For a lot of us who are too busy to cook because of work or are simply always on the move, it can be very difficult to prepare a healthy cooked meal. This makes it very difficult to make a healthy choice in our diet in the long-term!
In fact, when we are unable to make our own food, we may tend to fall into the habit of buying takeaways, fast food or choosing to eat at a restaurant.
And yes, while we can find the occasional healthy fast food restaurant, which can be as simple as typing “healthy food near me” on Uber eats, this can get really expensive for those of us on a budget!
This can significantly be a major problem for a lot of us, especially given the accumulating costs of all of this food as well as the unhealthy side effects that come with some of these foods.
After all, there is a reason why fast food brands like McDonalds and takeaway businesses such as Uber Eats can become addictive.
With the sheer amount of advertisement, offers and the considerable convenience of time-saving involved, it can make cooking your own meals a nuisance, especially when it can seem very frustrating and long to cook.
However, while we live in a world where thousands of brands, restaurants and shops are encouraging you to buy enormous numbers of unhealthy alternatives to home-cooked healthy meals, that doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthy whilst not having to cook.
In fact it is very possible to work around these takeaway options as well as the little free time you may have when you’re busy cooking and still make quick meals without the need of a frying pan, oven and dozens of fancy kitchen equipment.
I am going to highlight some of the most versatile and impactful ways on how to eat healthy without cooking. And I can guarantee that you will enjoy these healthy food options!
These are some of the best alternatives to cooked meals as they can be equally as enjoyable and tasty as well being as healthy as meals involving an oven and fancy kitchen equipment.
The great thing about a sandwich, panini or baguette is their versatility – They allow you to put whatever filling inside of them that you desire.
Generally, the most simple but effective formula to create a delicious sandwich, panini or baguette is to put your veggies, primary filling and a tasty sauce inside. All of this can be done without the need to cook a single thing!
In terms of veggies, you can use the common lettuce and tomatoes or spice it up with some of your own personal favourite veggies. Personally, I love using spinach instead of lettuce and some onions for flavour, but it’s entirely up to you!
For the primary filling, it can be a meat, pastrami or even a vegetarian option such as falafel, cheeses (especially mozzarella which works very well in sandwiches, paninis and baguettes) or even vegan alternatives to meat.
Finally, the sauces are entirely dependent on your personal preference and are what I believe makes the sandwich, panini or baguette more exciting. For example, garlic sauce or a chipotle sauce can go really well inside the bread and add a lot of flavour!
I highly recommend having a quick read of some Dos and Don’ts for making the perfect sandwich right here, if you’re looking to become the healthiest person YOU can be!
The most obvious and popular snacks that come to mind are fruit and vegetables and with good reason. These can be the tastiest snacks to eat while also being rich in vitamins, energy and low in calories.
Fruit and vegetables can come in all shapes, colours and sizes, with different levels of nutrition, health benefits and negative health impacts. However, many of them provide you with amazing nutrition whilst also being easy to prepare and eat without cooking. For a plus, they are your best friend when it comes to trying to lose weight too!
Different fruits and vegetables will offer different health benefits which means that increasing your variety will be very beneficial:
Fruit and vegetables aren’t the only healthy snacks out there. Nuts and seeds, in particular chia seeds, can be very versatile when you want to treat yourself to something sweet, tasty but highly nutritious and healthy!
Chia seeds can help you to create some incredible treats and snacks:
Chia seeds offer a range of health benefits. These include:
Sushi rolls are a perfect example of a fun and exciting way of eating healthy without cooking. They are easy to make and just like paninis, baguettes and sandwiches can be customised to your desire.
Personally, my favourite fillings for sushi rolls generally include avocado, carrots and a creamy, tangy type of sauce such as a spicy mayo, which can really bring out its flavour.
It is up to you what you decide to put in a sushi roll and there are a plethora of recipes that you can follow that do not require a lot of effort.
These sushi rolls will be jam-packed with nutrients, energy and vitamins which can really make them quick on-the-go snacks which require no need for cooking.
You can easily hand roll sushi at home!
Veggie sushi burritos are also cool, exciting meals that you can make. All you need to do is wrap the sushi filling in sea weed instead of a tortilla wrap and you have an incredible healthy meal that you will love munching on!
Are you looking for something sweet and tasty, but also something packed with nutrients and energy? Mixing dried fruits such as berries, banana chips, oats and Greek yoghurt can provide dense levels of nutrients and health benefits for your body.
In fact yoghurts, particularly Greek, can provide potassium and phosphorus and vitamin B12 which are great for thyroid function. There is also calcium which is valuable for bone health.
Mixing this with oats can also and a nice crunch to this treat, especially when mixed well together to make a creamy dessert.
And once again, this snack can easily be made without the need of any cooking. Just mix it together, store it in a cup and you you can eat it at your convenience. Don’t forget that this is also a great treat that you will never get bored of as you can customise it to however you want!
Whether you want to use a strawberry or mango yoghurt instead or add some nice dark chocolate pieces into the yoghurt and mix with dried fruits and oats, the numerous combinations will ensure that this kind of non-cook snack will not seem repetitive to always eat!
