Eating well can require quite a lot of planning ahead but even if you don’t have time to buy fresh food, you can still whip up a healthy meal. Keeping your cupboards well stocked with certain foods means you’ve got no excuse for serving an unhealthy dish. Auckland dietitian Helen Gibbs offers some suggestions for what she calls ‘Mother Hubbard’ meals.
A LARGE BoX oF LoW-FAT, LoW-SUGAR, HIGH-FIBRE CEREAL
Cereal is a great way to start the day. It’s packed full of nutrients and provides lots of energy. Eating a good quality cereal can fill you up until lunchtime.
“Studies show that if you eat breakfast, you tend to eat less throughout the day than if you skip it,” says Helen.
Having breakfast also helps cognitive function (how your brain works). Tests have shown that your ability to perform tasks such as those involving memory is likely to be impaired if you haven’t eaten since the previous night.
(*Low fat is considered to be less than 10g of fat per 100g cereal, low-sugar is less than 20g per 100g and high fibre is more than 4g per 100g.)
A CARToN oF REDUCED-FAT UHT (ULTRA HEAT-TREATED) oILK
You can use this milk with cereal, in tea or coffee or drink it on its own. It has an infinite shelf life, contains calcium and counts towards the recommended two daily servings of dairy products. (* Reduced-fat means less than 2g fat per 100ml.)
TINNED FRUIT IN JUICE
This is great on cereal, as a dessert, in a smoothie or as a snack and a whole tin will make up two of your 5+ a day fruit and vegetable servings. Fruit is an excellent source of vitamins and anti-oxidants and while tinned fruit loses some of its nutrients in the canning process, it’s still good for you.
RED LENTILS
Lentils are an easily stored and cooked form of protein. “But a lot of people are scared of lentils because they don’t know what to do with them,” says Helen.
Lentils need washing and boiling for about 20 minutes, until they are soft to bite. Extra flavour can be added with onion, garlic and sauce. Lentils are high in fibre, which helps to control blood-sugar levels, and have virtually no fat. They also contain B vitamins, and minerals including iron and potassium.
BAKED BEANS
These old favourites are a great stand-by meal. Like lentils they are pulses (or legumes), which are low in fat and high in fibre. They’re also a source of B vitamins and minerals. They can be spiced up with a pinch of chill or curry powder.
TINNED SALooN oR TUNA (IN SPRING WATER)
Canned fish is a fantastic convenience food. It has an indefinite shelf life and can be spread on crackers for lunch or added to rice and pasta dishes for dinner. It’s rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are important for a healthy heart, brain and skin.
“You should buy the spring water versions because fish in oil has a lot more calories,” says Helen.
SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
This is good to keep in the pantry – even a small amount can add flavour to a dish that may otherwise be a bit bland.
Helen says,” People think it’s bad for you because it contains sugar but you would probably only have a tablespoon, which is not every much spread across a whole meal. It really does improve the flavour of many things.”
TINNED CoRN
Any tinned vegetable is good but corn is particularly useful. It can be added as an accompaniment to many dishes and is a good source of fibre, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
TINNED CHoPPED TooAToES
These can be used in many different dishes and are a great way of increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes contain lycopene , which some studies suggest may play a role in preventing some forms of cancer. They’re also a source of potassium and beta-carotene.
BASoATI RICE
This is another excellent food because it has a long shelf life and can be used in dozens of different ways. Basmati is a good choice of rice because it has a lower GI than other types.
“And, if you combine a grain, like rice, with a legume, like beans, you get a complete protein,” says Helen. (*A complete protein contains all of the essential amino acids)
Here’s a meal suggestion: Boil lentils, add tinned tomatoes and a tablespoon of chilli sauce and serve with rice for a tasty dhal dish.
