How to Cook Healthy

Cooking healthy may seem daunting but it can be quite easy with a few simple lifestyle changes.  I've implemented these changes and am now proud to say that I cook healthy the majority of the time and feel better than ever. 

Planning is the most important step in how to cook healthy. This means, thinking about what you're going to eat for the week, planning each meal, including snacks, then making a grocery list and sticking with it. This may sound like a lot of work, but it will save you time in the long run, helps avoid unhealthy impulse buys and will save you money.

For me I like to do my grocery shopping on Sundays, so I peruse a few cookbooks that I own, but you could also take out cook books from your local library to add variety to your cooking or utilize one of the numerous online recipe websites such as Healthy Cooking Recipes. I don't have a lot of time during the week so I plan simple healthy recipes for the week. A typical shopping list includes ingredients for a fruit smoothie everyday for breakfast, a fruit and cheese morning snack, a soup at lunch (I like to make a big pot and eat the same soup for the week to save time), snap peas and sunflower seeds or celery and peanut butter for an afternoon snack and a simple stir fry or salad for dinner, followed with popcorn and a cup of tea for an evening snack. This type of menu also means less time in the grocery store, since the majority of my items are found in the produce aisle.

Planning is a critical step for cooking healthy cooking to avoid unhealthy impulse eating. Perhaps you have had a long day at work, you come home and you are tired and hungry. if you open the fridge and there is nothing in there or nothing that you can prepare quickly, you are likely to order in a pizza or Chinese food since it's fast and easy. Now, on the other hand, if you open the fridge and it's full of healthy food and you know that you can have a stir fry prepared and on your plate in less than 15 minutes, you will be more likely to go ahead and make the stir fry which is healthier for you. Another bonus is that you will also feel better after having a nourishing dinner rather than a fat laden one which will leave you feeling even more sluggish.

if the idea of planning is still overwhelming, you can sign up for a free Fit Food Weekly Newsletter from Fitness magazine, in which they'll send you an eating plan and grocery shopping lists, making planning a breeze.

According to Chef Jamie Oliver, lack of time is one of the biggest reasons people cite for not eating healthy.  Most of us lead lives that are too busy to spend hours preparing our food.  Fortunately you don't have too. 

There are many delicious recipes that you can whip up in 15 minutes or less.  For 8 healthy recipes that can be prepared in 15 minutes or less:Quick & Easy Recipes.  If your only option after a long day of work is to spend an hour cooking, this probably isn't going to happen on most days and you will be calling for pizza delivery again, but 15 minutes is realistic for most of us and the more realistic your expectations, the more likely you aer to cook healthy.  It's also important to note that food can be quick, healthy and taste delicious.

It's also important to have healthy snacks on hand that require little to no preparation, since when you're starving, you want to be able to grab something healthy to eat.  Fruit is a good option, made even better when paired with a small handful of nuts.  Celery and peanut butter is also a good choice.  I also love fruit smoothies which can be made with a handful of frozen or fresh fruit, fruit juice and a dollop or two of yogurt in less than 2 minutes. 

Planning and quick meal/snack preparation go hand in hand.  You will get hungry, so plan for it, and plan for quick meals and snacks which will make you more likely to stick with a healthy eating plan.

We're all busy, but by doubling recipes, you can cut your cooking time in half.  Every Sunday, I make a big pot of soup, and that's my lunch for the week.  Now, I don't mind eating the same soup every day for a week (this week it's Leek and Lentil - yum, last week it was Mexican Black Bean Soup and the week before Carrot and Ginger soup), but if this is too tedious for you, you can still make a big pot of soup, then freeze it and rotate your soups so that you get more a variety. 

I also make my own granola bars and always make a big pan, which I then freeze, so I have them on hand for a quick snack or the next time I go hiking.  I also make a big pot of brown rice, that I will use for the week, frequently pairing it with a stirfry or curry, or adding it to soup. 

The same goes for most recipes.  If you're making lasagna, make a big pan, even if you're only cooking for one.  Freeze the rest and you will have an easy dinner on nights that pushing the buttons on the microwave seems like an effort. 

I found that by following these tips I am able to cook healthy consistently, but the minute that I don't plan my recipes for the week, or let me freezer get too empty, I fall into bad habits, opting for fast food, and am much more susceptible to making unhealthy choices since I'm hungry and don't have any food around that can be prepared quickly.   Now, I'm off to make a succulent Thai curry - in less than 15 minutes of course.