Eating well around a busy schedule

Working 9-5 often means rushing out the door in the morning and grabbing something quick—or sometimes skipping breakfast altogether. Lunchtime can become another challenge, especially when you're eating at your desk or in the office, leading you to rely on shop-bought sandwiches or snacks with little nutritional value.

By the time evening rolls around, it's tempting to opt for a takeaway or ready meal, leaving you feeling sluggish rather than nourished. But with a bit of preparation, you can save yourself from constantly grabbing food on the go and instead enjoy healthy, nourishing meals throughout your busy week.

The saying "a stitch in time saves nine" really applies here. By dedicating just a couple of hours over the weekend or setting aside some mid-week evenings to prep meals, you can significantly boost your nutritional intake and energy levels all week long.

Meal prep

I love diving into my cookbooks a couple of times a month to select meals I can enjoy throughout the week. For each week, I choose two or three recipes, ranging from leisurely dishes to quick midweek meals, to keep things diverse and manageable.

Some of my favourite cookbooks include those by Anna Jones, Amelia Freer, and Deliciously Ella. Batch cooking ensures you have nutritious meals ready, saves money and reduces frequent supermarket visits.

Farmers market

Try visiting your local farmers market regularly, even if it’s just once a month. This helps you align your meals with seasonal produce, providing lower-cost organic fruits and vegetables alongside high-quality meats, fish, and cheeses.

Grab what you can from here and then supplement your shop at the supermarket or local refill store.

Breakfast prep

By preparing breakfast in advance, you can save precious morning minutes. Overnight oats or chia puddings are nutritious, easy to prepare, and highly customisable. Simply top them with frozen berries, nuts, seeds, or nut butter. It’s an ideal grab-and-go solution for busy mornings.

Healthy snacks

To avoid unhealthy snacking temptations, prepare nutritious snacks ahead of time. Homemade granola bars, roasted chickpeas, energy balls, or pre-chopped veggies with hummus are excellent options.

Having these ready and waiting makes healthier choices the easiest option.

Salad dressings

I always prepare a big batch of salad dressing at the start of each week, using fresh lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and herbs to create a flavour-packed dressing. It’s great for drizzling over salads or cooked vegetables, instantly adding freshness and nutrition.

Freezer essentials

Maximise your freezer’s potential, even if it’s compact. Stock it with frozen berries, sliced bananas for smoothies, fresh bread, bone broth, frozen peas, salmon, chicken breast, and portions of batch-cooked meals. This ensures you'll always have a quick, nutritious option on hand.

Store cupboard staples

A well-stocked cupboard makes preparing healthy mid-week meals effortless. Keep tins of coconut milk, beans, chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, rice, quinoa, pre-cooked lentils, dried herbs, nuts, and seeds in your pantry. These ingredients offer endless possibilities for quick, nourishing meals.

Herbs and spices

Experimenting with herbs and spices like turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and garlic powder will keep your meals exciting and varied. Besides adding great taste, herbs and spices deliver beneficial antioxidants and nutrients.

Hydration boosters

Boost your hydration by preparing infused waters or herbal teas ahead of time. Ingredients like fresh mint, ginger, cucumber, or slices of citrus fruits make staying hydrated more enjoyable throughout a busy workday.

Smart storage solutions

Make meal prep efficient with airtight, clearly labelled containers. Glass containers are especially handy—they’re microwave-safe, freezer-friendly, environmentally friendly, and perfect for reheating and transporting meals.

Make double portions

When preparing soups, stews, casseroles, or curries, cook double portions. Enjoy one serving immediately and freeze the rest for days when you're especially tired or pressed for time. Your future self will thank you!

Simplify lunches

Prepare easy lunch bowls by cooking grains like quinoa or rice in batches. Combine these with pre-cooked veggies, proteins like chicken, beans, or tofu, and top with dressings, seeds, or herbs. These lunch bowls are balanced, quick, and easy to pack for work.

Flexible recipes

Choose adaptable recipes that allow you to substitute ingredients you already have. This saves money, reduces food waste, and simplifies meal preparation. With a little planning and these practical tips, maintaining a nutritious diet with a busy work schedule becomes achievable and even enjoyable.