You've seen the news; you've read the reports: eating a lowfat, high fiber diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables may reduce your risk of developing heart disease, cancer and obesity. But between juggling work, family and a personal life, who has time to eat healthy? Take heart -- with a little planning, creativity and nutrition "know how," you can eat healthy in a hurry.
For tasty meals in minutes, stock your kitchen with wholesome nutritious foods that can be fixed in a flash. Staples to keep in your cupboards include rice and pastas; potatoes; whole grain crackers; canned beans; lowfat soups; canned fish, such as tuna in water and salmon; spaghetti sauce; and cereal. Fill your freezer with English muffins; bagels; whole grain breads and rolls; broccoli, spinach, orange juice and other favorite fruits and vegetables; and chicken, lean ground beef and ground turkey breast. Keep reduced-fat cheese; lowfat yogurt, milk and cottage cheese; fruits and vegetables; and eggs on hand in your refrigerator. Consider buying "pre-prepped" food, too: chopped vegetables, grated cheese, sliced turkey breast and boneless, skinless chicken breast. These may cost a bit more, but the time you save may be well worth it. If you want to chop, slice and dice yourself, do so as soon as you get home from the store and keep the foods in individual plastic bags for convenient storage and easy accessibility.
With these basic foods in your kitchen readily available and accessible -- in addition to your own favorites -- you have countless combinations of easy meals and snacks. Blend lowfat yogurt, milk and a banana for a quick breakfast drink. Pop a potato in the microwave and top with broccoli and reduced-fat cheddar cheese for lunch. For dinner, dress up your spaghetti sauce with lean ground beef and cooked veggies, and enjoy over pasta; throw some rolls in the oven and ring the dinner bell. Be creative and have some fun -- the possibilities are endless.
Weekends are great times to get a head start on a healthy week. Spend time making double batches of your favorite dishes -- such as chili, soups and casseroles -- and freeze in individual, reheatable containers. Try cooking extra pasta and storing it in plastic bags in the refrigerator. When you get home from work, drop a bag into boiling water, sauté some chopped vegetables while your pasta heats up, and top with some parmesan. On those nights when you get home late and hungry, you'll be glad you spent some extra time on the weekend pre-planning for a healthy week.
Before your work week begins, think about what healthy lowfat fare you can eat at the office. If you have access to a microwave and refrigerator, bring along lowfat soups, frozen meals (from the store or your freezer) or a potato for lunch. No microwave or refrigerator? Invest in a mini-cooler and ice pack for keeping sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, juice boxes, reduced-fat cheese or lowfat yogurt ready-to-eat. When there's no time to eat at your desk between appointments, mini-coolers are extremely helpful and give a whole new meaning to "meals on wheels."
If you find yourself frequently eating in restaurants because of your harried schedule, Nancy Anderson, coordinator of Emory's Heartwise restaurant program, has some good news. "Eating healthy while eating out has definitely gotten easier. Many restaurants -- even the fast food type -- are really catching on to the lowfat trend." In general, look for foods that are baked, broiled or steamed, and avoid anything fried. Ask that high-fat sauces and dressings be served on the side, and if you don't see what you want on the menu, don't hesitate to ask for it.
"Whether you're eating out or eating food from home, the key to eating healthy in a hurry is planning," said Anderson. Spending a little time planning what, when and where you're going to eat will go a long way toward helping you build a better diet in the fast-paced '90s...
And that's some great food for thought.
Colleen Doyle is research coordinator for the Gimme 5 and Teach Well Programs at the Rollins School of Public Health. The publication of the Wellness column is coordinated through the Seretean Center for Health Promotion.