Healthy cooking during stressful days - Tips and Tricks

When our everyday life once again takes up all our time, it is difficult to also focus on a healthy diet. After all, there is so much on our minds, and when we finally find some time to cook something healthy, the ingredients are missing in the house. Especially in stressful and exhausting times, it is particularly important to eat nutrient-rich foods and support the body instead of putting more strain on it. But how can one do that when there is hardly any time available?

Cooking healthy in a stressful everyday life - here's how:

Prioritize eating

If we are truly honest with ourselves, we have to admit that throughout the day we have enough time to cook and eat healthily. However, we often prioritize other things over food in the moment. When time runs out and our stomach starts growling, it is more convenient to resort to ready-made meals. If it is important to you to nourish your body and give it what it needs, you should prioritize your meals. This includes having regular meal times, cooking for yourself at least once a day, opting for balanced meals, and of course, not eating quickly on the go.

Celebrating one meal a day

You don't have time to cook fresh three times a day? Focus first on a meal that you have control over. Do you only have a short lunch break at noon, but are at home for a long time in the morning? Then prepare a healthy and balanced breakfast here and start the day strengthened. Or prepare a healthy meal in the morning or evening before that you can take with you. If you prefer to enjoy your food after all the hustle and bustle of the day, cook a healthy dinner in the evening with plenty of vegetables and valuable micronutrients. Don't take on too much, but focus on one balanced meal a day. The rest will follow automatically.

Planning meals

If you have a stressful daily routine, you probably don't have time to plan meals in detail, right? Nevertheless, it is recommended to do exactly that. Because if you take just 10-15 minutes on the weekend to sit down and choose your meals for the next few days, you will save a lot of time during the week. For example, you can do a single big shopping trip and get everything you need for the week. You know exactly what and how much to buy, saving yourself the daily pondering. Yes, you invest some time at the beginning for planning, but in the end, you gain more time.

Create recipe collection

Whether you plan your meals in advance or decide spontaneously every day what you want to eat today, having a collection of delicious and healthy recipe ideas will make the decision much easier for you. For example, start with five dishes that

1. are quick to prepare (approx. 10-20 minutes)

2. you enjoy

3. contain vegetables

4. contain filling proteins and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids)

5. can be varied (different vegetables, side dishes or protein sources)

6. are suitable for taking with you (salads, bowls, snacks)

This may sound complicated at first. In reality, however, many recipes meet these criteria. Feel free to take a look under the recipes section, where you will find numerous ideas for healthy recipes.

Every weekend, you can then expand your list by two to three more dishes, and within a few weeks, you will have a really large repertoire from which you can conjure up delicious dishes.

Always have a healthy snack ready

If you don't have any time to cook during stressful periods and you'd rather raid your pantry, healthy snacks can be a lifesaver. Prepare a supply of nut bars, energy balls, or dried fruits once a week, or make sure you have ingredients ready for a quick meal, such as yogurt with fruit, corn cakes with hummus, or carrots with cream cheese. Of course, you can also keep some nuts in your car, bag, or workplace so that you can bridge the gap when you get hungry and avoid a drop in blood sugar.

Building up a healthy stock: Here's how to do it

Foods that are particularly suitable for a healthy stock should be nutrient-rich and versatile in the kitchen to bring variety to the meal plan. Good choices include:

• Canned legumes: Simply drain chickpeas, beans, etc. and add them to a salad with whatever you have at home. Or add them to soup as a filling, or puree them for hummus.

• Healthier ready meals as a basis: Ready meals are now also available with much healthier ingredients, and many can be enhanced at home: Look for good ingredient lists without additives and hydrogenated fats; if possible, the vegetable content should be high and whole grains should be included. Buckwheat or quinoa stir-fries can also be found in the frozen food section. A ready-made pizza is also not a bad idea, preferably vegetarian, without flavourings and supplemented at home with some vegetables or plenty of fresh herbs. Whole grain wraps and gnocchi from the chiller cabinet are also perfect for a healthy pantry.

• Nut butter as a topping and base for sauces: Almond butter or cashew butter are not yet on your shopping list? It keeps for months and, when mixed with a little water, coconut milk, oat cream or cream, makes a delicious sauce for salads, curries, vegetables or pasta and is a tasty addition to sweet fruit salads, muesli or bowls. It is also a delicious spread on its own.

• Fresh fruit and vegetables with a longer shelf life: The fresher fruit and vegetables are, the higher their nutrient content. But there are also some varieties that keep a little longer when stored correctly, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips and pointed cabbage. Peppers, courgettes and mushrooms, which spoil more quickly, can be kept in the fridge for a good week as antipasti. Simply cook them in the oven and then season with a little balsamic vinegar, olive oil and herbs.

• Small ‘nutrient bombs’: Oilseeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax seeds can be puréed into spreads, sprinkled over soups and salads, mixed into potato dishes – and, if necessary, sprinkled over takeaway food or frozen meals.

• A selection of frozen vegetables and fruit: These can be quickly turned into a vegetable stir-fry or soup. Frozen berries and other frozen fruits can be combined with buckwheat or semolina and, if desired, a little yoghurt or quark to make a wholesome, sweet dish.

• Whole grains and pseudo-grains: Buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet or spelt and green spelt grains are healthy and filling: simply add some (frozen) vegetables, antipasti or nut butter/yoghurt and you have a delicious bowl or pan dish. You can also pre-cook for the week and then just add whatever you have at home in the evening.

• Pickled vegetables and antipasti: A few dried tomatoes in scrambled eggs, cream cheese or salads are a quick way to add flavour from your pantry. The same goes for olives, artichokes, aubergines or other vegetables pickled in olive oil. They are also delicious and healthy on a slice of bread – it couldn't be quicker or easier.

Healthy shopping

A healthy meal starts with a healthy shopping trip. After all, what you buy will end up on your plate sooner or later. Here too, planning is key. If you plan your meals in advance, you can then check your pantry and write your shopping list accordingly. Because with a shopping list, you can shop faster, more targeted, healthier, and cheaper.

Do you not have time to run through the supermarket for hours to buy fruits and vegetables? Research if there are farms in your region that can deliver fresh fruit and vegetable boxes to you. This way, you support local farmers, save time, and receive fresh, seasonal produce at home.

Prepare and pre-cook

You know that you will be on the go a lot the next day and won't have time to cook? Take out your recipe collection and choose a quick dish that you can prepare the night before and then take with you the next day. This way, you won't even be tempted to resort to calorie-dense and sugary foods.

Feel free to prepare larger portions of pasta, couscous, and similar dishes to use them on other days.