5 Tips For Busy Families

Summer is drawing to a close and ‘back to school’ ads abound. What the ads don’t mention though is that this period affects not only school kids, but the parents among you too. You’ll have to get organized to make sure you eat healthy, despite your heavier schedules. The following tips are just as useful for those of you without kids.

1. Make grocery lists:

This first step may seem trivial, but if you don’t already make lists, you’ll soon realize they are the best way to save time and money. Start by checking what you already have in the fridge, freezer, and food cupboard, then choose your recipes, and make a note of the foods you’ll need to buy to complete your menus.

2. Prepare meals ahead of time

So you don’t have to set about cooking as soon as you get home from work, I suggest you get your meals for the entire week ready ahead of time. It’s a good idea to cook most of your recipes on Sundays. Involve your kids by asking them to help you with a few small tasks. It won’t be long before they’ll be making their own lunches.

3. Make extra portions

No matter what you plan on serving for supper, double the amount. Divide the leftovers into individual portions and store them in containers you just can pop in your lunch bags.

4. Make time for breakfast

Our heavy workweeks make it tempting to swap breakfast time for a few extra minutes in bed. Make sure you get up early enough to eat a wholesome breakfast. What’s more, if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll be less likely to forget your lunch.

5. Stock up with backup foods

I’m well aware of the fact that there’ll be times when you won’t manage to prepare lunches for the whole family ahead of time. Therefore, it is very important to keep a stock of simple foods you can throw together to make lunches in just a few minutes. A few examples are: whole wheat breads and crackers, flaked tuna or cooked chicken, fresh fruit, chopped carrots, etc.

So, as you can see, you can definitely maintain healthy eating habits even in busy times. Like in many other areas, the key to success is in good planning.

Alyssa Fontaine Reid, P. Dt. Nutrition

5 Tips For Busy Families is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
Copyright © Nautilus Plus 2015