10 tips for convenience foods…that are healthy!!

A common question that we often get asked is what do we eat if we can’t eat processed food.   Because we are so conditioned to picking things out of a bag that we buy from the supermarket.  Here are 10 tips for convenience foods and what to eat if you can’t eat bread, rice, and pasta

1. Substitute processed carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta, pastries, and noodles for vegetables, especially green vegetables. Eat these like you would the complex carbohydrates for lunch and dinner and even breakfast
2. Prepare a salad box at the start of the week (see post on salad box) Importantly, vegetables need to be on hand and ready to eat, otherwise most of us will not eat them!!
3. A small bag full of nuts can be carried around as a small “tummy” filler.  However, be careful not to eat too many of these as nature made nuts significantly more difficult to access in their shells because we were never designed to eat too many in the one sitting.
4. Nutrient-dense foods like cacao balls can provide another filling snack.  Put these in the fridge and put them in your lunch box for a mid-afternoon snack.
5. A teaspoon of coconut oil or some other form of fat or oil can fill the stomach until the next meal
6. Go for the salads, low sugar, and carbohydrate options when eating out, such as a steak with vegetables, or fish with vegetables.  Steer clear of the pasta, risotto, and other processed carbohydrates on the menu.
7. If you really need to eat something out of a packet, go for something that has protein in it like beef jerky.
8. A hard-boiled egg or two is a perfect snack to take on the run, nature’s provision to keep you going for hours before the next meal.  If you boil them in bulk and store them in the fridge, they’ll be ready to grab when you need to.
9. Get into the habit of cooking more at nights, so that there is food for lunch and breakfast if needed
10. Seasonal fruit can be another convenience food, but limit that to one fruit per day because of the sugar content.

Eating for convenience is not that hard, but the key to doing this is being organized.  By incorporating the tips listed above, eating healthy and conveniently can be significantly easier.  Don’t wait until you are starving before looking for something to eat, prepare for the hunger before you get hungry.