As a vegan, I always get asked, what do you eat in a typical day? How do you get your protein? Are you some kind of sadistic self-sabotager?
No, I’ve just always been interested in eating healthy and fascinated with nutrition and wellness in general and never liked the taste of meat. Admittedly, I do miss mac and cheese.
Food is a powerful tool that we often do not utilize to heal and nourish our body—but that’s hard to do when we are so busy that we do not even remember to eat sometimes.
And let’s face it—meal prepping is a wonderful idea, but not one that fits everyone’s lifestyle individually. Personally, I get bored with eating the same meals over and over and over again throughout the week.
Despite that, I do stick to some same basic concepts that make choosing what to eat on days when I’m too busy to even fit in a solid meal all the easier.
Some simple tips to get you started:
- Simple is the key phrase here. Don’t stress out about getting a three-course meal made when you’re exhausted. As long as you are making healthy choices, it’s totally okay to pick up take out on the way home or eat a frozen dinner you picked up at the store (Amy’s has some great ones).
- Keep your bag/desk/office stocked with snacks! This will save you time and keep your hunger satiated if you find you can’t take a lunch break. If you have access to a mini-fridge, throw some yogurt and fruit in there and you have a quick and easy meal that’ll keep your energy up.
- Stick to what you know you like, and make meals around that. I love beans, lentils, and rice, so I eat a lot of grain bowls. When mixed with veggies and greens with some healthy fats added, grain bowls are a great meal choice!
- Don’t beat yourself up when you resort to take out or grab some semi-healthy fast food on the way home. It happens to the best of us.
Here’s what I typically eat on the days where I have meetings non-stop, get stuck at the office late, or just have no motivation to throw together anything more than a few ingredients:
6am-9am: I start the morning by drinking an entire 40oz of water. I’ve always struggled with drinking water, and forcing myself to get it down in the morning is the only way I know I can stay hydrated through the day.
After my water, I make my newest obsession: matcha! Traditional matcha is made with boiling water and special tools, but for ease and simplicity I make mine in the blender.
I start by boiling a cup of water or so and steaming some almond milk in my milk brother (it’s also delicious with coconut milk!) In the blender I put a teaspoon of matcha, a tablespoon of maple syrup, two teaspoons coconut butter, a dash of pumpkin pie spice for flavor, the water, and the almond milk. It froths up into this foamy, creamy, semi-sweet cup of superfood deliciousness.
I’ve been trying not to drink coffee until I get to the office, as I was falling into this bad habit of not eating and just drinking a pot of coffee for breakfast. Hello, migraines.
9am-10am: Every night, I blend up a smoothie and stick it in the freezer. Before I leave for work I pull it out to defrost on the counter. My favorite smoothie right now is made of half a frozen banana, chocolate protein powder, dark frozen cherries, cocoa nibs, and almond milk. It literally tastes like a chocolate cherry milkshake.
If I have extra time in the morning or am working from home, I like to make a more substantial brunch, like tofu scramble tacos or protein pancakes. There are hundreds of recipes on Pinterest for these.
2pm: Lunch is pretty simple for me. I either pack leftovers and heat them up in the microwave, or I get a salad or grain bowl from places like Chipotle, Cava, or Panera. Unfortunately, I have been eating out way too much lately and not cooking dinner as much–but that’s the busy life for you.
7pm: The last thing I want to do when I come home every day is cook some elaborate meal, so normally I put together a salad, throw something in the AirFryer, and call it a day. On Sundays, I try to make a big batch of curry or soup that I’ll put in the crockpot and will heat that up for dinners, or I’ll make some quick tacos or another grain bowl. The possibilities are endless and quick, so long as you have a stocked pantry!
I have the worst sweet tooth admittedly, so I usually end the night with some dark chocolate, hot tea, or even hot chocolate in the colder months.
(h/t Better Change Project)