Quick and Healthy Recipes for Busy Individuals

Contrary to popular belief, preparing a meal at home does not need to be an all-day affair that only yields one meal. Here are some tips for hustling individuals to make quick and healthy meals that encourage you to try cooking at home.

1. Set a budget and stick to simple ingredients

Make a budget for groceries per week and stick to it. Estimating what you can buy with the budget you have can be tricky initially, but it will get better with time as you grow more familiar with produce prices and the best places for purchasing certain ingredients (University of the People, 2023).

If you are on a tight budget, consider substituting pricier ingredients for a cheaper alternative. For example, use chicken instead of beef. 

2. Plan weekly meals to save time

Set aside some time once a week to plan your recipes. Consider choosing only 2 or 3 recipes per week and make larger portions for leftovers (Harvard Health Publishing, 2017).

With your recipes in mind, do an inventory of your kitchen. Do you already have any ingredients? If not, make a shopping list of the missing ingredients. This way, you keep your grocery runs to a minimum.

3. Take advantage of meal prepping and make certain ingredients in bulk

Based on your recipes for the week, are there any common ingredients needed for multiple recipes? Make them in bulk one time and freeze the rest for the other dish. For more complex recipes, consider making them during the weekend to minimise weekday prep (University of the People, 2023).

These three tips will make the meal preparation process as frictionless as possible. Who knows, you may even look forward to whipping up that quick and healthy meal you prepped!

Written by: Tan E-Zhen

03/2024

References

Harvard Health Publishing (2017, November 29). Real-life healthy dinners (for real people with real busy lives). Retrieved from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/real-healthy-dinners-busy-people-2017112912794

University of the People (2023, February 16). 10 Healthy Meals for College Students: It's Easier Than You Think. Retrieved from https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/10-healthy-meals-for-college-students-its-easier-than-you-think/