Healthy Eating for Busy People

Overview

According to the North Carolina State University's department of family and consumer sciences, the diets of busy families are negatively affected by a lack of planning and organization as much as they are affected by lack of nutrition knowledge. Before you brush up on your nutrition facts, plan ahead and get yourself organized.

Snacks

Plan ahead to make sure that healthy snacks are on hand when and where you'll need them. Store healthy, non-perishable snacks and beverages in your car, purse desk at work. Stock these places with items like nuts, granola bars, trail mix, dry cereal and bottled water so that you're not tempted to stop at a drive-through or vending machine. If you prevent yourself from getting too hungry, you'll be less likely to overeat or crave unhealthy foods.

Food Storage and Shopping

Organize the places you store and prepare food so that you can easily access the items you use the most and quickly take stock of what food items are on hand for meal preparation and planning. Keep a grocery list posted on your refrigerator and update it as you run out of items. Shop during off-peak hours and buy enough food to last several weeks. That way, you won't have to spend valuable after-work hours in line at the store. Instead, use that time to prepare healthful meals at home.

Cooking

You don't have to cook every night in order to enjoy home-cooked meals each day. Instead, cook double the amount that you usually do and freeze half of the meal for another night. You could also choose two or three days per week to prepare several meals at once so you can eat and pack the leftovers on non-cooking days. You'll have to plan meals well ahead of time in order to have the right quantity and variety of ingredients on hand.

Dining Out

While it's best to prepare meals at home, inevitably, busy people will still find themselves needing or wanting to dine out. Before you decide between a fast-food or full-service restaurant, know that while fast food seems to be the less healthy option, it may not be.



According to a 2006 report by the USDA Economic Research Service, the food in full-service restaurants has more fat, salt and cholesterol than fast food. When dining out at either type of establishment, be sure to order dishes that are broiled, steamed and grilled versus fried and sauteed. Choose clear broths and red sauces over cream-based soups and white sauces.