
• Use liquid egg whites. Liquid egg whites can be pricey and I personally wonder about the nutritional value of pasteurized food, but it is a huge time-saver and a great source of lean protein.
• Make sure you get your protein with protein powder. This comes in so many varieties now, from egg based, soy based, whey protein, and even from goat milk. It is a quick source of protein and is great on the go and in recipes to add protein and reduce flour. Read labels carefully to find a brand with lower-sodium and no refined sugars. I stick with a mild flavor such as vanilla or cookies and cream so it can blends well in nearly any recipe.
• Use Frozen Fish. Need a quick source of lean protein but forgot to go shopping? Keep frozen fish and shrimp in your freezer and you’ll never be without a lean protein source. You don’t even have to defrost it, just pop the fish in the microwave and it cooks in minutes. Run shrimp under lukewarm water to defrost. I avoid canned fish due to the high-sodium.
• Use pre-chopped seasoning veggies, salad greens, and green beans. Nearly every grocery store sells this stuff or you can chop them yourself to save money. During the holidays, pre-chopped butternut squash is available and is a big time-saver if you want to use the chunks as home fries.
• Go raw! With no cooking required, raw fruits and veggies save a lot of time. You can also eat your oatmeal raw, just use cold water and let it sit for about 20 minutes. (Thank you to my oldest friend for this suggestion!)
• Try Spice Blends. These are a great time-saver and come in lots of different low-sodium varieties. Try new ones to keep your diet interesting.
• Have clean snacks available. A well-stocked bowl of fruit, pre-cut veggies, and containers of unsalted nuts make it easy to get a clean snack quick for you and your kids.
• Use dehydrated fruits and veggies. These make great, quick snacks and add taste and texture to recipes. Dehydrated fruit rock in yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, and on salads.
• Make your own sauces. Sauces such as barbeque and pesto can be prepared ahead of time and stored. Keep it in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freeze. For easy serving sizes, freeze it in an ice cube tray.
• Try tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad made from bulgar wheat. It is a healthy and tasty option that stores well, makes a great side dish, or can be served in a pita or with some eggplant. To prepare, add olive oil to cooked bulgar wheat and mix in chopped tomato and cucumber, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
• Quick grinds and chopping. To grind or finely chop oats, nuts, and high-fiber cereals, use a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding foods instead of coffee. A small and a full-sized food processor is also worth the investment, but look for easy to clean and dishwasher-safe equipment.
• Break out your slow-cooker! Throw in the ingredients, press the button, walk away, and when you come back home dinner is served. Man, how great is that?
• Give your waffle iron a workout. Make a big batch, eat them for breakfast and freeze the rest. With high-calories and lots of fat, sodium and refined sugars, most waffles in the freezer section, in my humble opinion are not worth the cardboard they are packaged in. You can also freeze pancakes, muffins, and cakes.

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