Many people have trouble finding time to cook at home. Even during a pandemic we still find ourselves busy navigating our families, kids, work, the household. And not to mention our emotional and physical well-being. Cooking is not always our priority, but it should be if we want to maintain our health.
Below I list six tips to start cooking more at home and save time!
1. Weekly Meal Planning
Eating healthy at home is all about planning. When we are hungry staring at an empty fridge, it is highly likely we make an unhealthy choice and pick up the phone to order pizza. Making sure our fridge and pantries are stocked for the week is the way to go!
Before you do your weekly groceries make sure that you plan your meals for the week and have a list with all the ingredients before you go out to shop.
Not having a list or any clue what you are going to eat results in wandering around at the grocery store, buying unhealthy foods, overspending on groceries, and most likely having to go back a few days later.
Planning will save you time. I personally plan our meals on Saturday morning before I go to the market. I make a separate list for the market and for other stores I visit later that day. Guaranteed win!
"Cooking is not always our priority, but it should if you want to improve your health."
2. Meal Prep On Days Off
Spare some time on your day off prepping food for the week. Roast a whole chicken in the oven. You can use the meat in different meals throughout the week. Cooked meat stays good in your fridge for four to five days.
Another one I love is to roast a few whole sweet potatoes in your oven or barbecue. Perfect as a side dish for your dinners during the week.
Soups, black bean chilis, and curries make great meals throughout the week and can be prepared in advance.
3. Have Your Go-To’s
Don’t expect yourself to cook a fancy meal every day of the week. I, myself, eat lentil soup almost every week, several times a week. I love it, it supports my digestion, it is one of my go-to’s and very easy to make. Our minds want variety, our bodies thrive on stability. Have a few of these go-to’s that you know how to make and can quickly whip up.
4. Cook In Big Batches
Double or triple your recipes to make bigger batches. You can eat the leftovers in the next few days.
"Ayurveda says health starts in your kitchen! Cook your own meals and improve your health."
5. Freeze Leftovers
Portion out any leftovers of your big batch meal and keep them in your freezer. Instead of having a freezer stuffed with frozen pizzas and hamburgers, you can stock it with home-cook, nutritious foods. Then when you find yourself staring at that empty fridge, you can reach for something healthy from your freezer.
6. Stock Your Kitchen
Make sure you have your staples stocked in your pantry. Canned lentils and beans, dried pasta, rice, quinoa, coconut milk, etc. Keep some frozen veggies and meats in your freezer and Thai curry paste in your fridge so you are ready to whip up a meal when dinner rolls around.
Hope these tips help you save time during your week and make cooking and planning meals easier and more fun!
Ayurveda says health starts in your kitchen! Cook your own meals and improve your health.
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*Always consult your physician before making adaptations to your lifestyle and diet.