For Busy People: How To Cook Healthy In Less Than 30 Minutes

People are busier than ever nowadays. Whether you are a single mother, entrepreneur, or an underpaid and overworked employee, you know that you are busy. According to a recent Gallup survey, most Americans are no longer working 40 hours a week but rather 47 hours a week.

With rising inflation and stagnant wages, the majority of the employees in the workforce are forced to work more to maintain their lifestyle. Unfortunately, they are faced with making one of the biggest sacrifices, which is losing more of their free time. Almost no one would disagree that it is hard to eat healthier when you lack the time to prepare your own meals.

Many people opt for nutrition bars as a meal replacement, but many of them are heavily processed with preservatives and artificial ingredients. Alternatively, they may choose to buy a salad at a fast food restaurant. Unfortunately, most fast food restaurants either use heavily irradiated produce or preservatives. Neither option is ideal for someone who desires to eat healthier.

Hope is not lost though. Here are three ways that people can cook healthy in less than 30 minutes.

1. Quick Combo Meals

It is possible to create satisfying meals by focusing on foods that require little to no cooking. Think about some of your favorite foods. Which foods do you like to eat raw? Which foods do you like to eat that can be cooked in 30 minutes?

One of my favorite quick combo meals is a whole avocado with black olives and nopales. The only thing that I need to cook is the nopales, and it takes about 10 minutes to heat in a frying pan. Avocados are high in protein, which can be an excellent choice to keep you full until the next meal.

Svetlana Ustinova (Owner of IGotOffer.com) suggests cooking an egg omelet. It is “healthy, high in protein, and naturally fat-free. Not only is it easy to make but it is very convenient as a busy businesswoman with three toddlers.”

You may take it a step further by adding some vegetables that you can quickly slice with two slices of bread to make a sandwich. There are many options that you can create based on your food preferences. The meal combinations are endless.

2. Soups

Soups are a meal choice that can definitely keep you full until the next meal. It is best to plan your soup recipe beforehand so you can focus all of your efforts on preparing the meal. You can start by cutting the vegetables while you are waiting for the water to boil in the pot.

My favorite is a special recipe of mine called the OMG soup. OMG is an acronym for onions, mushrooms, and greens. I cook the mushrooms and greens in the pot. I typically use a trio of kale, arugula, and chard, but you are welcome to pick your own trio of vegetables. Lastly, I add the raw onions, sea salt, and two tablespoons of olive oil when the soup is finished.

I welcome you to try it. I also call it the OMG soup because I am almost sure that you will say “Oh My God” when eating it. There are many kinds of soup that you can prepare based on your personal food preferences.

3. Salads

As mentioned earlier, most busy people tend to buy their salads from the famous fast food restaurants, which typically offer better prices. Alternatively, some busy people do opt for a more expensive option. However, higher prices do not necessarily equate to higher quality.

While most people do not have access to local farms or food co-ops, they can still take an extra step to ensure better food quality. You can choose to buy organic produce at your local supermarket. Moreover, you will also be likely to find organic oils there that you can use as a salad dressing.

Most people tend to eat the same fruits and vegetables on a daily basis unless they are challenged with a particular health condition that restricts them from eating more fruits and vegetables. The variety of produce is plentiful. You should not wait to be a victim of a disease for you to diversify your choices of produce.

There are many salads that you can choose to prepare based on your food preferences.

What About Snacks?

If you like snacks as much as me, do not fret. Preparing most of these snacks will take no more than an additional five minutes or no extra time at all. Furthermore, these snacks are also much healthier than the typical snacks that people buy like potato chips, cookies, and cupcakes.

In a previous article, I listed some snack ideas that are not only flavorful but easy to prepare and healthier. I would be interested in hearing your recipes. Could you share one idea for a healthy meal that can be made in less than 30 minutes?

Featured photo credit: kpgolfpro via pixabay.com

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