Tips to make healthy eating easier

How often do you order takeaway meals by the end of the week because you’ve run out of groceries in the house or are simply too busy to cook a home-cooked meal? Our Sports Dietitian Kelsey Hutton see’s a lot with clients. and is always trying to help people come up with quick and convenient options they can keep on hand to avoid the excess takeaway calls.

Starting with a shopping list and a plan of what meals to cook throughout the week makes prioritising healthy eating so much easier, so to help you with your eating habits, here are Kelsey’s grocery shopping staples that are in her trolley most weeks, to ensure she stay on top of healthy eating and reduce takeaway throughout the week.

1.  Healthy convenience foods

I rely on convenience foods every week because most nights I don’t have time to cook dinner from scratch. Microwave brown rice has been the biggest time saver, all I have to think about is some meat and veg to go with it – usually a stir fry! Healthy stir fry sauces like ‘Celebrate Health’ and ‘Five Senses’ are good options for those quick weeknight dinners.

There’s nothing wrong with frozen fruit and veg either, they are just as nutritious as fresh. Having these handy in the freezer means I always have healthy options available when my fruit and veg are running low at the end of the week.

Tinned tuna and salmon are also convenient protein options that are a staple in my cupboard. They don’t need to be kept in the fridge so are perfect for when groceries run out. Paired with some microwave brown rice and frozen veg, and you have yourself a nutritious meal in 2 minutes!

2. Marinated meats

Meat and 3 veg is one of the easiest week night meals when short on time, but can get boring after a while. I make use of the pre-marinated meats that are easily available these days, and usually have them once or twice a week. Saves time preparing the meats earlier in the day and is a healthier option than takeaway.

3. High protein yoghurts

Whether its YoPro or Chobani Fit, these are always on my grocery list so that we have a high protein, portable and convenient snack throughout the whole week. Perfect as a post-training recovery option or can be turned into a healthy breakfast with some muesli, fruit and milk.

4. Pre-cut and washed vegetables/salads

These days there are plenty of pre-packed salad options in Coles and Woolworths; the Kale Slaw kit makes its way into my trolley every week. It makes life easier at dinner time when all I have to think about is cooking a meat option to go alongside the salad, or we bulk it up more with some microwave brown rice.

Pre-cut vegetables also helps to save time preparing dinner and means you’ll be far more likely to come home and cook a meal, even when you’re busy. 

5. Different coloured fruit and vegetables

I always make sure the trolley is full of a variety of different coloured fruits and vegetables. This helps me ensure we are eating a variety of different micronutrients across the week (from the different coloured produce), but the variety also means we will be less likely to get bored of having our week night dinners at home.

Eating healthy doesn’t need to be difficult, but a little bit of preparation and thought into what you’re choosing to eat will make it that much easier. If you’d like more practical and simple tips for eating healthier, budgeting or what to buy when grocery shopping, contact our Sports Dietitian Kelsey Hutton at Precision Atheltica, or book a one on one with her below.