Being a parent is a constant juggling act, especially for mothers. Despite the fact that we are well into the 21st century, it’s still women who do the bulk of the childcare, cleaning and other household chores, along with holding down an often stressful job.
Finding time for healthy eating, exercise and time away from the children may seem a daunting task, but there are a few easy ways to make healthy eating with kids easier.
Meal Planning
Starting your day with breakfast is really important for your health and The Healthy Mummy Smoothie on the Lose Baby Weight is packed full of nutrients, is high in fibre and protein and low in sugar so the ideal way to start the day.
It’s all also too easy to rush home from work, discover there is nothing in the cupboards or freezer and to call for a takeaway. There is nothing wrong with the takeaway (click here to see healthier options), but when it turns into a twice a week routine, it’s time to rethink the way we eat and shop.
Writing a meal plan before heading to the supermarket will both cut down on food waste which is thrown out and save money too. Choose a list of 7 or 14 meals for the period and shop for the ingredients needed to make them. Healthy options such as wholegrain pasta, brown rice, lentils, salmon and vegetables should feature heavily on the list.
Planning effectively means rime saving too, as there will be no need to rush to the supermarket to stock up, increasing the probability of impulse buys.
Family meals
Many of us have fallen into the routine of preparing one meal for the kids and something different for the adults. This is obviously more time-consuming than preparing one meal which everyone eats. Children learn by example, and seeing their parents sitting down and eating a healthy meal means they are more likely to join in too.
When eating spiced foods such as curries, tone down the heat for the children, or add the chillies at the end once the children’s portions have been served.
Preparation
There is nothing better than coming in from work to find the dinner waiting for you, and with a bit of forward planning this is easy to do. Slow cookers are the ideal way of cooking stews, casseroles and any other dishes which require a long, slow cooking period.
Tip all of the ingredients into the slow cooker in the morning, turn it on to low, and the meal will be ready when you return from work. Ovens with timers can be used in a similar way, as long as you get home around the same time every day. You can see our slow cooker recipes here too
Lunches
The luxury of a full hour for lunch is something few of us have, and even if we do have an hour away from our desk, the time is taken up with running errands and shopping as well as eating. If possible, have a lunch which will keep you feeling full all afternoon, and will reduce the temptation for a mid-afternoon splurge at the vending machine.
The Healthy Mummy Smoothie is a great lunch to have on the go, also, other alternatives include soup made with lentils or other grains, sandwiches made with wholegrain bread, and baked potatoes with tuna can be easily prepared in a small microwave at work. If there are no cooking facilities available, choose sandwiches, wraps or bagels without calorific mayonnaise or dressing, and opt for fruit instead of chips or chocolate.
Exercise Time
Finding time to get out to the gym is tricky, but many gyms have realized the need to provide childcare and often have a crèche where you can drop the kids for an hour or two while you swim or take an aerobics class. If your local centre isn’t offering a crèche, team up with a friend and take it in turns to mind the children while the other person goes to the gym.
Getting Out of the Gym
If going to the gym just isn’t possible, there are many other ways to combine exercise with family life. Getting out and about by bicycle at the weekend, playing Frisbee on the beach, chasing the kids in the park or playing tennis all constitute as exercise and will also help the children to realise the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle. You can see our whole video section here to on easy exercises you can do without going to the gym
Children whose parents are fit and healthy are more likely to do exercise and keep fit as they get older too. Getting outside and spending time doing fun exercise activities with the family also means valuable quality time with the children, something that busy parents often find is lacking.
And to see how EASY it is to make one of our Healthy Smoothies watch the below video and click here to see our healthy eating and weight loss plans and use code LAUNCH to claim your 10% discount
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