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Is there a dead easy way of eating healthily?

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Posted 6/16/2013 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
Basically, in a nutshell, I'm lazy. I cannot emphasis this enough: I'm lazy.

That means I don't want to do a stroke of actual cooking. (Even though I can cook and am a fairly decent cook, I just have no motivation to do it anymore.)

Am I wanting to have my vegan, gluten-free/dairy-free cake and eat it?

Anyway, I can eat just about anything, but I don't like any milk substitute that I've tried. Milk doesn't seem to bother me, so I drink it - preferably organic 'cos of the cows and that.

I'm asking on this board rather the Crohn's or Ostomy one, 'cos this has practically become the alternative health board. I want to eat better, but without any effort.
Posted 6/16/2013 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Preheat oven.
Roast dish fill of vegetables with olive oil. (carrots, pumpkin, potato, kumara etc)
Roast chicken breast.

Greens in microwave.
Done.

Eat nuts and fruit in the day. No preparation.

Post Edited (Rick123123) : 6/16/2013 8:47:27 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/16/2013 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
You can eat healthily even if you don't cook. I can always find something to eat at a restaurant: protein and veggies, many restaurants offer gluten-free choices. Food stores offer pre-cooked chickens. How hard is it to open a bag of frozen veggies and zap it in the micro? 60 seconds?

When you make the decision to eat better you will see the choices are there for you. But you have to make your way past the heavily advertised crap which is not especially healthy (Doritos, Coke, anything on TV). If you make lazy choices don't complain. Healthy food is available to everyone with very little effort.
Posted 6/16/2013 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
I am very lazy too, but refuse to eat processed food unless it is a matter of near life and death or there are simply no other alternatives. (Ok since surgery I am enjoying some breakfast cereal again , what the heck). . I steam veggies and boil chicken breast and thigh and it doesn't require any flipping or anything. I have pots big enough to have several days if leftovers- becaus we are lazy we dint mind eating the same stuff for several days but if that js too boring you can do the cook-a-bunch if stuff for a few days in a row and have a variety of stuff in the fridge or freezer. I Dont bother with any seasoning during cooking- I just add whatever I want with the meal. Cooking real food is much healthier than buying processed and doesnt have to take much more time or effort.
Posted 6/16/2013 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
I think ima said it very well.

You can find lots of already-cooked meal ingredients in super markets (at least in the US) that don't contain preservatives.
They seem to realize that working people need healthy food-to-go choices.

My local butcher has a lot of store-baked meats like turkey, pork roast, ham, etc that sell by the pound. I get at least a lb. of sliced turkey each week for when I don't feel like cooking.

Salads are an easy base to which you can add meat, cheese, etc.
I use romaine or a "spring blend" of lettuces.

An easy dressing without preservatives is a 2 c of EVOO, 1 c of balsamic vinegar and some chopped garlic. Blend them well. Can add a little sugar if too tart. A batch will last for a long time in the refrigerator.
Posted 6/16/2013 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
I am not lazy just busy and somtimes tired. Lately I go to whole foods or other health food stores and pick up a roasted chicken, veggies, what not. My rule of thumb is if it can't be pronounced don't eat it. Most food in its whole state can be prepared easily.
Posted 6/16/2013 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
But ima didn't give me any ideas apart from microwave a bag of frozen veg. I'm sure it's easy for you folks to eat healthily, because you're highly motivated and have been doing it for years. I simply don't have the energy or the inclination to spend large amounts of time thinking about, or preparing/cooking, food. In fact if I could, there are many days I would choose to swallow a pill 3x a day if I could instead of eating.

I'm not quite sure why processed food is seen as the concentrated and distilled essence of evil. Okay, a £1 frozen pizza is going to be pretty processed, I can see that. But what about cured, or smoked, or dried, or frozen foods? Or a £3.99 microwaveable meal with posh ingredients? Do those count as processed too? I'm not even being sarcastic, I really can't tell.

Anyway, I quite like the sound of the salad for lunch, and that home-made dressing with EVOO, balsamic vinegar and garlic sounds nice too. Are plastic bags of pre-chopped salad leaves allowed...? >.>

I'm not mad keen on having chicken for lunch as I do already have it a lot for dinner. The tray of roasted veggies is another good idea; my mum used to do that occasionally and they were nice.

Thanks so far, folks :p
Posted 6/16/2013 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
NiceCuppa- yeah don't sweat the processed thing too much- not all processed food has a lot of junk, and some has none at all. It's just the most does so when buying processed one does have to read the ingredients more carefully, and then interpret what the often long list means. Some harmless lookng stuff has long scary names and some awful stuff can sound innocent, and labelling laws vary by country and all, but one can certainly use common sense and there's no need to be OCD about it, I agree.
Posted 6/16/2013 5:52 PM (GMT 0)
If it comes in a can or a box, don't eat it.

If the recipe is more involved than seasoning and cooking it, don't eat it.

If the meat is cured, don't eat it. (I like prosciutto, only salt)

I say this while having to cook the typical processed food for my family then trying to eat healthier myself. (They don't want to eat like I do)

Of course this is a broad cast net...there have to be other healthy foods but this would be a place to start while you figure the rest out.
Posted 6/16/2013 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
I forgot to mention the deli section, always a choice for people who want to assemble meals, not cook. Gluten-free choices there too. Boar's Head is a national brand that offers gluten-free deli and low-salt choices.

My local grocery (small small town) now offers Udi's gluten-free breads (several) in the frozen food section. How hard is it to make a sandwich with lettuce and tomato? Sliced chicken, sliced beef, sliced ham, etc.

I just bought a pre-cooked low chemical ham in the meat section, no antibiotcs etc. I used it for several meals. Sooo easy.

I don't eat a lot of deli, preferring to cook, but those who do not cook could eat out or stop at the deli or the hot-food bar and find plenty to eat. Again the frozen veggie section has many choices or the produce section has pre-washed salads and pre-cut veggies. You are capable of cutting a fresh tomato right? I've seen pre-cut melon pieces and other fruit. Get a little prosciutto and wrap a melon slice. Eat.

edit: OK I just re-read the OP and saw "vegan" and "dairy-free". That makes the deli less available.
Pre-made deli foods that pop to mind are potato salad and similar. Larger stores (not mine) will offer pre-made egg salad or other meat-free and veggie offerings. Plus in the frozen food aisle I see "Amy's" organic foods and "Morningstar Farms" which is meat-free. Just pop in micro.

If you live in a city with Thai or Vietnamese restaurants you will do very well with take-out of vegetarian items. Chinese too.

Post Edited (imagardener2) : 6/16/2013 12:14:09 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/16/2013 6:49 PM (GMT 0)

NiceCupOfTea said...
But ima didn't give me any ideas apart from microwave a bag of frozen veg. I'm sure it's easy for you folks to eat healthily, because you're highly motivated and have been doing it for years. I simply don't have the energy or the inclination to spend large amounts of time thinking about, or preparing/cooking, food. In fact if I could, there are many days I would choose to swallow a pill 3x a day if I could instead of eating.

Unfortunately, you have answered your own question. Since you are not motivated at all and simply do not want to improve your diet with any effort, you won't. Period. I hate to be blunt and direct but you got to want to do it, it is as simple as that. I do not mean for this post to be rude so I hope you don't take it that way. To make a decision to improve yourself takes dedication and commitment and the right attitude. It doesn't have to be painful.

Best...

Posted 6/16/2013 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
Cheers bro, I mean Pro :p

@geeker - I love prosciutto. Pity it's so expensive, but I do like it.

@imagardener - Oops. I'm not actually vegan or dairy-free, I was attempting to be slightly humorous... :-/

I can easily buy gluten-free bread, but I don't think the Udi brand is available (remember somebody really praising that). That said, I went on a gluten-free diet once and it made no difference to me back then, so I'm not terribly motivated in going gluten-free again. However, I am gonna look for some healthier bread than the rubbish we have at home. (I love white bread, but only if it's a freshly made crusty loaf, not the supermarket spongy pap which always tastes stale even if it's 'fresh'.)

I like the prosciutto and melon idea. And yes, even I can chop up a tomato... >_>

There's no decent ethnic restaurants near us anymore. (Where I used to live, there was a great little thai restaurant literally 2 minutes' walk away - I miss that place.) So if I want ethnic food I have to buy it from the supermarket or cook it myself.

@protocolteck - I'm not offended. In fact I'm a bit worried that you are right :-/ We'll see. It's our main supermarket shop tomorrow, and I am gonna buy some salad, fruit, deli meat and decent bread at least. I'm starting to get tired of eating mostly rubbish. If I feel better from eating better, I'll definitely be motivated to continue.
Posted 6/16/2013 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
protocolteck, you are spot on.
Posted 6/16/2013 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
I'm the same way. I'm looking into getting a veggie steamer. I just have to find the right one.
Posted 6/16/2013 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi NCOT, first of all good for you. Remember it's not a sprint it's a marathon. So pardon the pun but when changing your diet to be more healthy go for the low hanging fruit first. Make small changes maybe one new change a week and it will be far easier to maintain. That change could be just making one meal for yourself from scratch a week.

Supermarket prepared bags of salad in plastic do count as healthy in my book. But I think if you try and buy all ready-prepared healthy options it will get more pricey. Why not try making your own meals on one day of the week?

I'd start with something like a soup or a stew that you can make a large batch and then you can whack some in tuppaware and put in the freezer or fridge so you might get 4 or 5 meals out of one cooking effort.

Something like a Pumpkin, ginger, coconut cream, garlic Soup (with or without chicken). Make a huge pot and then you could have almost a week's worth of lunches. That you just need to defrost and warm on the stove.

Another good one is do a big stew with loads of veg, a couple of cans of tomatoes, herbs and say something like a couple of lamb shanks. That can also go a long way. Real easy, Just chuck in all in a big pot or slow cooker and put it on low heat come back in 4 hours and it's done.

Fruit is an easy addition. Needs no prep.

Eggs are quick and easy too.

Good luck.
Posted 6/16/2013 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
I make wraps every day for lunch..you can find a lot of different kinds at the grocery store, spinach wraps, etc...then fill with chicken salad, pimento, turkey, or anything you wish
Posted 6/17/2013 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
One big thing for me is that even if I have healthy food in the fridge/freezer, if I'm feeling lazy, I'll grab whatever is ready to go. To avoid that, try to do some as soon as you get home from the grocery store so that you have healthy munchies ready to go whenever you want them--wash your fruit and have it out in bowls ready to eat, prep as much salad stuffs as you can without shortening the lifespan of the produce, etc.

And get good bread! I was GF for a year, and when I started eating wheat bread again, I noticed just how good the good stuff is. I never buy sandwich bread--always the whole loaves with whole wheat goodness and no preservatives. So. Tasty.
Posted 6/17/2013 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Cheap and healthy and easy to make foods (depending on your tolerances and you've said you have no issues so...) are avocados (alone with lemon and salt, with tomatoes an chicken/corriander for lunch, with bacon and eggs for breakfast). Eggs. I can eat them twice a day with out getting sick of them, with some greens, onions, peppers etc cooked on the side. Salad - blueberries, balsamic, a bit of cheese, greens of your choice, with a chicken breast marinated in salt, honey, vinegar, and mustard. Takes about 10 minutes to prepare. i think it's all about buying the right stuff and then just getting used to preparing things simply.
My Italian in laws eat incredibly well and their food is all (except for special occasions) very simply prepared. No fancy dishes, the emphasis on good quality ingredients. I've learned a lot from how they eat.

Post Edited (killcolitis) : 6/16/2013 7:35:04 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/17/2013 2:16 AM (GMT 0)
Skip microwaving. You won't believe how delicious reheated foods taste when you add just a bit of water to a pan, and add leftovers to heat on low.

Buy a veggie steamer, looks like this blogs.babycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/steamer-basket1.jpg. Place veggies on top and let water boil, steam rises, gives you most nutritional value for your $buck. Chop baby bok choy (highest vitamin C in any veggie), rainbow chard, spinach, broc, etc.. You can buy frozen and steam too. Lather with butter and oil.

Saute veggies & chopped meats for like 15-20mins, add spices (ginger, turmeric, whatever), maybe a marinade (basil, parsley, lemon, pepper, olive oil).

Make salads; buy mixed greens, chop tomato, cucumber, cheese, add sprouts, pecans, avocado, onion and canned WILD tuna or WILD salmon.

Take care of yourself and at the very least buy organic meats & WILD fish, free range or the word natural means nothing but a gimmick unfortunately.

Let cooking and eating food be both a challenge and a saving grace to you, as it has become for so many of us looking for comfort in these rigid times. Like riding a bike, it gets easier.

Post Edited (stereofidelic89) : 6/16/2013 8:25:34 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/17/2013 12:36 PM (GMT 0)
I'm like you NCOT. I eat lunch out five days a week during the week and on Sunday. So I eat prepared meals on a normal week seven nights a week and Saturday afternoon. I cook twice a week for those eight meals. I have someone who helps me cook but we still spend four hours a week just cooking.

I posted a thread on this three or so months back. A guy in San Francisco developed a formula of exact chemicals he thought his body needed based on FDA guidelines. After testing it on people in the Bay Area for a few months, he started a Crowdfunding campaign to raise $100,000 to start to buy equipment for mass production and quality assurance testing. He now has a formula for males and females and may do more specialization in the future. Not sure if you are looking to something this extreme, but I am. I've purchased a month supply of it and should have it in August. If it works I hope to use it to replace four of my cooked meals per week. I spend an hour eating at night usually, and four hours cooking for eight meals. So replacing four meals gives me an extra six hours of week of free time. Also, I consume a lot of calories to keep weight on and the less I have to consume the healthier I feel I can eat.

Anyway, if you're interested in a more radical approach:

https://campaign.soylent.me/soylent-free-your-body

Posted 6/17/2013 1:50 PM (GMT 0)
What? That's crazy. I think I'd have to revaluate how work can interfere with living before making a risky decision like that. Still, I guess there is an audience out there willing.
Posted 6/17/2013 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Some super easy things:

Breakfast: either avocado (sprinkle a bit of salt) or nut butter and jam on toast, or yogurt parfaits with fruit, granola and honey. Bonus lazy points for the yogurt parfaits if you buy precut fruit, but honestly my fave for this is sliced up banana.

Lunch/Dinner: Stir fries are super easy, and the easiest of them is tofu or pork with kim chee. Just cook the protein in some sesame oil, then add the kimchee til warm and serve over rice (which you tossed in a rice cooker and ignored). Of course you have to like kimchee, but I could eat a jar of the stuff in a sitting.

Fajitas are likewise super easy. You can even buy precut sliced peppers and onions. Season a hunk of meat, throw on a pan or a griddle with the peppers and onions until the meat is cooked through, slice, and serve with some pico/guac/whatever.
Posted 6/17/2013 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
NCOT, I'm having a hard time really understanding your problem. You know what's healthy to eat and what's not healthy to eat. You are not willing to do the work to eat healthy food. My best suggestion is to hire out the food prep. There are plenty of chefs out there in the world preparing healthy food for their private clients. I'm sure you can find that in your area of the world.

Frozen dinners are really not healthy. They are packed with sodium, sugar and fat so that they are palatable. Freshly prepared food does not need this help as it is pretty delicious when made with seasonal produce and high-quality proteins.

Yes, it is tedious to prepare food. Human beings have been working at this for millenia. Our current situation of having industrially produced food that feeds us "cheaply" is not a healthy solution.

I guess I'm saying that you really ought to consider just doing the work you need to do to eat good and healthy food.
Posted 6/17/2013 4:24 PM (GMT 0)
"There are plenty of chefs out there in the world preparing healthy food for their private clients. I'm sure you can find that in your area of the world.
"
I don't think NCOT has the funds for something like that. I don't believe she works.
Posted 6/17/2013 4:42 PM (GMT 0)
Exactly, Somedude. Everything has a price. I think we with IBD can see the price of "bad eating" most clearly. Anyway you look at it, you pay. The "cheapest" solution is making the choice to prepare healthy food yourself.
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