10 Healthy Eating Hacks for Busy Families

Do you ever find yourself so caught up in the juggle of work, school runs and everyday life that planning a healthy meal feels like an afterthought?

It’s often quicker to grab something from a packet or swing by for takeaways just to get everyone fed.

However, because we know that nourishing your family with wholesome meals is important and doesn’t have to be complicated - we’ve put together some practical tips to help you make healthier eating a little easier, even on the busiest of days.

1. Plan Ahead for the Week

Write down any important tasks that need to be completed in the upcoming week, including extra-mural activities. Then decide on a meal plan for the week that takes this schedule into account - this meal plan can easily be made into a shopping list to be used in the tips to follow.

This planning phase might take a bit of time but once it’s done it can be repeated each week for simplification. Themed meal nights could also be an idea to make meal decisions easier - think: Meat-free Mondays, Taco Tuesdays and Fishy Fridays.

2. Eat Breakfast Daily

What about making something quick for breakfast each day and making this non-negotiable?

This will guarantee at least one nutritious meal each day - the perfect way to kick-start your morning for success and a great base to slowly increase the frequency of these healthy meals throughout the day.

3. Shop in Bulk

To save time and to simplify meal choices, try scheduling one or two bulk shops per month and topping-up stock levels from there with smaller shops. Try to focus on buying only the foods you need, avoiding any ‘unnecessary extras’.

4. Stock a Smart Pantry

Make sure the fruit bowl is always stocked with fresh fruits, these make for awesome on-the-go snacks.

On another note, keep go-to staples like tinned beans, tinned tuna, frozen vegetables, whole grains and nut butter on hand. This will allow you to whip up something quick and nutritious, even when fresh produce runs low.

5. Have Some ‘Crisis’ Options

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan - it’s at these times where it’s important to have a contingency plan. Try having some healthier ready-made / frozen meals that can be kept in the freezer or even having some easy ‘under 30 minute’ recipe ideas at your disposal.

6. Prep Once, Eat Twice

These could work well as ‘crisis meal options’. Why not double or even triple the quantity you’re making at dinner to freeze for convenience at a later stage?

7. Healthy Shortcuts

Pre-chopped vegetables; pre-cooked protein options, microwaveable grains can be game-changers in the kitchen. Convenience can still be healthy provided you read labels, avoiding foods with large amounts of added salt, sugar and fat.

8. Get the Children Involved

This could be involving them in then planning of weekly meals; shopping for the ingredients or even cooking the meals. Children can even get involved with preparing their school lunches the night before.

9. Set Realistic Expectations

It’s important to set yourself attainable goals to focus on, there’s no point in trying to change everything over night - consistency is key when building sustainable goals.

10. Practice Consistency, Not Perfection

Set aside time to reflect on food choices each day and making notes on areas for improvements that can be made the next day or even the next week. This can take as little as 5 minutes, yet it is so powerful to ensuring consistency and improvement.

Just remember that not every meal has to be Instagram-worthy. If your family is nourished, satisfied, and you're minimizing stress, you're doing great! Even a few small changes can add up to big wins over time.

Still struggling to nourish yourself with healthy meals after trying these tips?

Set aside just 60 minutes for a consultation and 30 minutes for follow-ups thereafter so that we can provide you with the support you need! We can provide you with some quick and easy meal suggestions, tailored to your needs or even some healthy recipes to prepare meals in under 30 minutes.

We have branches in Lonehill, at Concourse Medical Centre, and in Dainfern, at Chartwell Corner Shopping Centre.