Does the quality of your nutrition ever get hindered by the busyness of life? Do you find that you regularly experience either missed or less-than-nutritious breakfasts or lunches because the day gets away from you and it’s going to take time to make something filling and healthy? If so, then this article is for you.
I get caught up in the busyness of the work week myself, to the point where I sometimes skip meals because I was worried that breaking my focus would lead to a complete lapse in concentration so I wouldn’t be able to finish the task at hand.
But this attempt to manage my forgetfulness and brain fog leads to an overall negative reaction from the rest of my system — which almost always last for the rest of the day, hindering my productivity and ultimately backfiring on my original plan. There are two meals, though, that I now keep on hand throughout each work week that make it much easier for me to eat well without significantly interfering with my work.
Read on to learn one of my absolute favorite life hacks when it comes to nutrition.
Prepped and ready to eat salad
I’m not just talking about vegetables here. The epiphany of making salad with canned meats and fresh vegetables is one for which I’m incredibly grateful — and the best part is you can store these easy lunches in your refrigerator throughout the week. Check out the ingredient list for chicken and salmon salads (please note that the fruits, vegetables and seasonings can be swapped for your favorite fresh produce).
- Two cans of chicken breast or pink salmon
- Celery (adds a nice crunch)
- Red seedless grapes
- White onion
- Bell pepper
- Mayonnaise (I use Primal Kitchen’s avocado mayo)
- Dijon mustard (or your mustard of choice)
- Slivered almonds
- Leafy green of your choice (I’ve used romaine lettuce, arugula and spinach)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
While the specific recipe is left up to you, the two most important parts of these salads are the protein (chicken or salmon) and the leafy greens (which are incredibly healthy). As long as you have these, you’ll be getting solid protein and vegetable intake. I like to add a number of other plants so that I’m boosting my nutrition as much as possible (see ingredients list). But you can substitute or add your favorite fruits and vegetables as you like.
To make this recipe, all you need to do is combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well. I typically add just enough mayo and mustard to moisten the mixture and then salt and pepper to taste. Once it’s finished, simply keep it stored in a bowl or Tupperware with an airtight lid, serving over your leafy green of choice when you’re ready to enjoy your salad.
Because I use multiple vegetables and fruits that requiring chopping, I like to make mine on a less busy day — either over the weekend or at the end of a Monday, when I have time to prep the salad. It’s super easy to serve in the middle of your workday or bring with you on the go.
Yogurt parfaits
My breakfast hack is a little different in that you don’t need to make it ahead of time. Instead, you can just keep the ingredients for a simple but nutritious yogurt parfait in your house and easily throw them together for a quick breakfast that can also be taken with you. Here’s what I typically use for this recipe.
- Plain, sugar free Greek yogurt
- Berries (or any fruit you like with yogurt — I usually use a couple different kinds)
- Nuts (slivered or whole — almonds are great)
- Sweetener (optional — I either drizzle some honey on top or sprinkle in mini chocolate chips, but make sure they’re at least 60% cocoa to have nutritional value)
Similar to the salad, all you have to do for this recipe is combine the ingredients. The yogurt and nuts provide your protein source which combine perfectly with your berries or fruit of choice and your optional sweetener.
I work from home and don’t make my yogurt parfaits ahead of time, but if you need it on the go for an early morning, it should store just fine if you make it the night before and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
One tip that has made this recipe easier is washing the fruit ahead of time. Whenever I go shopping, I rinse the fruit I buy later that same day and store it in a sealed container. I even combine two or three different products in one, so it’s easy to just add a bit of fruit to my yogurt. I’ve also found that rinsing and storing the fruit together keeps it from molding too quickly (typically only an issue with certain berries).
I hope these two recipes that I use all the time to eat well during my busy work week are helpful and enjoyable for you, too!
Jean mondoro 