How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day

How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day

It's a new year, and with it comes a long list of New Year's resolutions. One of the most commonly followed New Year's resolutions is to boost one's health. Healthy lifestyle changes can include everything from exercising more to eating more nutritious meals. Now, if you plan on joining the many others who are upgrading their diet to healthier foods in 2021, then you've landed on the right article. Making a few healthy swaps here and there might not seem like a challenging task. However, when your days quickly fill-up with work, to-do lists and previously made arrangements, finding the time to research and cook healthy meals isn't that easy. When it comes to eating healthy at work, planning is the key to success, especially when it comes to mealtime at work. It's important that you stay adequately fueled with good-for-you foods to help you remain fueled, focused and energetic during the workday. The better you eat and feel at work, the better you perform. If you're wondering how to eat healthy at work, we're here to help! There are countless ways you can make healthy eating a part of your daily routine, especially in the office. Keep reading to discover tips, tricks and recipes that will help you stay healthy while working long hours.

Meal Prep

Remember when we mentioned that preparation is key to sticking to a healthy diet? We meant it! Meal prepping for the week ahead is an essential part of keeping your health goals on track. Without meal prep, what you eat during the day is often left to the last minute. This rushed sense of meal packing can cause you to reach for unhealthy, convenient food options or, worst-case, forget to pack a lunch altogether! Skipping meals won't help you reach your health goals any faster; in fact, it could end up hurting them. Instead of snacking on the cookies that your coworker brought in, ensure you always have a healthy meal and snacks for work on hand. Meal prepping only takes a few hours at the beginning of the week and can help you reach your health goals easily. If you plan out and prepare healthy meals that you enjoy ahead of time, then you'll have plenty of food to nourish you, and it will be much easier to refrain from reaching for sugar-filled goodies. Additionally, meal prepping one day of the week means that you'll spend less time cooking. This opens up your schedule after work and allows you time to enjoy it the way you want. Keep scrolling for a few tips and tricks to improve your meal prepping process.

Double up on Your Favorite Recipes

How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day| Bob's Red Mill Blog Meal prepping doesn't have to be hard. By merely doubling (or tripling) your favorite recipes, you can make a large batch of tasty meals that you can freeze and enjoy as your main dish throughout the week. Meals like this Vegetale Bounty Quinoa Salad and Mediterranean Sorghum Grain Bowl are an excellent way to get started.

Pre-Cook a Range of Ingredients and Mix Them

If eating the same meal throughout the week sounds boring to you, we suggest creating memorable meals by mixing similar ingredients. By cooking different ingredients like grains, vegetables and proteins, you can mix and match them throughout the week. Combine them with your favorite condiments and sauces, and viola! You have a brand new meal each day.

Wash and Prep Your Produce

Another way to make mealtime quicker and healthier is by preparing your produce at the beginning of the week. By washing, slicing and freezing your favorite fruits and veggies, you can quickly put meals and snacks together when you're running short on time. For more meal prep inspiration, check out How to Meal Prep and The Dos and Don'ts of Freezer Meal Prepping.

Connect With Other Healthy Eaters

One of the best ways to stay on track is through accountability. With 2021 being in full swing, there are bound to be others around your office or home who also have a list of new health goals. By connecting with coworkers, friends or family to establish a lunch club, you can eat a new home-cooked meal every day. To do so, collaborate with four to five interested friends. Each day take turns preparing lunch for the others. For example, if your day is Wednesday, you'll make five servings and bring lunch for the rest of the club. Establishing a lunch club is a great way to experience new and exciting homemade recipes and allows you to connect with those around you - even in times of social distancing. For a successful lunch club, follow these helpful tips:

Connect With Like-Minded Individuals

How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day| Bob's Red Mill Blog When it comes to forming your lunch group, connect with those aiming for a similar diet. If each person in the group has different dietary restrictions, it may be hard to find common ground each time you make a recipe.

Designate Containers

When your lunch day rolls around, you'll want to have five similar and separate containers to use. This will help keep the portions consistent and allow lunch club members to enjoy their lunch when convenient for them.

Start With Simple Recipes

While you may be tempted to recreate the lavish healthy meal you recently enjoyed at the trendy restaurant around the corner, simple is better when starting your health food journey. Whipping up an elaborate meal each day isn't practical and will leave you feeling like a healthy diet is more work than it's worth. Delicious healthy recipes aren't hard to make. By sticking to simple ingredients that taste great together, creating a meal that satisfies your cravings and provides your body with necessary ingredients is made effortless. When choosing healthy meals to eat during the workday, stick to simple grab-and-go meals. Some of our favorites include muffins, soup, oats and pre-made salads. Here are a few recipes to get started:

Easy Overnight Oats

How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day | Bob's Red Mill Blog Easy Overnight Oats taste amazing. They're customizable, great for you and an excellent way to boost your daily fiber intake. All things aside, the best thing about this recipe is that it's made the night before. Overnight oats are easy to make and perfect for an effortlessly nutritious and energizing breakfast or lunch to enjoy at work. Combine your favorite breakfast cereal ingredients the night before, let them sit overnight in the fridge, and grab one on your way out the door in the morning!

Classic Vegetable Soup

Remember how we talked about doubling up on recipes to freeze and enjoy later throughout the week? This Classic Vegetable Soup recipe is a great way to get started. Easy to make, our Vegi Soup Mix is a favorite for many of us here at the mill. It's a unique blend of green and yellow split peas, barley, lentils and alphabet noodles, making it easy to prepare a wholesome meal in minutes. A comfort food classic, make a large batch of this soup to enjoy throughout the week. Just one whiff of this tasty soup will have coworkers lining up for the recipe.

Pack Snacks

Though it may sound so, meal prepping doesn't only include meals but also includes snacks. Preparing healthy snacks ahead of time is a great way to stay on track. Having healthy snacks on hand can help satisfy your hunger throughout the day. And if you're a big snacker, you can even make a lunch full of healthy snacks. Hummus, granola bars and homemade trail mix top the list of our favorite healthy snacks. When making your favorite snacks, remember to choose shelf-stable recipes. Having snacks that you can keep on your desk throughout the week is an excellent way to make sure you don't forget to bring them each day. Discover one of our favorite work-approved snacks below.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars

How to Eat Healthy During a Busy Work Day | Bob's Red Mill Blog Searching for a healthy snack that you don't have to spend time making? Bring our Bob's Better Bars with you to work. Whether you're working out of an office or home, these bars are the perfect snack to keep on your work desk. Our most popular flavor, Peanut Butter and Jelly, is made with whole grain oats, peanut butter and organic honey. It tastes just like a delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For a quick boost of whole-grain goodness on-the-go, toss a bar in your bag to enjoy later or snack on during your morning commute. While adjusting to anything new takes a bit of time, by following the tips laid out in this article, you can quickly master how to eat healthy at work. Meal prepping, accountability and nutritious snacking are crucial parts of establishing a healthy lifestyle and staying on track. Use this article as a guide to help you achieve your new year goals and so much more. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, we believe in you! Have a healthy tip of your own? We'd love to hear how you're upgrading your diet this new year. Share your tricks with us in the comments below.  
Bob's Red Mill
March 21 2021

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