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By Julie Stefanski, Clinical Dietitian at WellSpan Health, Twitter: @foodhelp123
1,440 minutes. Everyone gets the exact same number of minutes each day to devote to healthy pursuits that benefit your body or to waste on lost opportunities for self-improvement. We all can probably think of one person that is super busy, whether it is that teacher who also coaches basketball or your surgeon who still managed to train for a marathon last year. Believe it or not, there are super busy people that still manage to eat healthy despite a full schedule.
Eating healthy really takes a change in your mindset, not a change in your schedule. We often put major changes in our eating habits off, imagining that someday we’ll have more time, more motivation, or more money. In reality there won’t be a time where choosing healthy foods become easier. Instead of putting changes off, why not focus on how you can eat healthier today or tomorrow? If you’ve tried focusing only on what to cut out of your diet, maybe it’s time to think about what to actually include.
Nutrition research can get pretty complicated sometimes. Everyone has their own advice of where to get started. One change though that outshines most recommendations again and again is moving towards a more plant based diet. Adults need at least 3 to 4 cups of vegetables per day. What is this based on? This is the amount needed to meet basic vitamin and mineral needs for your immune system, metabolism, and to prevent deficiencies.
Instead of hoping to eat healthy someday, why not start with meeting minimal veggies this week? In order to actually meet your vegetable servings there’s just 3 easy steps: Buy them, cook them, eat them.
Yes, of course making a shopping list itself would be a step in the right direction, but if you can’t manage that, just jot down a few items as possibilities. When you head to the store start by purchasing enough vegetables to cover the needs of your family at supper.
Begin with a reasonable number. If you’re currently not including vegetables at all, then start with what is doable for you. Whether it be fresh, frozen, or even low sodium canned, buy enough vegetables to cover your meals. Multiply the number of home cooked meals you plan to make by the number of people in your family. 4 people multiplied by 5 suppers would equal 20 cups of vegetables you need in order to serve 1 cup per person.
Sound like a lot? A medium size bag of frozen broccoli contains four cups of broccoli. That makes enough for 1 cup of broccoli for each person for supper. Still think you’re too busy? The entire bag takes 5 minutes to steam in the microwave. That can easily be done while you’re doing something else. Even if you’re having the same old standbys you make as entrées, it will significantly improve the quality of your families nutritional intake.
In terms of costs, that frozen bag is only $2. Using frozen vegetables as an example, it would cost about $10 to buy enough vegetables to cover all the supper meals. If you opt for fresh, use them the night you get home from the store or the next day. Don’t let vegetables wither away in the crisper drawer.
Is there a way for you to get more plants into breakfast? Eggs with fresh salsa, a healthy smoothie that includes vegetables, or even supper foods for breakfast are all acceptable ways to bump up the veggie power of your first meal.
Let’s face it. Most of us don’t need more high carbohydrate, otherwise known as starchy foods in our diets. Consider potatoes and corn in the same category as bread, noodles, or rice, not in the green vegetable category. Keep that type of food as only a quarter of the plate unless you’re extremely active.
If you pop a cup of frozen vegetables like a California mix (cauliflower, broccoli, & carrots) or a mix of colorful green beans in a microwavable container, they’ll thaw in your lunch bag and become very quick to cook at lunch time. Flavor it up with some Mrs. Dash or pepper.
Add a salad in for lunch. Pack a small salad or head to the grocery store for lunch rather than fast food. It will take you just as much time to walk in, make a salad at the salad bar, and check out. Yes, the darker greens are packed with more vitamins and minerals, but if you only like iceberg then go for it. Improve your diet from where it’s at right now. There’s always time to make it healthier once you get the basics in place.
Are you a mindless eater? By definition mindless eating equals food you’re eating while doing something else. Since you’re not even paying attention to the food or enjoying it, why not put something in your mouth that actually helps your health? Bag up one cup of baby carrots, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, or pepper strips and feel free to gnaw away.
Are there any holiday vegetable dishes your family could enjoy more often? Sweet potatoes, green beans, and asparagus don’t need to be limited to only holiday celebrations, but can also provide the healthy building blocks our bodies need to help ward off illnesses.
