Easy Healthy Meals Don't Need a Recipe Book

Putting together easy healthy meals in just a few minutes is way better than eating unhealthy takeaways. You don't need a recipe book or kitchen scales - just a little imagination!
In fact you hardly need to think at all about preparing and cooking, a 'put together' meal seems to happen all by itself.
Often the excuse for not eating a healthy meal or snack is that we don't have the time to prepare it, or can't afford the ingredients. Nutritious doesn't have to break the bank! Time is precious for us all though.
With just a little bit of planning and a smattering of inspiration we can eat tasty, healthy meals all the time. If you're not sure what makes a nutritious, balanced meal, follow these healthy eating guidelines.

Quick Healthy Meals

Make sure you have a good selection of staple foods in the pantry, fridge and freezer, this will allow you to be flexible both in terms or the recipe and time available. Shopping ahead will reduce the likelihood of you being totally unprepared, especially if you get into the routine of making healthy eating plans weekly, or even just a few days in advance.
I'm not a great collector of recipes and don't follow the ones I do have! I use them for inspiration, to stimulate the mind and taste buds too. Make sure you always have some interesting healthy goodies in reserve then 'knocking up' easy healthy meals will be a snitch.

Store Cupboard Suggestions

• Rice
• Pasta
• Cous cous
• Noodles
• Tinned chopped tomatoes
• Tinned sweetcorn
• Tinned chick peas
• Tinned red kidney beans
• Canned fish
• Soup - Mushroom, celery, chicken etc
• Nuts - walnuts, cashews,hazelnuts etc
• Milk
• Yoghurt
• Fromage frais
• Eggs
• Cheese
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Bread or wraps - part baked
• Selection of herbs and spices
• Stock cubes
• Mayonnaise
• Olive oil
• Tomato Ketchup
• Tomato puree
• Worcestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• Frozen peas
• Frozen sweetcorn

This is by no means an exhaustive list, more of a memory jogger. For more ideas take a look at these top healthiest foods and add more to your personal list.

Healthy Fast Food Choices

Now I'm not saying that all takeaways or ready meals are bad but you do need to read the labels - check the amounts of salt, sugar, fat and make sure they are within the recommended daily allowances.



Here's a meal I can eat any time of day - nutrious, filling and very healthy. A pack of ready washed salad leaves, tomatoes, a potato, some cheese and a box of mixed salad from my local health food cafe, makes a perfect easy healthy meal.




It only took a few minutes for the potato to cook in the microwave, top with grated cheese and add some slices of Romero pepper. The box had a 3 different salads - split peas with apple and celery, new potatoes and asparagus in mayonnaise, and tomato and cucumber with basil. Fresh fruit, yoghurt with muesli or nuts made a quickie dessert - satisfying easy healthy meals in minutes!

A ready meal from the supermarket is unlikely to be as healthy as something you've prepared yourself, but if you are very short on time and ideas then they can be a lifesaver for busy people. Make sure you have plenty of fresh vegetables with the meal and fruit to finish.

Eat and Enjoy!

Of course it's fun to cook when we have the time and very satisfying to serve up a meal that tastes, smells and is good in every way - but there's no need to feel guilty about making easy healthy meals!