What’s for Dinner Spokane? Healthy Eating For Those On The Run.

Here it is, the age old question plagued by busy people everywhere, “What’s for dinner Spokane?”

This week you have just started a new commitment to yourself that you are going to eat better and start exercising and you’ve just gotten off work after a seemingly endless day. It’s been hectic and you still have a million things to do; pick up the kids, walk the dog, get your work out in, go to some recital or game, or do your laundry.

You know, the never ending list of “should do’s” or “gotta get done’s” that make it seem as if there is just not enough time in a day. You have been so good all week and hate to blow it. On this particularly never ending day you are trying to be good but it is hard. You don’t even have time to breathe let alone go shopping and make a healthy dinner!

It is ever so tempting to skip your workout and run through a fast food joint just to make your day just a little be faster and easier. After all you have had a hard day and deserve a break, right? However, you know that you’d feel better sticking to your promise to yourself and your family to eat healthier. So what do you do?

If you are like me you probably end up at a sub sandwich shop ordering some chicken bacon ranch sandwich, justifying to yourself “It is not total junk food, it’s not fried and I got the baked chips.” Then to compensate you add another 15 minutes to your power walk out of the time you saved from not making dinner.

Yea, you know who you are. That is ok. We all do it. It is my goal to reduce the amount of times a week I do this. So how do you keep from being put in a bind like this? Prepare.

Preparing for “What’s for Dinner?”

I am not a person who likes to pre-plan every meal for the week. I am not very organized and I never really know what I am going to be in a mood to eat so planning the menu for the entire week is difficult for me.

If you are like me here are a few things that I have found helpful in answering the “What’s for diner?” question in a more healthy way.

• Find some recipes that you can make for dinner in 30 minutes or less. There are loads of healthy dinner ideas on the web.
• Keep the basic ingredients for simple, fast recipes stocked in your kitchen. This means taking time to plan and shop. This doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking but remember you are also trying to create healthier eating habits so some changes have to be made.
• Make extra portions that can be frozen or refrigerated and reheated or cooked later. For example, if you are making a meatloaf or a casserole on the weekend, double the recipe and freeze half. Make an extra big salad keeping the extra for later in the week. Pre-cook chicken breast that can be chopped and added to the salad or can be used a quick wrap or sandwich.
• Have quick healthy snacks on hand that you can grab and take with you; fruit, cheese sticks, nuts, veggie sticks, cooked chicken or turkey breast, protein bars, etc. This will help curb your appetite until you can make something healthy at home.

These are a few things that have helped me eat healthier and has helped to keep me from the fast food drive thrus and I am the least organized domestic engineer on the planet.

Serious Nutrition Answers

I am no expert, just a working mother and wife with more things to do than time to do them.  If you want expert advice on nutrition and healthier options to the “What’s for Dinner” question talk to Zach Hunt, personal trainer and owner of Phyzique Personal Fitness in Liberty Lake, WA. He is trained and certified and can help you make the changes in your diet to create lasting healthy changes in your life.