3 hacks for healthy food routines at home

Plus a bonus recipe

A healthy lifestyle can certainly seem tricky as daily life seems to get busier and busier. So, how can we best adjust and make healthy living at home simpler? Today we are going to share our top 3 hacks.

1. Schedule time in your calendar

Just a little bit of planning for the week ahead can make a huge difference to your routine. Take 15 minutes on Sunday to look at next week’s calendar, and schedule in both meal breaks and times for activity. Booking in a lunch break and a short walk as if they were meetings, ensures that time is protected and helps make it much easier to achieve.  

2. Stock up on staple ingredients

A well-stocked pantry and freezer makes whipping up delicious and nutritious meals in no time a breeze. 

Versatile pantry items include:

• canned lentils and legumes
• tinned tuna and salmon
• canned vegetables 
• different grains such as rolled oats, rice, cous cous, and quinoa.

Convenient freezer staples include:

• frozen vegetables and fruit—just as nutritious as fresh!
• meat and seafood—defrosted in the fridge on the day you want to cook with it
• bread and wraps can be frozen and thawed out as needed
• pre-cooked meals—soups, lentil dahl, pasta bakes.

3. Plan meals for the week and cook extra

Building on your staple ingredients, think about the meals you want to cook for the week, and what else you then need to buy from the shops. This saves you time later and prevents that 6pm panic of what to have for dinner. 

Make double batches of your favourite meals and freeze the extra. Bolognese sauce for example, freezes well and makes dinner time much simpler. This also helps to free up some time after work that you could use for a quick walk or workout. And don’t forget about breakfast! Try our Sautéed Mushrooms on Toast for a delicious start to your day. 

Recipe 

Sautéed Mushrooms on Toast

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil 

400g button mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 tsp sweet paprika

125g cherry tomatoes, halved

1⁄3 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

4 slices grainy bread, toasted

1 cup cottage cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and paprika to the pan and cook, tossing, for 6-8 minutes or until mushrooms are light golden. 
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes are warmed through. Sprinkle over the parsley, season with salt and pepper.
3. Top the toast with cottage cheese, then spoon over the mushroom-tomato mixture. Serve.