It’s no secret that cooking at home is one of the best ways to get healthy nutritious meals. Preparing your own food lets you ensure every ingredient going in is fresh and healthy. Taking the time to prepare and clean up from those meals is where the struggle comes in. Junk food and meals on the go often win out for their convenience. Keeping a healthy cooking habit is all about setting yourself up for success. We’ve put together a few tips for cooking healthy without the hassle. 

1. Meal Plan & Prep

This isn’t a new tip but it is one of the best out there. Meal planning is a great way to not only eat healthy but save money and food waste. Before grocery shopping, make a calendar of what meals you will be eating each day. This allows you to only shop for the food you need to prepare each meal. It keeps you from loading your cart with unhealthy snacks and last-minute meals at the store. Add each meal and daily snacks to your list. At the store you will know exactly what to get. Meal prepping is another great tool. Prepping is preparing all your meals for the week on a free day, so they are ready to go on your busy days. This makes it easy to grab an already prepared healthy meal on a busy night, instead of reaching for takeout. Prep your meals into easy to see storage containers. Allowing you to easily see each day’s meals. Glass storage containers offer a great seal for refrigeration, freezing, and microwaving. They are also clear for easy viewing. 

2. Keep it Clean

Keeping a clean kitchen can make your cooking journey a lot easier. Having a clean and functional preparation and cook space makes cooking more appealing, not to mention simpler. An organized kitchen can take the hassle out of cooking. Knowing where all your utensils and ingredients are can make starting the cooking process a lot easier. No one wants to start cooking by doing the dishes and sorting through cupboards for the right spice. Make your life easier by doing dishes as they are made. Organize your pantry in a way that keeps items visible and handy. Keeping a well-organized pantry and kitchen can make all the difference.  

3. Take the Easy Way Out

Cleaning and organizing may sound like a lot but sometimes the best tip is to just take the easy route. One of the best ways to cook healthy and still maintain a busy lifestyle is to cook effortlessly. Instant pots and slow cookers are great easy options for cooking. Both offer a variety of healthy recipe options for cooking with ease. These are great options that allow you to keep make a great meal with little effort. They also allow you to cook in big batches. Store leftovers for future meals to save even more time! 

4. Mind Tricks

These tricks and tips are more on the consuming end than cooking but can be extremely useful. Using smaller plates when serving meals can help prevent overeating. Studies have shown people tend to eat until their plate is clean, regardless of size. Using a smaller plate can help control portion sizes. Store colorful fruits and vegetables at the front of your refrigerator. The colors will draw your eyes making you more apt to reach for them over junk food. In the same way if you do have junk food in the house, store it out of sight. Keeping both your healthy and non-healthy snacks in proportioned containers can help make them easy to grab. It’s also a great way to control the portion size and keep you from overeating. It can be easy to lose track and eat a whole bag of chips. Portioning out snacks is a great way to avoid over-snacking. 

Cooking healthy doesn’t have to be a big hassle. With these simple tips for cooking healthy you can make every day a healthy day! At BOARD 30 we are committed to helping you keep a balanced body. To learn more about our innovative fitness system visit our website or contact us!