{"id":11583,"date":"2017-08-14T08:47:04","date_gmt":"2017-08-14T14:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=11583"},"modified":"2025-03-07T09:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T16:34:13","slug":"does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\/","title":{"rendered":"Does making healthy food take too long?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

You don\u2019t want to pick up yet another pepperoni pizza or bag of burgers and fries. There\u2019s not much nutritional value there, right. But what\u2019s a busy parent\/spouse\/roommate to do?<\/p>\n

\"AYou race out of work and head home. Your spouse is \u201changry\u201d and the kids say they\u2019re starving.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many of us face this daily dilemma: how to eat fast without fast food?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not always easy, said Lisa Harris, who has a master\u2019s degree in nutrition, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator who has worked for UCHealth for 18 years. She works at the Poudre Valley Hospital outpatient diabetes education offices and also at various other UCHealth locations, including with health providers at the UCHealth Internal Medicine Clinic \u2013 Prospect, in Fort Collins, Colorado.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is so busy today,\u201d that it is hard to fall into the fast-food trap, Harris said. \u201cEverybody does it sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

But they can change. Make healthier choices. Choose wisely.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone wants to do it, it can be done, and it\u2019s not an impossible or even a hard thing to do,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a matter of making that decision and doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The general consensus is that fast food is bad for you but, she said, \u201cIt can be good and it can be not good. Not all fast food is bad. It depends on what you choose and which restaurants you use.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest shortcomings are that it tends to be higher in sodium and higher in saturated fat, and may not include vegetables, or at least not as many as we recommend in most diets.\u201d<\/p>\n

She noted that the fast-food industry has been trying to add more healthful options to menus in recent years.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany fast food restaurants and counter-service restaurants are now offering healthier options,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are many places you can go to put a healthy meal together. Also, now the calories are often listed on the menus of chain restaurants.\u201d Check them out when you can, she advised.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest problems with eating out, in general, is that portions are too large, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s an important consideration. The portions (in traditional sit-down restaurants) are often equivalent to two or even three meals.<\/p>\n

\u201cPortion sizes have changed in restaurants. Look at the platters our food is served on in restaurants. If you eat out regularly, you start to think of those as normal portions. They\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"This
Lisa Harris, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes instructor, says that meal planning can help families eat healthier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When dining out, ask if smaller portions are available, or consider ordering an appetizer instead of an entr\u00e9e, or sharing a meal with your dining partner, she added.<\/p>\n

(Or use the old Weight Watchers trick of asking for a to-go box at the beginning of the meal and putting half of it into the box before you even start eating.)<\/p>\n

But dining out nightly isn\u2019t an option for most people. So what is her best tip for getting a healthful meal fast, without resorting to fast food?<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the best things is to be prepared. Become educated about food. Look at the calories on the menu. Learn about choices available. Go online to the restaurant\u2019s web site and look at calories and fat and choose the offerings on the lower end. Pick a few stand-bys you like,\u201d she suggested.<\/p>\n

If you have to stop at a burger place, she recommended ordering the grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad with low-fat dressing or other side options, like veggie sticks or fresh fruit instead of fries. And even if you order the grilled sandwich, make sure there are no high-fat and -calorie toppings like cheese, mayonnaise or bacon. Maybe try mustard or even barbecue sauce instead, if they have it. Or get the mayo on the side and just add a little bit on your own.<\/p>\n

One way to avoid stopping for fast food is have food at home you can prepare quickly, Harris said. On the days you have time, make ahead dishes that your family likes for reheating on busy nights. Make a big pot of vegetable-based soup, turkey-bean chili or other favorite healthful dishes. Use the crock-pot or pressure cooker, if you have them, and make a collection of go-to recipes that are quick and easy, with stuff you can keep on hand for when it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n

Cook up some chicken breasts or hard-boil some eggs to have on hand. Both are versatile.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor home cooking, planning and preparation are key \u2013 plan ahead and make sure you have all the ingredients you need on hand. Make a list when you go to the store so you have it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t leave work wondering what you\u2019re going to fix for dinner, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we get home and we\u2019re tired and hungry, it\u2019s hard not to just order a pizza,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Grab-n-go meals are getting more abundant in grocery stores. They have salads with all the toppings packed up and ready to eat. They have deli meals that just need a bit of heating. They have already-cooked chicken (and other lean) meat ready to go into tacos, burritos, chicken salad and more. They have ready-made soups (and she recommends broth-based ones over cream-based soups).<\/p>\n

She suggested checking out the ready-made, convenience foods at the grocery store when you have time. Some are quite good, and healthful, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with taking some help when you need it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Hit the salad bar for tonight\u2019s vegetables, or find the already-prepped veggies in the produce section. They just need a minute or two in the microwave. Frozen vegetables are nutritious, too, she added. Or get a veggie tray with dip and serve it to take the edge off of appetites while you\u2019re whipping up the main course.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust take it easy on the dip,\u201d she advised.<\/p>\n

Think about putting more fresh fruit in your diet, she said. \u201cWhat\u2019s faster and more convenient than an apple, a banana or an orange?\u201d<\/p>\n

Delis aren\u2019t required to offer calorie counts, she noted, so be careful of those healthful-sounding salads with things like kale or quinoa. They may sound healthful, but be loaded with nuts, dried fruits, cheese or fatty dressings.<\/p>\n

She personally has tried some of the companies that offer meal-kit deliveries.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry them, if you want, and see which one appeals to you. Not all their meals are healthy, but you can choose the ones you want. You can find the nutritional information on their websites,\u201d Harris said. Besides avoiding fast food, the meal kits eliminate the planning and much of the shopping, for those who don\u2019t like to do that. And there\u2019s little or no waste, she added.<\/p>\n

On the run in the morning or at lunch?<\/p>\n

\u201cAn Egg McMuffin isn\u2019t all that bad if you stay away from the sausage ones,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cIf you are craving a burger, get the smallest, plainest one. Try to avoid the mega-burgers with tons of toppings. Who needs a half-pound of meat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Some things are worse than others.<\/p>\n

\u201cA sandwich with a lot of meat, a white bun and fries \u2013 that\u2019s not the best choice,\u201d she said. \u201cSo if you like Wendy\u2019s, for example, try the baked potato with the chili topping instead. They also have good salads and fruit or other options as sides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many places have healthy options, like whole-grain buns, right on the menu, but some don\u2019t offer the healthier options unless you ask, she noted. \u201cSo ask.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you ask, you may discover that your favorite pizzeria offers whole-grain crusts for their pies, that some Mexican restaurants offer whole-grain tortillas and some Chinese restaurants offer brown rice instead of white.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut,\u201d she warned, \u201cyou still need to watch the portion sizes.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is not to say that she bans fast food completely from her patients\u2019 diets.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe occasional fast food meal can be included in a healthy diet. If someone is just starting to work on this, they can start gradually, reducing their intake of fast food \u2013 replacing one or two meals a week with healthier options \u2013 and working from there.\u00a0 I rarely tell people to never<\/em> eat something,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all about moderation \u2013 how much and how often we have it.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0Seven Tips for Healthful, Fast Meals<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lisa Harris\u2019 seven steps to fast, but healthy eating include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Planning precedes everything else<\/li>\n
  2. Be sure to have the food you need readily available<\/li>\n
  3. Have a go-to menu for high-stress times<\/li>\n
  4. Cook ahead and have food ready to reheat<\/li>\n
  5. Look for healthy, lean proteins that cook quickly, like fish, shrimp or sliced chicken breasts<\/li>\n
  6. Use the time-saving appliances you have on hand, like the crock-pot<\/li>\n
  7. Pre-prepared and frozen veggies are fine to use \u2013 take help where you can get it<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    You don\u2019t want to pick up yet another pepperoni pizza or bag of burgers and fries. There\u2019s not much nutritional value there, right. But what\u2019s a busy parent\/spouse\/roommate to do? You race out of work and head home. Your spouse is \u201changry\u201d and the kids say they\u2019re starving. Many of us face this daily dilemma: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11592,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[988,9187,551],"class_list":["post-11583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-diabetes-endocrinology-care","tag-readysetco","tag-weight-and-metabolism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDoes making healthy food take too long? - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lisa Harris, registered dietician at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital, shares seven tips for fast, healthy meals.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Does making healthy food take too long?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lisa Harris, registered dietician at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital, shares seven tips for fast, healthy meals.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-08-14T14:47:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-07T16:34:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/08\/14025234\/cookingphoto.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4f8630d1a32bfa51d40bf26aa4896808\"},\"headline\":\"Does making healthy food take too long?\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-08-14T14:47:04+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-07T16:34:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1512,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/does-making-healthy-food-take-too-long\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2017\\\/08\\\/14025234\\\/cookingphoto.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Diabetes & endocrinology care\",\"Ready. 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