Weekdays can be frantic, and sometimes you don’t have time to match your socks, much less prep a healthy meal. But nothing sucks more than coming home after a long day of work and classes and realizing that you have nothing to eat.
Let these tips guide you away from Cup of Noodles and Easy Mac, and help you prep healthier meals, even for those nights when you don’t have the effort for a three-course dinner.
Understand Your Schedule
Taking a major requirement from 7:00-9:00 PM? Internship running late into the night? Working a graveyard shift? Rather than skip meals or rely on snack foods to get by, make a game plan. Even if it’s just bringing leftover rice in a Tupperware to your late night job, or eating before and after your 7:00 class. This semester, I’ve been leaving my internship at 6:00 and getting home at 7:00. Just in case I get hungry, I bring a small evening meal to my internship. This is also a lifesaver in case you end up having to stay later at your job or get stuck in a TA session after class.
Pick a Day to Do Meal Prep
Okay, let’s get honest. You’re not going to come home after a 12-hour work day and make even a 30-minute meal. I want to show up and have the food ready to go by the time I walk in the door.
To do this, sometimes you have to take shortcuts. An easy way to do this is to designate a day to do some light meal prep. Making staples like a few cups of rice or shredded chicken in the crock pot on a lazy Sunday is all you have to do to set yourself up for easy meal prep for the week.
Crockpot Cooking
The crock pot is definitely a lifesaver in this scenario. You can just throw your dinner in the crockpot before class/work/internship and have dinner when you walk through the door. This recipe is a favorite of mine. It’s easy to prepare, plus it’s super yummy with quesadillas.
Freezer Meals
Another bonus to crockpot meals: Sooo many leftovers. These leftovers make great freezer meals for another busy night. To freeze a meal, simply pour the contents in a Ziplock bag (this works especially great for soups, but you could pretty much freeze anything) and press the air out as best as you can. Label the bag so you know what you’re freezing, and then you have a meal anytime you’re willing to let the bag thaw an afternoon before reheating.
Use the Buddy System
Sometimes, if I know I won’t be home until late at night, I ask one of my roommates to start my dinner for me in exchange for part of my meal. It’s a win-win. I get to have food right when I come home, and she gets to have a free dinner.
Hopefully, these tips help you find time to eat healthy in the middle of your busy schedule!