Time is Short : Open and Eat What?

[finneycanhelp]

Time is short. No time for cooking. Since I am what I eat... I am a canned corn, canned ravioli, Oscar Mayer Chicken Breast, banana human.  I also eat greek yogurt and cereal / milk. 

So... I am covering the food groups. Should I be concerned about having variety? If so, what else is fast yet healthy to buy to eat at home and for work-lunch? 

[trainer · Accepted solution]

Um, blech on the canned food. Canned food has more sodium than you really want to be eating, imo. Frozen corn doesn't take all that long to cook. Frozen ravioli cooks up quickly as well. Yes, variety is good and there are many quick, easy to prepare frozen foods available. Depending on where you live some brands to check out would be Amys, Kashi, Evol, Light and Lean... Fresh raw veggies/fruit are easy to take with you and munch on as are nuts, seeds, and small pre-packaged cheeses (babybel comes to mind). I don't eat meat so I can't help you on that front, but you should be able to make minor changes that will lead into bigger ones. Even something as simple as changing the fruit every day: banana, apple, pear, grapes, peach, etc so that every day you have a different type of fruit is a good idea.

[TCG]

I bought some Smart Pockets, I make up some tune with celery and mayo, put it in a sealed container then at lunch time I stuff the tune in the smart pocket, it's a quick lunch. Also take some ham, cheese (of your choice) and what ever other stuff you like, wrap it in a lettuce leaf, at lunch stuff the entire thing into the smart pocket and you have a quick lunch. For breakfast take a healthy yogurt with an apple or banana and you have a quick snack. Get yourself a George Foreman grill, get a single boneless chicken breast, it cooks in less than 10 minutes and cook up some Green Giant veggies, you have a meal in less than 30. For a quick pizza take the Smart Pocket, put some pepperoni with cheese and a little sauce on it, put it in a toaster oven and you have a healthy pizze, the smart pocket is only 80 calories.

[finneycanhelp]

Good ideas in here, for sure. I eat a banana because there is 0 prep time (and they make me happy). I have to wash those other fruits. Apple and pear are probably quickest.

Yes, I can probably microwave frozen. Thanks for the brand name tips. 🙂 Thanks for your help.

[Dominique]

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@finneycanhelp wrote:

Time is short. No time for cooking.

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I really think you should reconsider this, instead of taking it as a given. Even if you think you're an extremely busy person, I'm sure you can find the time, by resetting your priorities. Eating is so important for your health (as you said yourself: you are what you eat) and even a small amount of extra time spent planning it can make a big difference.

It's a bit like TV: many people seem to think it's a given they have to spend 2-3 hours in front of it everyday, because it's what "normal" people do. You will then see tips on Fitbit forums on how to make the most of it (Fitbit-wise), by climbing up stairs during commercials, walking in place during shows etc. I used to be a "normal" person and I watched TV 2-3 hours a day. Nowadays, I hardly watch it at all, and guess what, I'm still alive. All of a sudden, I have more time available for exercising, cooking and other activities that are more important for my health and fitness.

[JenML]

Perhaps consider adding vegetables as suggested. Corn is a grain. If you don't like them raw, throw some in a hot pan with a little olive oil. Or even in the microwave with a little water and cover with a paper towel. You can buy them already cut up and washed, or buy spinach, and add some salt and pepper, or a bit of balsamic vinegar. It does not go bad, is not too sharp tasting, and you can keep it in the cupboard. Perhaps consider adding eggs, or canned and rinsed beans, they are a good source of protein and very fast. Progress to stirfries, fast and easy, and you can even make it for a guest. If you have no idea how to cook, you may want to try a basic class, either teach yourself through a book or online, (a bookstore cooking department helper can help you find a basic cookbook that college age or young people would learn from), or tv shows for beginning cooks, or ask a friend to help you. Some community centers or colleges, especially communty colleges, have cooking classes. No one doesn't have time, it has to do with your priorities, and in this case it is your health. I really hope you are exaggerating about how little variety you eat. My college boys cook healthier than you do in their apts. Perhaps someone else usually makes food for you?

[finneycanhelp]

Raw is fine. Throw stuff in the mouth and eat it, no problem. "You can buy them already cut up and washed"? Nice. Yes, I will create a plan and do it.

[Hanne]

I am busy too and have used "3 second cuisine" to get things done. Each meal only takes 3 seconds because that's the time it takes to pour 3-4 things on a plate!! Gravity works!! You only need to count to two for each plate/meal: 1) a protein, 2) fiber (my doctor tells me to have these two with each and every meal to keep my weight down.) 

I have a list in my head of different types of protein (nuts, beans, peas, cheese, tofu, etc.). This list is short, whereas the list of fiber has millions of options. I avoid anything white (pasta, potatoes, corn, bread, rice) because it has starch, which sabotages my attempt to loose weight. Raw vegs and fruit works for me.

I have the freezer full of frozen berries that I unfreeze the day before and eat without cooking. I only cook once a month: beans or (garbanzo) peas in a huge saucepan, no salt. I divide this cooked protein into lots of little containers and freeze them until I need them. There is no work in taking them out the day before to unfree them. Anything will taste great with a dressing from Trader Joe. 

Pour baby, pour! 

[Terrie89]

I bought me a slow cooker a month ago, As a mom of 2 crazy kids haha, I wish I bought it years ago! You can cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8hrs and keep food warm. Best of all I got to nap while food is cooking... my kitchen is too tiny to let the little ones in there so it's gated off. So far I'm mostly throwing stuff in there but my favorite is chicken bbq. Honestly I'm not sure if it's healthy but hey, it's chickwn. Here's a recipe: 2Ibs of chicken (I did boneless skinless), 1 cup bbq sauce, 1/4 zesty italian dressing, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1tbsp worcestershire sauce and salt. You salt the chicken and throw it in. Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour it over the chicken, cover, cook low for roughly 8hrs and high roughly 4 hours. I prefer cooking on low. I haven't made it in a while so I didn't get to log it in, I'm not even sure how I would but there are plenty of crock pot recipes out there. It is really yummy and beats canned food. I had a friend who made homemade chicken noodle with hers.

[HelenaFitbit]

That is some epic cooking there @Hanne !! I will be following your tips 

[HelenaFitbit]

I'm usually a work-college-sleep kind of person, but I've found really convenient to get stuff by the bulk, sanisimas (corn crackers with sea salt), special k struddels, dole fruit cups, silk in 8z bottles, pre-portioned hummus, etc. I've just prepared the big things and work around snacking with these items. 

[Hanne]

Cool Helen! Stocking up is essential!

I have a milk crate with stocked up foods, mostly 30% almond milk, canned cooked beets, canned shiitake, button & oyster mushrooms, powdered miso-soup, nori-seaweed, 3 different Trader Joe dressings, water chestnuts. I found out that nonfat milk has 150 cal per serving whereas almond milk only has 30, so I buy lots of almond milk at a time. For years, I forgot to read the milk label, thinking nonfat meant nonfat. What a bummer, now I know better!

[HelenaFitbit]

Miso soup... yum yum yum!

[PaleoCrossfit]

Tuna.

[Celiag]

Try placing a washed and dried chicken in the slow cooker alone, season the chicken.....turn on the pot, low for 8-10 hours.

Remember put NO liquid in the pot, the chicken makes its own.  When you take it out....wonderful taste. Falls off the bones.

[Celiag]

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@finneycanhelp wrote:

Time is short. No time for cooking. Since I am what I eat... I am a canned corn, canned ravioli, Oscar Mayer Chicken Breast, banana human.  I also eat greek yogurt and cereal / milk. 

So... I am covering the food groups. Should I be concerned about having variety? If so, what else is fast yet healthy to buy to eat at home and for work-lunch? 

---

Try placing a washed and dried chicken in the slow cooker alone, season the chicken.....turn on the pot, low for 8-10 hours.

Remember put NO liquid in the pot, the chicken makes its own.  When you take it out....wonderful taste. Falls off the bones.

[MRose]

String cheese and an apple comprise my go-to snack. High protein, low fat, get some fiber! And best, it's cheap and quick! They also make those little hummus packages that come with carrots and celery, and those are healthy and usually less than $1.

[short-n-sassy]

Your recipe sounds great.

Spoiler

Spoiler

 I have used my crockpot to mostly cook meats.  I will definitely try yours. It sounds yummy.  I mostly cook meats and then add veggies and fine egg noodles to a vegetable soup.  I used mostly chicken instead of beef and it tastes just as good.  Thank you.

[BradE]

Most every morning for breakfast I break an egg in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds.....i put that on a pice of dry whole wheat toast with a few leaves of spinach.......coffee and a banana......

1L of water at my desk and I never get too hungry before lunch.