Seeking suggestions for convenience

[Lisa2020]

My husband and I would like to move towards a much healthier diet. Our diet now mainly consists of convenience foods... neither of us like to cook, we (just like the rest of society) always seem to be in a time crunch, and daily trips to a grocery store are simply out of the question. We both are totally open to eating healthy foods, trying new things, and having a healthy diet, but we are stuck in "convenience" mode. Does anyone have any suggestions other than "suck it up; maintaining a healthy diet takes effort"? We've tried HelloFresh; we loved the food, but got lazy with the prep and cooking - and strayed back to boxed/canned/frozen/bagged convenience foods.

[Agoodenough]

Hi Lisa2020, Stir fry and noodles is healthy and super quick. Also you could quickly stir fry some quick to cook veg (sweet corn, mushrooms, spinach, courgettes, peppers etc) and pour in some passatta and herbs and serve with pasta. You could get a slow cooker, if that appeals to you. Make bolognaise sauce, curry or chilli where you just throw it all in and then let it do it’s thing and serve with cous cous , rice or a baked potato.

I hope this helps.

Ali 🙂🌱

[benwl]

Tinned and frozen vegetables are usually healthy (and sometines more so than fresh equivalents as they are canned or frozen within hours of harvesting).

Put a tin of tomatoes, a tin of beans, some frozen peas and sweetcorn in a saucepan for ten minutes with some herbs and spices and you'll have a healthy meal with basically no prep.

Cooking from scratch doesn't have to take a long time, but it is a question of habit. The more you do the easier it is to carry on doing it until it's second nature.

[Zest]

Hi Lisa2020

Welcome to the Healthy eating forum. I think that the suggestions made by Agoodenough and benwl are great. I have just had a Stir-fry for my evening meal with Egg Noodles, and it was very tasty and easy to make. I think batch cooking and freezing portions can help too.

There are some recipes here in the Good Food website which are 'Quick and Healthy' - that you might like to look at:

bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/col...

Also, have a look around our various Topics and Pinned posts, and you may find other ideas too.

Zest

[Kai--]

Maybe consider experimenting with ‘Batch cooking’ 🍲 🍲 🍲 , Lisa2020 ( 👓 👀 );

. . . • mamasezz.com/blogs/news/wha... . . . • foodrevolution.org/blog/how...

. . . • myplantbasedfamily.com/2013... . . . • culinarynutrition.com/healt...

. . . • nutritionstudies.org/batch-... . . . • plantplate.com/Guide/Detail...

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Maybe try 1-day a week as a trial start? 🤔 💭

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☺️ 🙏 🍀 🌺 🌞

.

[Praveen55 Star]

Sample meals for a day:

instagram.com/p/Btqz3EjD1gF...

[AndrewT]

Dear lisa2020,

Unlike some people, on these pages, I DO eat meat....No 'Hate Mail' please! I often go into the Butchers, in Town, and buy their 'Stir Fry' Mixtures. As he name suggests you simply Stir Fry, the mixture, although you may well have to Break Up the meat rather. A lot of the Supermarkets, also do these mixtures, some of them 'Vegetarian/ Vegan'.

Alternatively Buy a Can/ Jar of Pasta Sauce and, very simply, add it to the Pasta of your choice. Then simply add Cooked Meat Balls, or Quorn/ Soya- or other meat alternative-, to the Pasta.

None, of these 'Things' take long, they are, far more Healthy, and you will SAVE a Fourtune, no REALLY!

[Lisa2020 in reply to AndrewT]

No haters here... We eat meat. My husband more so than me. One of the reasons we are looking to improve our diet, is that he eats way too much meat; especially processed meats (pork, sausages, bacon, etc.) It's a journey... one step at a time!

[AndrewT in reply to Lisa2020]

Dear Lisa2020,

Another good 'Harty' Meal is the 'Chilli Con Carne', which can be made With, or without meat- you CAN buy a mix/ jar but, I prefer to make my 'Own'. I cut up a Medium length, Medium hot, Chilli Pepper- using disposable gloves, I tend to use the Whole Thing- minus the stalk end. This I put into a large saucepan, along with onions, and garlic if wanted (I do). Gently fry, this mixture in oil (I use Rape Oil), until the onions Just start to 'Brown. (If you are using meat, fry this as the onions cook- again I do.) Add to the pot about a Tablespoon, of ketchup and open two cans of Red Kidney Beans. Wash the beans carefully before using them, I use a sieve for this, then add these to the pot. If you haven't already done so Put The Kettle On, to boil. (Keep an eye on the meat, if you are using it, turning and moving it around the pan. Once the meat is 'Browned', sieve this through, before adding it to the pot.)

Finally add the Beans, plus whatever else you like, perhaps 'Other Beans', Sweetcorn, Carrot, Stir Fry (don't laugh, there are some good vegetable mixes available, in these. (Personally I would avoid Bean Sprouts, they tend to make the mixture 'Stringy'). Additionally add a Teaspoon full, or more to taste, of Stock to the pot- I tend to use the 'Bouillon' Stock myself (though any Good quality Stock, will do). Add sufficient water, to 'Cover' the mixture, and bring it to the boil. Simmer for about another half an hour, then finally adjust the fluid level. Stir the mixture, a couple of time, as it cools. This Freezes, Very Well Indeed, and can be kept for some months.

Serve with Rice, or Pasta, or Bread, Baked Potato or....well anything really. I tend to use Rice or Tagliatelle myself. A lovely meal, fairly easy to make, and nutritious too....Enjoy.

Kindest Wishes

AndrewT

[AndrewT]

Sorry I Forgot to wish you 'Happy Cooking', or send you my Best wishes.

AndrewT

[Want2BHappy3]

I m retired but Hate cooking also, First as much as you'll Hate to do this, but getting it out of the way you'll feel Good...go to the grocery store once a week, buy bulk then prep... cook and freeze everything all at once, I cook my meat, veggies, even your pastas. Pull out what you need for the meal. Make sure you date your food. Get the real good freezer bags to avoid freezer burn.

[Lisa2020]

Thanks everyone! I've looked into some home delivery options. And I've also learned that the reason I hate cooking is because I hate SHOPPING; I never know what to buy! A big challenge being that my husband and I have completely different tastes/diet preferences. So I think our first solution is going to be to order Whole Foods Home delivery through our Prime account; that will allow my husband to provide input while I'm "shopping" online, and we can research the foods as we are shopping (rather than just guessing in the store, or trying to interpret labels in the store). Thanks again to all!

[AndrewT in reply to Lisa2020]

Dear Lisa2020,

I'm just Re-Reading, some of these Posts/Thread, I sometimes do. Without being, in any way, 'Funny' with you but....Can't you, and your Husband, make a 'Shopping List' of the Things you BOTH like to eat? You might BOTH like onions, perhaps cooked differently, ditto Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Pasta and Rice. Next maybe think about Meats- perhaps Pork (chops, steaks, sausages, diced or minced), much the same for Beef, Chicken, Duck (?) or Lamb. Most Butchers, even in Supermarkets, will Prepare Meat in a number of Different ways. Do you see what I'm 'Driving' at? You could 'Shop' Together, you are actually getting Much The Same 'Things'. If you do this carefully it could, VERY well, be Fun and MUCH less expensive than these 'Kits'....Just watch the Wastage, only buy what you need. (Yes we ALL do this, myself included...)

As I said above I'm NOT telling you, what to do, but you might both find this a good experience. If it DOESN'T work, you are no worse off, are you? Though I'm NOT, in any way- at all telling you- What to DO....Just TRY IT...If only to STOP, this Stupid Man from Nagging!

Jokes apart, It is worth considering.

Whatever you decide, good Luck, to you both. Kind Wishes

AndrewT

[Cooper27 Administrator]

I highly recommend a crock pot. If I'm lazy, I use a lot of pre-prepped frozen veg. Tonight was chilli with sliced onion, mushrooms, diced sweet potato, mixed peppers, garlic (all of these can be bought frozen), mince and some chopped tomatoes with chilli flakes.

Alternatively a lot of people have been raving about instant pots, which cooks pretty tasty meals in about 30 mins, with minimal input.

I also really like my soup maker, which is so easy to use! You throw a bunch of veg in, hit the button, and 20 minutes later, you have a tasty soup. Again, it's really low effort. You don't have to be very neat about cupping the veg at all.

[Marvel01]

I was similar, too tired after work to cook so resorted to ready meals. I now cook at a weekend (some of this is in the slow cooker) and freeze food, before work take out of freezer and just reheat on a night time. There are lots of freezable recipes out there. I cook when less busy and eat from freezer when tired. Good luck. 🙂

[Fran182716 Prediabetic]

I find omelettes with a salad or microwaved frozen veg really quick when I’m hungry and short of time.

Another trick for veg is one day a week I’ll chop a load of veg and put it in a large roasting tin with a drizzle of olive oil and herbs/spices/garlic, use a large pastry brush to spread the oil over the veg more evenly then roast till the veg is softened and crisping a little at the edges. Doesn’t need much watching, maybe a stir round halfway through so you can get on with something else and then it will keep in the fridge for a few days and a portion reheat in the microwave in a couple of minutes. Change the veg the next week to get more variety.