With the following guidelines, people with diabetes can eat dinner quickly on a busy night.
Sometimes you want to prepare a healthy dinner, but the hustle and bustle of the evening can make it difficult to prepare the ingredients for a quick meal or take-out. The good news is that you can prepare a well-balanced and delicious dinner in less than 30 minutes by using the following methods.
Prepare well
“Plan and then act,” says Jill Nussinow, author of The Nutrition Champion. “Pretend someone is cooking for you. There are ready-made beans, corn, cooked brown rice and vegetables in the fridge, so it’s possible to make a healthy meal in minutes.” Jill Nussinow also recommends frozen foods, whether store-bought or home-made, for which simply turning on the microwave is all you need to do. However, look for healthy versions that are low in salt and fat and rich in fiber and nutrients.
Choose template recipes
Prepare some easy recipes to make a meal without a lot of effort. When there is more time to prepare dinner, experience more new recipes. When wanting to eat dinner right away, pull out a few of the items on the list as recipes.
Seasoning
Use spice blends to freshen up stale dishes. You can mix your own, or buy them ready-made.
Nussinow often makes a basic soup and then freshens up every day’s cooking by adding different seasonings.
Eating a balanced diet
Sticking to a zero-failure recipe of protein mixed with produce and starch makes for a satisfying, balanced meal every time.
Prepare your vegetables
Ideally, you can shop, do laundry, hang out clothes, and prep a variety of ingredients on the weekend so that you can always add them to dinner. If that’s not practical, buy some pre-cut fresh veggies (especially a good option for larger foods like winter squash) or frozen fruits and vegetables.
Stock up on food
Filling food storage cabinets (and well-stocked refrigerators and freezers) can keep patients away from takeout. Make sure you have basic template meals on hand (pasta, beans, tuna, canned sauces, etc.).