Many people say they don’t have time to cook healthy meals for themselves. That case is understandable, considering the busy lifestyles many of us lead.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this post, you’ll find quick and easy recipes that will make your life easier when you’re short on time but want to eat well!

Many of us are good at multitasking, but we tend to forget to take care of ourselves. It’s not healthy for busy women to skip breakfast and grab lunch at the corner store.

Make sure you’re eating right to stay strong mentally and physically. You are what you eat, after all. Not everyone has the time to plan elaborate meals or cook elaborate dishes every night. With a few smart food choices, you can eat well throughout the day.

Meal Planning

You can save time, money, and trouble by meal prepping. There are several different meal preparation methods, but basically, it’s similar to preparing leftovers, so they are quick and easy for breakfasts, lunches or dinners. There are many ways to do it, but the common types include:

Cooking in batches

Prepare large quantities of food at once and freeze or save for later use.

Serving Meals in Individual Portions

Divide portions up in containers beforehand, so you’ll always be able to grab and go.

Ready-to-use ingredients

You can chop, peel, slice, roast, and other preparations in advance and use them in recipes later.

By meal prepping ahead of time, you save money and time since you buy and cook home cooked food. Some meal preppers prefer setting aside time on the weekends to shop and cook. It would be better for you than during the week. 

Prepping your meal is also easier to eat healthier since your menu gets planned out in advance. 

Having a healthy meal ready to go home, you’re less likely to pick a less healthy option. It often involves eating the same dish over a few consecutive days. Thus, this method isn’t a good idea for people who prefer freshness and variety above all else. 

Kids may also have difficulty eating “leftovers,” mainly if you’re catering to different nutritional needs or palates. Try various spices, dressings, or condiments to spice up your food — or freeze the leftovers and eat them another week.

Decide what meal you could prepare. 

Start with a specific meal if you’re starting in meal preparation. Try making the dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Try preparing one meal at a time so that you can get used to it. 

Decide on a day to do your meal prep.

Choose one day to dedicate to meal prep. You’ll find this very useful, especially if you’re busy. Sundays are usually a time when people prepare their food for the upcoming week.

Decide how much food you want to prepare.

Plan and prepare your meals for a few days before committing to a whole week’s worth of food. Get started slowly and continue to improve your skills as you go.

Get yourself a good cookbook or recipes. 

A good cookbook will help you figure out what to cook. Not everyone enjoys eating the same food every day. 

Investing in a decent cookbook can teach you how to cook better and how to cook different recipes. If you want to get one yet you don’t have extra money to buy some; you can take a loan from Cash Mart. It’s one of the trusted money lender Tampines. 

Online recipes are another excellent way to discover new recipes. Put together a collection of recipes that you like.

Let me help you out by providing a list of recipes that are easy to follow and can kick start your meal planning routine.

Breakfast

We all have known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and with good reason. As the name suggests, breakfast is a meal that breaks overnight fasting. You get the glucose you need to boost your energy levels while getting other essential nutrients for good health.

You can kick-start the day with a few easy-to-make breakfast recipes.

Try preparing Toast with Avocados and Eggs.

All you need to have are one slice of toasted bread, one-fourth of a small avocado, and one large egg. Also, you need to have kosher salt, black pepper, cooking oil or spray, and hot sauce (only if you want to add some spice).

Here’s how to prepare your meal:

First, season the avocado with salt and pepper then, mash it. Cook the egg in a pan. It’s up to you if you cook it sunny side up or scrambled. Lastly, put the avocado on toast, top with egg, salt and pepper. Add up a hot sauce if you want a little heat and spice.

Overnight Oats, good for mornings!

You’ll need half of the quick oats or rolled oats, half a cup of milk, and half yoghurt. Also, you need ⅛ teaspoon of salt and sweetener if you want to add some. Add half a cup of the fruit of your choice (optional) and one to two tablespoons of nut butter. You can add one tablespoon of Chia seeds if you want.

It’s easy to prepare these Oats. Just place all the ingredients into a mason jar, bowl, or other airtight containers. Shake it well and store it in the fridge overnight. Enjoy your oats the next day.

Lunch

Healthy Grilled Cheese Sandwich for a Happy Lunch

The ingredients needed are one tablespoon of mayonnaise or dressing of your choice, two slices of bread of your choice, one ounce sliced or grated cheese, and one cup of roasted or grilled vegetables.

To prepare, place the bread in a hot skillet and dress on one piece of bread. Add your veggies and cheese to the bread with the sauce. After, put the dressing on the other slice of bread and top it on the veggies and cheese. Now, you can toast the sandwich until the cheese melts.

Tasty One-Pan Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

All you need for this meal are half a cup of soy sauce (120 mL), three tablespoons of water, and half a tablespoon of garlic (minced). Also, you’ll need one tablespoon of cornstarch, four tablespoons of honey, and three skinless chicken breasts.

Add some spice with one and a half bell pepper (sliced). Prepare one cup broccoli floret (250 g), one cup baby carrot (120 g), and one cup green beans (360 g) (trimmed). Have salt and pepper. Prepare two cups of cooked rice, sesame seed and green onion for garnish. 

What you need to do is, first, preheat the oven to 400º F (200ºC). After, beat together the soy sauce, water, garlic, cornstarch, and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let the sauce bubble for a few minutes, and then stir until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.

Next is to spread some teriyaki sauce on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sauce the chicken and place it on top of the parchment paper. Place the peppers, green beans, broccoli, and carrots on either side of the chicken.

After that, season up the chicken and vegetables. Make sure everything is coated with the teriyaki sauce, and save some for later. Cook the chicken for about 20 minutes until it is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove the baking pan from the oven—slice chicken into strips.

Separate vegetables for four different dishes if desired between four resealable containers filled with brown rice. Distribute chicken evenly between each container. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion after serving with the remainder of the sauce. Refrigerate for up to four days and viola! Enjoy your meal!

Dinner

Margherita Stuffed Chicken For Flavourful Dinner

You need four-four chicken breasts, two tablespoons of tomato paste, one-half cup sliced mozzarella, and one-fourth cup of chopped shallots. Add to that are one diced tomato and one tablespoon finely chopped basil. Prepare a pinch of salt and cooking oil spray.

To start, in a small bowl, combine mozzarella, shallots, tomatoes, and basil. Open each chicken breast by cutting a horizontal cut along the long edge middle of the top, nearly through to the opposite side. 

Put two teaspoons of tomato paste each on each breast. Split the Margherita cheese mix into four equal parts, and then put one piece in each breast. Secure the breast by closing it over the filling, then using toothpicks on each side, fasten the edges. Season the breasts with salt to taste.

Put oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Cook the chicken until browned on one side. Flip the chicken and fry for another five minutes until browned. Turn down the heat, cover the pan, and cook until done.

Slow Cooker Salmon

All the ingredients you need are 1, 2 lb. salmon fillet with its skin on, Kosher salt and a freshly ground black pepper. You will also need one lemon, one and one-half cup of vegetable broth. In addition to that, you’ll need the juice of the one-half lemon and two tablespoons of freshly chopped dill for garnish.

Now, you need to line your slow cooker with large parchment paper. Place lemon slices in the slow cooker first, then lay salmon on top.

Sprinkle salmon generously with salt and pepper. Then add broth, lemon juice, and water to the slow cooker. Your fillet should be coated about halfway up with liquid—Cook salmon on low for two hours or until opaque and flaky.

Most busy moms find it hard to prepare meals. But with these quick guidelines, you can get your tummy filled before leaving your home.