Practical Dietary Tips for Busy Professionals (or Lazy Chefs Like Me!)

Busy schedules make it hard to prioritize nutrition, but small changes can make a big difference. I am maniacal about saving recipes. Funny thing is, I never actually cook any of them up. I do not use recipes and even when I borrow an idea from a recipe, I never measure anything. I remember a million years ago I dated a man whose mother never used recipes. I used to wonder how she ever made anything taste good as back then I couldn’t boil water without a recipe. But then I moved to Seattle where every neighborhood has a farmers’ market one day a week. So, one just goes to the market, buys what is in season, and then throws something together from those ingredients. That was when I quit using recipes. After 28 years of doing that, now the very thought of having to put together a shopping list and buy specified ingredients is overwhelming. So, all my recipes are just quick easy, throw it together at the ratios you like, kind of recipes. I do hope to return to using actual measured recipes someday as I feel pretty limited, but for a busy lazy chef, the measurement-less recipes are best.

A few quickie tips first to stay focused on nourishing yourself, then I’ll share a few down and dirty, throw it in a pan, recipes ; )

Remember, better nutrition and less toxicant exposure aside, when you are mindfully preparing healthy nourishing meals for yourself, you are sending yourself subconscious messages of self-worth and self-love!

Tip 1: Plan Ahead with Simple Meal Prep

• Spend 60 or more minutes one day a week preparing easy meals or snacks.

• Examples: salad in a jar, overnight oats, portioned snacks.

• Quick takeaway: Having ready-to-go meals reduces the temptation for fast food.

Tip 2: Smart Snacking

• Keep portable, nutrient-dense snacks handy.

• Examples: Nuts, fruit, Greek yogurt, hummus & veggies

• Avoid high-sugar or processed snacks that lead to blood sugar spikes followed by insulin spikes, which result in blood sugar & energy crashes.

• Quick takeaway: Snacks are fuel—choose ones that sustain energy that combine protein, fats, and carbohydrates.

Tip 3: Hydration is Key

• Drink filtered water throughout the day; one of the first signs of dehydration is fatigue.

• Track your water intake using a phone app.

• Quick takeaway: Staying hydrated boosts energy and focus.

Tip 4: Prioritize Protein, Healthy Fats, & Fiber

• Include proteins (chicken, fish) and fiber-rich foods (vegetables, legumes) in meals; these keep you full and support steady energy levels.

• Quick takeaway: Balanced meals & snacks prevent mid-day slumps.

Tip 5: Make Time for Mindful Eating

• Even 10–15 minutes away from your workstation helps digestion and mental focus.

• Eat slowly, notice flavors, and avoid multitasking while eating. Did you know that the satiety reflex is slow, like 20-30 minutes. If wolfing down food, one can consume an awful lot in 20 minutes! This is why we must eat slowly and mindfully!!!

• Quick takeaway: Mindful meals improve satisfaction and reduce overeating.

Now for Some Quick Easy Meal Ideas

• Frittata Scramble- So very easy and you can throw whatever you want in them. Frittata can work for any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Most people add milk or cream to their eggs when scrambling, I don’t even bother. Also, most sauté the add-ins in a cast iron pan and then bake the frittata in the same pan. Nothing wrong with that, but I’m far too lazy since it means taking the pans I have stored in the oven, out. Here’s my cheater recipe. I fry up bacon in a cast iron pan. While the bacon is cooking, I chop up whatever veggies I have, such as onions, green peppers, celery, mushrooms, cut cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters, cut up some baby spinach, etc. When the bacon is done, I set it aside on some paper towels and pour off most of the drippings in a jar for later use. Then I sauté the veggies in a bit of bacon fat, holding back the softer items such as tomatoes and spinach until the tougher items such as celery, green pepper, & onions are almost done. Then I dump the sauteed veggies in a bowl. I add a bit more bacon fat to the cast iron fry pan, heat it on low-medium heat, and then pour in my scrambled eggs. I allow them to cook a bit so that they have a solid no-longer liquid base like an omelet without scorching or turning brown, then I add in the chopped veggies and allow the frittata to cook a bit before folding it over until all the egg is cooked solid. Adding the veggies too soon can result in a gooey mess, so be sure the eggs cook thoroughly on the bottom before adding the veggies. It’s not perfect, but it’s fast and easy and tastes great. It can be divided up into small serving jars and stored in the fridge up to 4 days. And the best part is, now I have left over bacon to eat as a snack or add to other dishes.

• Buddha bowls- insanely customizable and can be super easy. Be creative and try variations out. They can be vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or omnivore. One can use various beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc. And try various rice substitutions like rice noodles, spaghetti, buckwheat, barley, quinoa, millet, etc. You can even create bowls for various country’s cuisine such as French, Vietnamese, Japanese, Mexican, Middle Eastern, the possibilities are as varied as the globe! My go to as a lazy chef who does not measure anything is, rice, beans, various veggies, and tomatoes: cook some low arsenic rice such as Lundberg Jasmine. Sauté an onion and whatever veggies are on hand or steam a bag of organic mixed veggies. Toss in some of that left over bacon from your frittata. Add canned organic black beans and a jar of Jovial diced tomatoes, add unrefined salt, pepper, and what ever spices and herbs work for you, heat through and your done. Divide up into single serving jars to grab & go in an insulated lunch bag with an ice block. If this version doesn’t appeal to you try Googling another variety. Basically, a Buddha bowl is a carb such as rice, a protein such as legumes or poultry, added veggies such as sauteed seasonal veggies, and a sauce of some sort, such as tomato, curry, a favorite tahini or Asian dressing. Throw some sprouted dehydrated nuts on top or even some bean sprouts or microgreens. The only limit is imagination!

• Salad in a jar. I hate messes, so here’s a way to not have to deal with separate messy salad dressing containers when toting salad to work. Chop the tougher sturdy veggies such as bell peppers, celery, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, as well as hard-boiled egg or meat. Place on the bottom of a quart jar and pour on your salad dressing, not too much. Be sure you are not using bottled dressings as they are made with inflammatory refined vegetable oils, make your own just using extra virgin olive oil and some vinegar (apple cider, wine, or balsamic). Then place the cut up leafy greens on top of the veggies & salad dressing, toss some sprouted dehydrated pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds on top. Cover and keep the jar upright so the greens do not mix with the salad dressing or they will wilt and get mushy. Ick! Refrigerate until ready to eat. Just before eating, sprinkle on some Sea salt with granulated bull kelp such as from San Juan Island Sea Salt. Then recap tightly and toss the salad in with the veggies and dressing by rotating the jar from right side up to upside down a few times until mixed. I make up a few jars at a time so I have salad to take to work several times a week when it is in season. A word of caution... if using cruciferous veggies, the salad may have a very sulfury smell which may be unwanted in a shared lunchroom. In such situations, I forego the radishes or broccoli.

• Snacks on the go can be as easy as nuts and cubes of cheese, but not too much cheese since it is pretty calorie dense. Or try celery with peanut butter, an apple with almond butter, or trail mix. I make a cheater trail mix using nuts and seeds that I purchase already sprouted and dehydrated and then toss in some dried fruit. For example, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, flaked coconut, dried pineapple, diced dates, or raisons. The walnuts contain omega 3 fats which we need to counter inflammation, almonds pack manganese and vitamin E, the pumpkin seeds have zinc needed for immune health, Brazil nuts have selenium which is super important for thyroid function, coconut is a great source of medium chain triglycerides as well as minerals, pineapple is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants and minerals, both dates and raisons pack fiber, antioxidants, and iron. One might also consider less typical dried fruits such as cherries, goji berries, lingonberries, blueberries, etc. Need more sweetness, add just a few semisweet or dark chocolate chips. Just remember that trail mix is as calorie dense as it is nutrient dense, a little goes a long way. Take temptation out of the mix by only taking a tablespoon or two to work when stress might induce overconsumption of comforting foods!

• Other super easy snacks are as mentioned above, Greek yogurt, I like Icelandic Provisions although commercial yogurts will be fairly high carb, high sugar. So local small farm made are better if carbs and sugars are of concern. Just make sure it’s a yogurt with no additives and plenty of live cultures. Hummus is another easy treat. Pick one that has no additives and is made only with olive oil or avocado oil. Enjoy it with celery sticks, cucumber slices, or slightly toasted sourdough bread slices.

• Note: I do mention name brands from time to time. I do NOT receive kickbacks and am not paid by these companies. I simply list them as examples of better than average manufacturers. Companies change, get bought out, sell out or whatever, and while once vetted, I cannot guarantee that they remain in good standing.

Conclusion

Small, consistent changes add up! Start with one tip this week and build from there. For example, perhaps address hydration this week as often busy people don't drink a lot of water. Start monitoring your intake, a rule of thumb is at least a third your weight in ounces of water per day, so for example if one weighed 150 lbs, that would be 50 ounces of water a day. If one eats only fresh foods, less is required. You can monitor this several different ways, you could use a phone app, you could fill two quart jars every day and commit to drinking both, or if you have a favorite stainless steel insulated cup, you could place a rubber band around it each time you consume its water content. Say it is 16 ounces and you don't use ice, then it would take 3 fills to equal your 50 ounce intake or just fill it until your 2 quart jars of filtered water in the fridge are gone. Add some minerals back into your life by placing a pinch of Celtic sea salt, or microplastic free whole salt such as Baja Gold or Vera Salt in the quart jar of ice water and sip your fatigue away.

Want personalized guidance to create a nutrition plan that fits your busy life? Contact First Hill Nutrition today and take the first step toward a healthier, more energized you!