{"id":28411,"date":"2022-01-18T23:14:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T23:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=28411"},"modified":"2025-01-07T01:16:58","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T01:16:58","slug":"how-to-eat-healthy-without-cooking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-eat-healthy-without-cooking\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I\u2019m an RD And I Hate to Cook \u2014 Here\u2019s How I Stay Healthy.\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you don\u2019t like working in the kitchen, you don\u2019t have to give up on nutrition. Samaria Grandberry, MS, RDN, LDN,<\/a> gives her best advice on how to eat healthy without cooking.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Hate to cook? You\u2019re in good company. Even registered dietitians\u2014who live and breathe food and nutrition all day\u2014don\u2019t always love spending hours in the kitchen.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

That said, the alternative to not <\/em>cooking doesn\u2019t have to be a take-out order or packaged meal (both of which can often be laden with extra sodium, unhealthy fats, and preservatives).<\/p>\n\n\n

To prove it, we tapped one of HUM Nutrition\u2019s registered dietitians, Samaria Grandberry, MS, RDN, LDN\u2014who prefers to spend her time outside<\/em> the kitchen for her top healthy eating tips for the cooking averse. Get the scoop on how she sticks with easy, low-commitment recipes and no-cook meals to eat healthy without cooking.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

The Formula For a Balanced Meal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n

The first question Samaria Grandberry, MS, RD, asks herself when putting together a meal is: What sounds good?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s important to pay attention to your cravings,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen you ignore them, that\u2019s when you see people having \u2018cheat days,\u2019 or binging on things they don\u2019t really want to eat because they\u2019ve restricted themselves too much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

From there, this is Grandberry\u2019s foolproof formula for a healthy, satisfying meal:<\/p>\n\n\n

1. Protein<\/h3>\n\n\n

Grandberry searches her freezer for foods that provide plenty of protein<\/a>, which will help keep you full. \u201cSince I don\u2019t cook that much, I often buy fresh meats in bulk, portion, and freeze them,\u201d she says. Grandberry recommends grass-fed, organic meat from a local farmer if that\u2019s accessible to you. If you don\u2019t eat meat, she suggests getting your protein from beans, eggs (if you\u2019re not vegan), and whole grains like quinoa and millet.<\/p>\n\n\n

High-protein foods like meat provide valuable nutrients\u2014like B vitamins\u2014that are tough to find in other places, Grandberry says. Vitamin B12<\/a>, for example, helps make DNA and keeps your blood and nerve cells healthy, according to the National Institutes of Health<\/a> (NIH). You can find this nutrient in fish, meat, eggs, milk, and fortified breakfast<\/a> cereals. Since only animal products have vitamin B12<\/a> naturally, vegans and vegetarians may not get enough of this nutrient from diet alone. Dietary supplements<\/a>, like HUM Nutrition\u2019s B12 Turbo<\/a>, can help fill in some gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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B12 Turbo<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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2. Fiber<\/h3>\n\n\n

Meanwhile, fiber-rich foods like veggies and whole grains are essential for gut and total-body health. For fiber<\/a>, Grandberry uses frozen vegetables like broccoli, corn, peas, and green beans.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

According to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>, dietary fiber helps ensure regular bowel movements, keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control, lower blood pressure, and may even reduce your risk of dying from heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n

But for all the good fiber does, most Americans don\u2019t get enough. In fact, research published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine<\/a> shows that only five percent of Americans get the recommended 19 to 38 grams (g) of fiber per day. By building every meal around high-fiber foods, you can increase your odds of reaching your recommended daily intake.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

3. Grains<\/h3>\n\n\n

Carbohydrates are our bodies main source of energy, which means they\u2019re a crucial part of any meal. (Added bonus: Many grains are high in dietary fiber too.)<\/p>\n\n\n

Grandberry tries to include a grain at lunch and dinner by reaching for brown rice, millet, quinoa, and bulgur. She sometimes incorporates whole grains into her breakfast, using whole-grain bagels, granola, or oatmeal.<\/p>\n\n\n

By incorporating grains, fiber, and protein, Grandberry is able to create a plate that\u2019s both satisfying and nutritious. \u201cBasically, I follow my cravings, and then I try to build the most filling, colorful, fast meal I can using the aforementioned principles,\u201d Grandberry says. Speaking of color, that\u2019s another principle she follows: Aim to get at least 2 to 3 different colors on your plate per meal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shopping at Trader Joe\u2019s? Stock Up on These 11 RD-Approved Frozen Foods<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/article>\n\n
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The 80\/20 Rule Is the No-Diet Diet of Your Dreams<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/article>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Tips For Hitting The Grocery Store\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n

Healthy, easy meals often start with grocery store trips. Here are Grandberry\u2019s must-dos when shopping for food.
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