Here are some of our favorite ways of creating healthy, balanced meals in a hurry!
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OK, you’ll see that these “in a pinch” ideas require certain ingredients to be on hand, so the lesson here is that you still need to plan ahead to be prepared for those inevitable times when you’re in a hurry!
Breakfast Ideas
Don’t have time to make an omelet? Keep a bag of frozen berries in the freezer and unflavored or flavored protein on hand (such as our MŌDERE Vanilla Meal Replacement or Chocolate Pure Whey Protein). Blend 1/2 to a full cup of berries, a scoop of protein, a handful of fresh spinach leaves and half a banana if using unflavored protein. Add an orange or one slice of wheat toast on the side.
Following the balanced meal principles, experiment with other types of healthy, balanced breakfast smoothies.
If you’re really in a hurry, pour into a shaker cup and take it with you!
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Lunch Ideas
Two classics, constructed correctly, can make a great quick healthy answer. How about a sandwich? On whole wheat of course–or whole wheat wrap–loaded with turkey or ham, cheese, and with veggies such as cucumbers, lettuce, tomato and slices of avocado for healthy fat.
Or, take many of the same ingredients, add carrots and maybe substitute grilled chicken or boiled eggs and cottage cheese, add some slivered almonds and toss together a quick salad. To stay full, you may need to complement the salad with an apple or other fresh, seasonal fruit.
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Dinner Ideas
The sandwich, wrap or salad also make good, quick dinner options. Or, how about some fast, healthy pasta?
Keep spaghetti sauce, a bag of frozen meatballs (such as from Costco) and a spaghetti squash or two on hand. You can find spaghetti squash in the produce section of most grocery stores. They store great, especially if kept in a cool (60-70 degrees) area.
Slice the squash longways, remove the seeds, cover with plastic wrap and microwave each half for about seven minutes (or store one half in the fridge for later use). Use a fork to scrape out the squash “noodles.” You can sauté the noodles lightly in olive oil to add a healthy dash of fat or just grab some almonds to eat on the side.
Warm the spaghetti sauce and meatballs according to the instructions on the package and then put it all together. Top with some parmesan or other grated cheese. Heat and add some frozen veggies or a slice of whole wheat bread or dinner roll to get enough healthy carbs (why? Remember, we want to get and stay full and get plenty of beneficial nutrients!).
If you don’t have a spaghetti squash on hand, use a small amount whole wheat spaghetti noodles.
Another favorite: grab some pre-made chicken or sirloin veggie Kabobs from Costco (or similar). You can just throw these on the grill or in the oven. Best to also include an apple, a cup of berries or the like with your meal so you get enough fiber to get and stay full.
Here’s one more: pre-cooked Chicken Tikka Marsala over Cauliflower Rice. You can get both of these at Costco as well and just store them in your fridge/freezer, ready for a near instant meal.
Cauliflower Rice is an outstanding substitute for rice and pasta which are much higher in carbs. Quickly sauté in a pan with some olive oil and you can eat as much as you like. In fact, it’s so low in carbs and calories, you’ll probably need to add an orange, apple or cup of berries to your meal to get enough healthy carbs (and stay full).
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Even Quicker Option: Complete Meal Replacement
For those times when you only have a minute or two for a meal, don’t grab something that compromises your goals and makes you feel sluggish. We strongly recommend that you keep a bag of this on hand so that you’ll have a healthy go-to option to ensure you get a complete (and super fast!), balanced meal or snack in an extreme pinch.
You can easily mix it in a shaker cup. Keep a bag at home and at work.
Learn more about Complete Meal Replacement
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Healthy U 