Making
healthy, South Beach Diet–friendly meals doesn’t have to take up a lot of your
time. There are many ways you can shave off minutes in the kitchen and still
eat nutritious, delicious food. It’s just a matter of having the recipes and
ingredients well in hand before you start cooking, prepping ahead of time, and
learning a few other shortcuts. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by
the idea of preparing healthy meals, here are some simple time-saving tricks to
help you get started:
- As soon
as you get home from the grocery store, prep fruits and veggies and separate
them into individual containers to refrigerate or freeze and use during the
week. Always keep a bag of prewashed greens on hand to create a healthy salad
in minutes.
- Instead of mincing garlic
each time you need it, throw a lot of whole cloves into the food processor.
Refrigerate in a plastic container and use within one week.
- Cook once so you can eat
twice (or more). On Sunday, for example, prepare enough food for two or three
meals so you can refrigerate or freeze some in microwavable containers and
enjoy throughout the week (and take a night or two off from cooking). If you’re
grilling, prepare extra for lunch the next day.
- Stock up on easy
ready-to-eat foods, like canned or pouched tuna, plain low-fat or nonfat
yogurt, or ready-made hummus, to grab for on-the-go snacks.
- Prepare veggie crudités
once a week and keep them in plastic bags or plastic containers in the fridge
to snack on or to add to soups, salads, and more.
- Clean as you cook
— rather than stacking the dishes in the sink to deal with after
dinner, get a head start on the mess by washing pots, pans, bowls, and other
kitchen utensils as you’re preparing the meal.
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