Healthy food for busy people

Choose healthier alternatives

• Read the Nutrition Information Panel on food products so you can choose the healthier option
• Choose the low fat version of foods such as milk and yoghurt
• Buy fish, leaner cuts of meat and skinless cuts of poultry which are lower in fat
• Use plant oils (olive or sunflower oil) rather than animal fats (butter or lard)
• Use pesto, salsas, mustards, chutneys and vinegars for flavour rather than sour cream, mayonnaise and creamy sauces
• Experiment with fresh or dried herbs, lemon juice and spices to enhance flavours instead of salt

Low fat cooking

• Steam, grill, boil or microwave rather than frying or baking in oil
• Cook in liquids (stock, wine, juice or water) rather than oil
• Using non-stick pans and apply oil as a spray or with a pastry brush
• Thicken and enrich sauces with low fat alternatives to cream and eggs – yoghurt, skim milk or soy milk stabilised with cornflour 

Retain nutrients

• Scrub vegetables rather than peel them. Many nutrients are found close to or in the skin
• Cook vegetables quickly and with a minimum of liquid by microwaving, steaming, or stir-frying instead of boiling

Reduce cooking time

• Prepare easy, one pot meals like soups, risottos, stews or curries
• Use a microwave to speed up cooking time – even baked foods can often be microwaved first to reduce the total cooking time
• Use minced or small, thin pieces of food to speed up cooking time
• Make extra and freeze the remainder in meal size portions
• Don’t throw out leftovers – store them appropriately refrigerated or frozen for a quick meal the next day

Keep a well stocked pantry and fridge

To save time and make cooking easier, keep a stock of long-life ingredients that can be combined to create interesting dishes, including:

• Different types of dried pasta and rice, noodles, lentils and couscous
• Frozen vegetables and fruits, low salt varieties of tinned vegetables, low sugar varieties of tinned fruits, dried fruit, legumes, mushrooms and tomatoes
• Low salt varieties of tinned fish
• Long lasting fresh vegetables (potatoes, beets, carrots and onions) and fruit (apples, pears)
• A range of condiments (tomato sauce and paste, mustards, vinegars, relishes and chutneys, soy, chilli and other bottled sauces)
• Dried herbs, spices and nuts, frozen fresh herbs and refrigerated jars of garlic and ginger

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