Healthy Eating for Busy Parents

Between being the parent of a busy teenager and working, you’re probably pretty busy yourself. You might want to eat healthier, but find that you don’t have the time to eat breakfast, pack a healthy lunch or make a nutritious dinner. Here are some ways you can keep up with your busy lifestyle and still make sound nutrition decisions.

Breakfast First, in More Ways Than One!

Breakfast is not only your first meal of the day, but it’s the most important. The nutrients you miss when you skip breakfast can’t be made up throughout the rest of the day. Foods with complex carbs, protein and healthy fat are the best for keeping full and energized all day. Here are great options for busy parents:

· Fruits that you can grab and go: apples, bananas, oranges, raisins

· Low-fat dairy products: yogurt, yogurt smoothies, string cheese, cottage cheese

· Mini whole grain bagels or breads spread with peanut butter or light yogurt spread

· Enriched whole grain cold cereals or hot cereals you can make in the cup (at work)

· Egg sandwich on whole wheat English muffin or mini whole wheat bagel

Have It on Hand

The CDC recommends stocking your pantry with healthy foods that you can mix and match for lunches and dinners, so you have plenty of options to choose from. For healthy lunches and dinners you can make in a jiffy, keep the following items on hand:

· Canned tuna or salmon

· Fresh fruits or canned fruits in natural juices

· Frozen fresh fruits for smoothies

· Whole grain breads/pita/muffins

· Frozen and canned veggies

· Canned beans

· Peanut butter

· Plain low-fat yogurt

· Frozen boneless, skinless chicken breast

· Olive oil

· Ground turkey breast and lean ground beef

· Salad mix and veggies/other topping for salads

Healthy Snacks

While it may be so easy to go down to that vending machine at the office, it’s not your best option. Instead of hitting up the vending machine, keep plenty of healthy snacks at your desk. Here are some snacks that you can keep at the desk and feel good about eating:

· Granola bars

· Trail mix

· Dried fruits

· Mixed nuts

· Low-fat or whole grain snack crackers

· Dry cereals

Choosing healthy foods to stock the pantry with will give you plenty of good options to choose from for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eating healthy will also set a good example for your kids and teens to follow. The LiveFree! Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition also strives to set good examples for youth in society, by promoting awareness of substance abuse prevention here in Pinellas County. To find out how you can get involved, visit us online today.

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