How do you eat healthy with little time?

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I would like to eat healthy, but I am short on time and energy. I have to pack a lunch for school and also eat 2 meals at home. Any ideas for quick, yet healthy meals and lunches?

[cat lover]

We have to because of DH's diet which I know you are familiar with. What I usually do is try and plan ahead. If we have to be on the road early I make something we can ake and head on the road for breakfast. Muffins, scrambled egg white, low fat ham, ff cheese on english muffins. I also pack us sandwiches for lunch or if time is short for that I take ff yogurt, or fresh fruit for us to snack on. We've been known to even stop in a grocery and get ff chips or pretzels to munch on! LOL The only thing I've found that works is to plan ahead for whatever is coming up. Whne we have unexpected goings on we will stop at a cracker barrel. DH can eat breakfast and substitute egg replacement , have turkey sausage and use promise margarine. It isn;t as low fat as he needs, but about the best we can do there. Most places don't have anything he can substitute but we've found a few places that work if we have to. Even golden arches he can have the grilled chicken breast sandwich with no mayonnaise or cheese on it; just lettuce, tomato, and onion with the chicken and then get a side salad . Don't know if that helps you, but if you want some specific or recipes let me know.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

ff cheese on english muffins

What are ff cheese?

Yeah, specifics are good. I can pack a lunch for school. However, the thing that I am lacking most is time. Things I can make ahead during times when I do have extra time is good as well. I like the chicken salad idea. I can always pack that in a wrap as well. We use only whole wheat bread so I can also make sandwiches. In the lab where I work and the mental health clinic where I will be at 12 hours a week both have microwaves.

[ajrsmom]

Either low carb or regular breakfast burritos are easy to make and freeze ahead of time. Just lay out the night before to thaw in the frig and pop into the microwave. :)

I make enough tuna or egg salad for at least 3 days at a time.

Cook chicken for a dinner and use the left overs for chicken salad. Add some chopped walnuts for extra protein.

You can also make creamed soups or tomato soup and drink in a travel mug.

If you buy veggies, clean them, cut them up and bag them in individual servings, you can grab them in a hurry. If you like dip with your veggies, do the same thing with single serving plastic containers.

Eat more fruit that is in season. Grab an apple, peach, nectarine....something that doesn't have to be peeled. Add some yogurt and healthy granola.

Do you have time to eat salads? Prebagged lettuces are great time savers. If you are pinched for time, hit a grocery store's salad bar for the extras. It will cost a little more but it's a time saver. Invest in a salad bowl that has a container for the dressing right in the lid--I know that Curves sells one. I have been thinking about buying it. ;) I figure that it's one less container to have to carry.

[cat lover]

What are ff cheese?


ff cheese is fat free cheese! You know DH's diet! LOL

Shrimp Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes

Makes 4 servings


1 pound peeled cooked shrimp (21-25 per pound; thawed if frozen), tails removed, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely diced
¼ cup minced fresh basil
10 Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
4 large ripe tomatoes, cored


Combine shrimp, celery, basil, olives, shallot, mayonnaise, vinegar and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Carefully hollow out the inside of each tomato and fill each tomato with a generous 1/2 cup of the shrimp salad.

You can stuff these with chciken salad or tuna salad also. Wrap them in foil and put in a insulated carrier with frozen bottles of water and they keep till lunch fine. Great with some crackers and fresh fruit!