10 Ways to Make Healthy Food Convenient

Eating healthy and consistently eating healthy can be a struggle for many people. It is often hard to find which foods you should eat for your particular needs, and finding alternatives to unhealthy favorites is a slipping point.

Buying and cooking healthy food can be made more convenient by taking advantage of a meal kit delivery to your door, a massive upside if you can’t get around to the store.

Plan Ahead

The first thing you need to do is plan ahead. Before you start to cook or shop, you should know what you are making and what ingredients go into the meal. It is very easy to decide you want to make a healthy pasta dish, but you don’t have a plan for the sauce you will use.

While they are delicious, pasta sauces can be filled with fats and sugar. Every aspect of your meal needs to be accounted for and planned for as it is easy to ruin a healthy meal by using a sugar-filled sauce or something similar.

Meal Prep

Meal prepping isn’t just for the big, buff guys on Instagram. It is the easiest way to have a meal ready to go whenever you need it. There are many foods that can be cooked and kept in your fridge for a few days and only require re-heating. For those who might not have the time for meal prepping or cooking from scratch, considering a chef-prepared, ready to eat meal delivery service like Factor.

Prepped meals are also great if you are short on time. It is far too easy to stop for fast food on the way home from a late day at the office. Knowing you have a meal at home will prevent you from needing takeaways.

Read Labels

Not knowing what is in your food is a common mistake for people looking to eat healthier. Something may claim to be “low sugar” or “zero salts,” for instance but have increased levels of something else.

Until you become familiar with what you should and shouldn’t be eating, take the time to read labels and become accustomed to what they all say and what specific ingredients are.

Avoid Processed Food

A straightforward step to eating healthier is to avoid processed foods altogether. While many processed foods and meals claim to be healthy, they are still packed with additives that improve taste or extend their shelf-life.

Buying meal kits or cooking from scratch is the best way to avoid eating processed foods and ingredients.

Stock Up on Frozen Fruit & Veg

While nothing beats fresh fruit and veg, you might not be able to get your hands on them all the time. Having your freezer packed with frozen fruit and veggies means they are always available to be added to meals or turned into smoothies.

Boiling or steaming them is also quick, as they only take a few minutes to cook, even from frozen.

Make Your Own Dressings

Dressings are one of the things that so many people think are healthy but haven’t taken a close look at their labels. They are often packed with sugars, fats, and many additives used for flavoring.

Making your own dressings is incredibly simple and barely requires any ingredients. Once again, this is the best way to know what is in your food, and you always have healthy dressings on hand.

Salt-Free Seasonings

Healthy food doesn’t have to be bland, but so many seasoning mixes are filled with large amounts of salt. The best option is to simply scan your season container and see the salt content. While finding zero-salt seasonings can be tricky, you can definitely find seasonings with very low salt content.

Protein and Fiber

If you are struggling to work out what you should and shouldn’t be eating, a good rule of thumb is to have large portions of protein and fiber in each meal. Whole grains and brown rice are excellent sources of fiber, while beef, chicken, eggs, and fish are great for protein.

This should be adjusted if you have allergies, dietary requirements, or you’re vegetarian or vegan, but the rule still stands, eat more protein and fiber.

Healthy Snacks

Many of us slip up on our healthy eating journey. It is way too easy to pick up a chocolate bar or a bag of chips on the way to the checkout. While self-control plays a part, instead buy your snacks in the snack aisle.

Doing this will give you more time to look at labels and ingredients, meaning you can make the healthy choice instead of the quicker and usually unhealthy choice.

Change Your Cooking Methods

The last thing you can do is to very easily simply switch up your cooking methods. Steaming your veggies is a healthy way to cook them and maintain their flavor and color.

The air fryer is a brilliant addition to any kitchen if you are looking to eat healthier. It requires no oil or fats, and you can cook everything from pork chops to chicken, potatoes, and even a cake.