After enjoying the summer holidays, it’s time to get back into a more structured routine, especially by reintroducing a healthy and balanced diet into our daily lives. Between barbecues, ice cream at the beach, and terrace cocktails, it’s natural to have relaxed our habits a bit—and that’s okay! However, as the new season begins, it’s time for both adults and children to reconnect with healthier habits.
Don’t worry—this doesn’t mean depriving yourself or spending hours in the kitchen. By following a few simple tips, you can easily balance an active lifestyle with healthy eating.
Here are the four best nutrition tips for a stress-free, healthy start to the season!
Table of Contents
1. Meal Planning: Organization is Key to Success
One of the secrets to maintaining a balanced diet without stress is organization. This advice is often repeated for good reason—it makes all the difference. Planning your meals in advance allows you to better control what’s on your plate, avoid pre-packaged foods that are often high in fat or sugar, and save time on busy days.
Contrary to popular belief, meal planning doesn’t have to be a headache. Simply take some time during the week (or month, for the more motivated) to plan out all meals, from breakfast to dinner, including snacks. For those living alone, it’s easy to base the menu on personal preferences and schedule. For couples or families, it can be more complex to cater to everyone’s tastes. But don’t be discouraged! Offer balanced alternatives in the same food category if certain items aren’t universally liked. Planning can also become a family activity—everyone can choose a meal or a theme for the week, such as international cuisines or different color themes each day. This way, meal planning becomes more fun, and everyone gets involved.
Once the menu is ready, it’s smart to save it for future use. With just two weekly menus, you already have 28 different meals, more than enough to avoid repetition.
These menus can also adapt to the seasons: light salads in summer, hearty casseroles in winter.
2. Pantry Essentials: Be Prepared for Busy Days
Unexpected events, fatigue, or a packed schedule can make it difficult to stick to a healthy diet. Who hasn’t felt the urge to order pizza when pressed for time?
Fortunately, keeping a few essential ingredients in your pantry or fridge can help you whip up a balanced meal quickly.
For vegetables, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots, canned green beans, or mushrooms are great staples. These can be paired with proteins like canned tuna or eggs. For carbohydrates, chickpeas, lentils, or canned beans are excellent choices.
With these ingredients, you can create quick and balanced meals in no time.
To resist the temptation of ready-made meals packed with additives and preservatives, consider keeping frozen, unprocessed vegetables and proteins on hand. Pre-sliced whole-grain bread in the freezer is also a great option to ensure you always have the foundation for a healthy meal.
3. Prioritize Homemade Meals
You don’t need to be a gourmet chef to eat well! Homemade meals allow you to control the quality of ingredients and the amounts of salt and sugar, while avoiding the additives found in processed foods.
There are many simple and quick recipes that don’t require much time in the kitchen. Busy during the week? Try batch cooking on the weekend—prepare several meals in advance and store them in the fridge or freezer for the days when time or energy is low.
For those with children, cooking can become a fun, educational activity. Involving them in meal prep helps them discover new foods and develop healthy eating habits.
Batch cooking is also a great solution for office workers. Instead of resorting to sandwiches or fast food during lunch breaks, bring homemade meals to the office. It’s a healthier, more economical option.
This method is especially practical for students, who often seek to balance healthy eating with a tight budget.
4. The “Mystery Guest” Trick
Here’s a tip I often recommend as a nutritionist: always imagine you have a surprise guest for dinner. In practice, this means preparing an extra portion at each meal. That extra portion can be frozen or saved for another day, creating a homemade “ready meal” without the excessive salt and additives found in store-bought options.
This trick offers several benefits. First, it saves time on busier days. It also reduces the temptation to order takeout. Plus, it ensures you always have a healthy, balanced option available, even when you’re feeling tired.
Conclusion
Getting back to healthy eating after summer doesn’t have to be difficult. With a bit of organization and these simple tips, you can easily integrate balanced meals into your routine without the stress. The key is to plan ahead and always keep essential ingredients on hand for those unexpected moments.
Beyond promoting a healthier diet, these tips can also ease the strain on your budget. Meal planning often leads to cost savings, and if you’re looking for more ways to eat well without overspending, there’s plenty of advice to help!