• home
  • about me
  • PR Info

mapsgirl.ca

mapping our life's journey

  • Life
    • body mind spirit
    • faith hope love
    • parenting
  • Recipes
  • Travel
    • RVing
    • Camping
    • Vacation
  • Features
    • monday mumbers
    • 10tuesday
    • wordless wednesday
    • Thank You Thursdays
    • Thursday 13
    • Other Great Blogs
  • Reviews
    • Auto Reviews
You are here: Home / Archives for meals

How to Cook Healthy Meals When You’re Short on Time

December 29, 2022 by Wendy S

Cooking healthy meals can be a challenge, especially when you’re short on time. It’s easy to resort to fast food or processed meals when you’re busy, but these options are often high in calories, sugar, and unhealthy fats. However, it is possible to cook healthy meals even when you’re short on time. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Plan ahead

One of the biggest time-savers when it comes to healthy cooking is planning ahead. Take some time on the weekend to plan out your meals for the week, make a shopping list, and prep ingredients in advance. This can save you a lot of time during the week, as you won’t have to spend as much time chopping vegetables, cooking grains, or portioning out protein sources. Planning ahead can also help you stay organized and ensure that you have all the ingredients you need to make healthy meals.

Keep a well-stocked pantry

Having a well-stocked pantry can be a lifesaver when you’re short on time. Keep a variety of healthy staples on hand, such as whole grains (such as quinoa and brown rice), canned beans, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables, and nuts and seeds. These ingredients can be used to create a variety of healthy meals in a pinch. For example, you can make a quick grain bowl by combining cooked grains with canned beans, frozen vegetables, and a homemade dressing. Or, you can create a healthy soup by simmering canned tomatoes and beans with frozen vegetables and spices.

meals

Image Source – CC0 License

Use your slow cooker

Slow cookers are a great way to cook healthy meals when you’re short on time. Simply add ingredients to the slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll have a healthy and delicious meal ready for dinner. Slow cookers are great for making soups, stews, and braises, which are all perfect for busy weeknights. Slow cookers are also a great way to cook tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, as the long cooking time helps to tenderize the meat and make it more flavorful. This guide on how to cook white chicken chili in an instant pot is a good example of what you can do with a slow cooker.

Use convenience items

While it’s always best to cook from scratch, there are some convenience items that can help you save time without sacrificing nutrition. For example, pre-cut vegetables and fruit, rotisserie chicken, and canned tuna can all be used to create quick and healthy meals. Just be sure to read the labels and choose options that are lower in sodium and added sugars. Pre-cut vegetables, for instance, can be added to stir-fries, omelets, or grain bowls to add nutrition and flavour without requiring any prep time.

Try one-pot meals

One-pot meals are a great option when you’re short on time, as they require minimal prep and clean-up. Some examples include chili, soup, and pasta dishes. These meals can be made in advance and easily reheated for a quick and healthy dinner. One-pot meals are also a great way to use up any leftover ingredients you have in the fridge, as you can throw them all into the pot and create a delicious and nutritious meal.

Filed Under: body mind spirit, food, Life Tagged With: healthy, meals

Follow MapsGirl On…

mapsgirl@gmail.com

Why “mapsgirl” ?

Wendy is a cartographer! She draws maps!

When not mapping, Wendy is also a mom to two daughters. They are the inspiration of this blog. Passionate about child passenger safety, Wendy was a certified Car Seat Technician in Ontario, Canada from 2008 to 2020. [Read More …]

Subscribe

Top Posts

  • ww: coffee, wine & giggles {linky}
  • Eight is not Enough: The 5 Step Test in Action #carseat #ncssw
  • Twistos Baked Snack Bites and Crackers make snacking fun! {review}
  • What to do with a used, expired or damaged car seat
  • 5 Tips For Printing Documents While You Are Travelling

RSS What’s new @ Big Daddy Kreativ

  • A Detailed Guide to Beautiful Morelia Mexico
  • Dress to Impress: 5 Essential Rules All Men Should Follow
  • Navigating Family Life Post-Hand Surgery: A Guide
  • 5 Amazing Things to See in NSW, Australia
  • Best Brunch Places in Copenhagen for a Delicious Weekend
  • 3 Best Places To Visit In Albania For A Short Trip
  • 5 Hidden Jewels In The Adriatic Sea
  • How to Prepare Your Home for Your New Dog
  • Amazing Things to Experience in Bali
  • 4 Reasons Why Parenting In The Modern World Is So Hard

Copyright © 2023 · Lifestyle Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in