Most of us know that a healthy diet consists of eating well balanced meals with lots of fruits and vegetables and minimally processed foods.

However, the reality is what we know to be true and what we can actually manage are 2 very different things.

There are 3 main obstacles to healthy eating: time, money and knowledge.

Today let’s look at the first obstacle: lack of time.

Not having enough time is a big one for many people. You might have a full work schedule and then spend your evenings shuttling kids to different activities. Or maybe you are a busy college student juggling school work and a part-time job.

When is there time to prepare and cook a healthy meal?!

Weekly Meal Planning

One strategy is to plan out what you are going to eat for the whole week. Yes, this takes some time but it will save you time in the long run and you will feel good about being organized as well as eating some healthy meals. Allocate a specific time for cooking in your daily or weekly schedule. Treat it as an appointment and stick to it as much as possible.

I’ve tried a few different ways of doing this. I printed a meal planner from the internet and then laminated it and each week I wrote down my dinner plans. That strategy worked for me for a bit but I got tired of having the laminated sheet out on my counter. So now I just put the meal right into my Google Calendar. If I’m using a recipe from the internet, I include the link to the website so I don’t have to go searching for it again. Or if I’m using a cookbook, I write the name of the book and the page number in my calendar.

As I’m planning out my meals, I’m also taking stock of which ingredients I have and which ones I need to buy. I currently use the task manager on my phone to keep track of my grocery lists. I also regularly use the Zehrs online grocery pickup. This saves time as you aren’t doing the shopping and you just need to select a time to pick up your order. If I’m planning a grocery pick up then I have the Zehrs website open on my laptop and I enter in the grocery items as I’m planning the meals.

Cook in Batches

Another way to save time is batch cooking. Cook larger batches of food when you have time and freeze the extra portions. This way, you’ll have healthy meals ready to go on busy days.

Healthy meals don’t always need a lot of time.

Healthy meals don’t have to take hours to cook. A quick Google search will lead you to many ‘under 30 minute meals’ that you can get on the table quickly so you are ready for your next activity.

Experiment with one-pot meals, stir-fries, sheet pan dinners, and slow cooker recipes, which often require minimal effort.

Stock a Well-Equipped Kitchen

Keep your kitchen stocked with essential ingredients like whole grains, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Having the basics on hand makes it easier to throw together a healthy meal.

Check out this blog post for a list of ingredients that every plant-based cook should have on hand.

Use Leftovers Creatively

Get creative with leftovers. For example, turn last night's roasted vegetables into a Buddha bowl or a salad for lunch.

Prep Ingredients Ahead of Time

Wash, chop, and prep vegetables and fruits in advance. Having prepped ingredients readily available can significantly speed up meal preparation.

When I’m chopping vegetables for a meal, I will usually chop up the whole thing, for example a whole head of cauliflower, the whole red pepper etc. I use what I need for the current recipe and then put the rest in a glass container in the fridge ready for the next time I’m cooking.

Involve Your Family

If you have a family, involve them in meal planning and cooking. It can be a fun and educational activity for everyone.

The Bottom Line

Finding time to cook healthy meals is a matter of planning, organization, and making it a priority in your life. Over time, it can become a habit that benefits both your health and your wallet.

What strategies do you use to save time in the kitchen? Comment below and let me know!