How many times have you stumbled in the door from work, tired to the bone, and shuttered to think of whipping up a full-course meal? Or dealing with the kids all day, and you just want something simple.

If you want ideas for easy-to-make meals and treats, then you’ve come to the right place.

In today’s rush-around world, eating healthy becomes a chore, especially when we consider how much time we must devote to the task. We make a bee line to the  vending machine for calorie- and fat-laden snacks to kill the grumbling in our tummies, or we don’t eat until we get home, but by that time we’re famished and want to devour everything in the house, including the kitchen sink.

Secrets: planning ahead, being prepared

“A busy schedule doesn't have to mean skipped meals or poor food choices,” says Nubella’s registered dietitian Theresa Stahl, who writes the Balanced Eating Blog. “The secret is to plan ahead, because time saved in preparation can help you slow down and enjoy your meal.

“And, skipping meals isn't the answer, because it only makes you hungrier and less choosey when you do eat - a recipe for disaster. The secret of healthy eating in a hurry is being prepared so you can organize your way to good eats.”

Stahl, whose work appears in Nubella’s popular health, nutrition, and recipe e-newsletters, recommends the following:

•  Setting out the night before non-perishable breakfast items, such as dry cereal, fruit, bowl, spoon and a glass for juice for a fast start in the morning;
 
•  Keeping a well-stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer, which will make meal prep at home quicker than a run through a drive-thru;
 
•  Grating or chopping ingredients, such as onions, peppers, nuts, cheese, dried fruits and citrus peel, then store them in the freezer for later use;

•  Remembering that chopped frozen vegetables are readily available in your grocer's freezer case;

•  Making extra servings of your favorite soups and entrees, then freeze for another meal;

•  Keeping fresh fruits and vegetables and dried fruits on hand for easy-to-grab snacks.

Try these recipes

On the go? Here are some incredibly good – and easy to make – eats  from Meatless Monday and the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health:

•  Banana Blueberry Smoothie

•  Black Bean & Corn Salad

•  Easy Minestrone

•  Easy Barley with Veggies

Check these out . . .

•  Nubella’s Weight Management and Recipe message boards – share your thoughts and get tips on fixing delicious and healthy meals on the run.

•  Nubella’s Recipe Database and Healthy Cooking Center – more than 6,000 recipes, many of which are extremely quick to fix.

•  The Art of Dashboard Dining

•  Nutrition Wrapped in a Bar?

Comments on this article? Send them to MyComments.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.