Even when life is at it’s busiest nourishing your body is a priority. As a mum to a very active 4 year old and an 8 month old who’s favourite place is on my hip, I am on-the-go. From the early hours of the morning to evening when they finally go to sleep, I think the only time I sit down is in the car on the way to kindy drop off and pick. This is “mum-life”. Sharing snippets of real life with you because I get it. As a mum-boss I understand that juggle and a nutritionist I know how much food can impact how you feel and the energy you have. I’m sharing my tips below for how to eat healthy on-the-go.
Whether you have kids yourself OR perhaps you live an active life, or a busy student juggling work and study life or have a corporate job and live a life that is on-the-go, eating healthy can often be a challenge.
It’s tempting when out and about to buy lunch, grab a snack on the run or even skip meals. BUT! You and your health are too important to not fuel your body with food that will support your busy or active lifestyle. Plus just think of how much money you’ve spent buying lunch out just for convenience. How many healthy options can you really get on the run that will give your body the energy and nutrition it needs for you to have a productive day?
How To Eat Healthy On-The-Go
If you want to fuel your body with healthy options (and save money) here’s how you can still do it, on-the-go? Even with kids.
- Prep for success! The key is to be organised so you’re not caught out. Set aside one hour each week to prepare some healthy options to keep in your fridge or freezer. I like to batch cook some meals on a weekend. Mid-week I refill the fridge with some additional prep. See how I prepare and make lunches below.
- Don’t let your fridge get bare. Each time you open your fridge or pantry doors you want to feel inspired to make a healthy choices. Stock up on fresh fruit, vegetables and whole foods that will love your body back. I do a big shop at the end of the week and top up mid-week.
- Keep a record of how much money you are spending on eating out. What could you have otherwise spent this money on or have put towards a savings goal? I do love enjoying dining out with friends and family but buying lunch out EVERYday may be draining your bank account! This could help to be a motivator for you.
- Get yourself portable food storage that works for your lifestyle. I take prepared salads, snacks and often smoothies with me and have found that the Mealami Meal Prep Bags are amazing. They are great for being out and about and they fit so much inside. With an insulated main compartment (that includes a strap so your smoothie doesn’t spill) and extra areas for personal items, this is my essential bag for eating out healthy on-the-go, especially with my kids. See below for an exclusive discount code for our Live Love Nourish community.
- Remind yourself of your motivation. What is your “why”? Are you doing things today that will help you achieve or feel what you want tomorrow? If you want to feel healthy and enjoy sustained energy how you fuel your body matters.
How to Prepare Healthy Lunches Ahead
Preparing for success is key. This is how I do it and share with our members to help kick your health goals:
I teach our online nutrition program members a very simple formula to build a healthy meal. This includes a generous serve of fresh salad and vegetables + a palm size portion of protein + a cupped handful of complex carbohydrates + a serving of healthy fats. I go into detail about how to build a healthy plate to suit your unique body, how to make adjustments to suit your needs and create meals that sustain you and support your health goals in my Online Nutrition Program.
- Bulk cook complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, buckwheat, roasted sweet potato or root vegetables. Enough for the week.
- Prepare salad and low starch vegetables and make these the base of your lunches. Place these into glass storage containers to keep fresh. Keep any salad dressings aside until ready to serve. Place a piece of paper towel on top of leafy greens before sealing to keep them fresh. Greens will spoil quickly in the presence of moisture. In cooler months enjoy more cooked lower starch veggies than salads.
- Prepare protein such as boiled eggs, cooked chicken, slow cooked meats or keep good quality tuna in the pantry. Freeze in portions what you wont eat within a couple of days, ready to take out the night before you need it.
- Keep healthy fats on hand such as avocado, nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil.
- Prepare a quick salad dressing enough for 5 days. Add extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice to a reusable glass jar and shakey shakey! Keep in the fridge until ready to eat.
Putting It All Together
When it comes to putting it all together so your fridge has lunches ready to pack and go, it looks like this:
- 5 x glass individual containers hat are 3/4 full with leafy greens/ salad or low starch veggies.
- 1 big container of protein ready to add a portion to the salad on the day.
- 1 big container of complex carbs ready to add a portion to the salad as well.
- Healthy fats are ready to quickly add on top.
- Add some prepared salad dressing to a small container to take with you. Add when ready to eat.
- On the day pack it into your on-the-go bag (for me I use the mini Mealami meal prep bag or the larger one when I’m packing the kids lunches and snacks too).That’s it! This is how simply it can be. Healthy not hard.
Exclusive Live Love Nourish Community Mealami Discount
I love sharing brands I use and love with you guys. So I’ve teamed up with Mealami to offer our community 20% off their meal management bags. Use code LIVELOVE20 at their checkout.
I hope these tips for how to eat healthy on-the-go help! If you find them useful please share the love via clicking the Facebook button above. Comment below to let me know if you want more tips like this or to share your ideas also. We share more tips just like this in our Facebook Community. I’d love to have you join us 🙂
Stay healthy. Be happy.
Casey-Lee x
Nutritionist & founder Live Love Nourish Online Nutrition Program
