Everyone is busy! Here are a few easy ways to add more healthy
foods to your hectic days.
If you eat out, choose restaurants that gives you a fighting chance. Find a
restaurant with a good salad bar and load up on fresh vegetables.
Order broiled fish for your entree. Ask to have it prepared with
lemon juice instead of butter. Have steamed vegetables as an
accompaniment, without added butter, and fresh fruit or fruit ice for
dessert.
- Find a whole grain cereal that tastes good dry, and use it for
snacking or breakfast on the run.
- Make your own fast food. Once a week, cook up a huge pot
of chili, soup, or one of my vegetable or seafood casseroles.
Freeze the leftovers in individual serving containers for quick
suppers or lunches.
- Cook a pound of whole grains at a time, and freeze the leftovers
in 1/2 to 1-cup portions in baggies. These can be reheated
in the microwave in seconds. Chapter 6.
- Stock up on the dried soup cups that have beans or lentils as
their main ingredient. Find flavors you like and use them for
lunch at the office or on the run -- anywhere you can get hot
water. Mix with one of those baggies of whole grains for a
hearty main dish.
- Find a few veggies that you like raw and unadorned to eat as
you would eat fruit. Try red bell peppers, green beans and cauliflower.
- Romaine hearts, packed in plastic bags, can be used as-is for
quick salad preparation. Just tear or slice into bite-size pieces.
Good even without dressing.
- Most Asian restaurants offer carry-out service. This is a good
standby for lazy days. Comb the menu
for soups, vegetable and seafood dishes and ask them to go
easy on the oil. Serve them with those whole grains from their
baggies in your freezer! Vietnamese or Thai restaurants often have wonderful,
oil-free salads that keep for 2-3 days.
- Large grocery stores and specialty food stores often have
salad bars and prepared food sections. You need to be careful
about your choices, but if you are strong-willed (and not too
hungry when you shop), you can usually find plenty of vegetables,
fruits, and possibly some seafood entrees among their
offerings.
- Take advantage of pre-cut vegetables and fruits in your supermarket's
produce department, and bags of mixed vegetables in
the frozen food section. The time you save can make up for
the added cost.
|
