5 clever tricks to eat well whilst home-working
[Originally written for Sylk Magazine]
As you read this, it’s very likely you’re staying at home, self-isolating and in full lockdown mode. Along with the massive shift in how we work, how we relate and how we communicate (virtual Hinge date, anyone?), how we eat has had to change too. For most of us, we’ll be consuming all three meals at home.
Working from home is a bit like having one two many wines: the fantasy is so much better than the reality. It can be easy to slip into bad habits: hurriedly eating food over your laptop, working late into the evening and skipping dinner or letting two coffees become a satisfactory breakfast.
That’s why it’s super important to put your best fork forward and ensure you’re eating as well as you can during these uncertain and solitary times. Maybe you have more time on your hands (no commute) and you want to level up your cookery game? Perhaps you’ve realised a new-found importance for your body and keeping it well? I hear you.
I’m not here to discuss coronavirus, there is plenty of information out there, but what I *can* offer are nutritionist-approved tips & tricks, help & hacks to ensure you’re eating as well as you can to optimise your mind, body and soul.
Home-working Hacks
Get into your Groove
Our bodies and minds love routine. It’s hard when everything else is up in the air, but I would really encourage you to find structure where possible. If you’re anything like me, my new normal is a working day that revolves around food. It keeps me motivated, divides my day up nicely and means I avoid any hangriness.
Top tips:
- Establish set mealtimes and stick to this throughout the week.
- Take proper breaks, move away from your desk and power down your laptop. Use this time to connect with someone or do some deep breathing or read a book: just make sure you properly stop working.
Eat Real Food
Prioritise, where possible, whole foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, good quality meat & fish) and avoid heavily processed and nutritionally-void foods. At the end of the day, this is about balance – if you fancy some chips, go for it, but why not make them yourself using sweet potatoes and a bit of cinnamon? (The cinnamon is a game-changer BTW).
Top Tips:
- Limit processed foods (biscuits, shop-bought cakes, sweets) and enjoy as occasional treats.
- Focus on whole foods; aim for eight portions of fruits & veggies per day.
- Try cooking every meal from scratch.
Prep like a Pro
Remember all those times you wished you’d been able to make a proper lunch at home? Well now’s your time. With a bit of forethought, you can have delicious lunches fit for a Queen!
Top tips:
- Batch cook some recipes at the weekend (curries, stews & soups are a good shout, see recipe inspo below) and eat throughout the rest of the week.
- Fire up your oven at 9am, pop in some baking potatoes, and come 1pm you’ll have a warming and nourishing jacket spud.
- Stretch meals: if you’re roasting a chicken, have leftovers in a stir-fry the next day and make stock out of the carcass.
Get Creative
When you think of where to buy food, supermarkets probably spring to mind first, but there’s a whole range of other options out there – veg boxes, recipe box companies, milk delivery services. Now is the perfect time to sign up, or dig out your old subscriptions.
Top tips:
- Use recipes box companies like Mindful Chef or Farm Drop.
- Find a local greengrocer, butcher or fishmonger.
Love your Larder, Fawn over your Freezer
With isolation looming over you, it’s a good idea to make use of cupboard staples and freezer favourites. They keep longer than fresh, naturally, and are often cheaper. Plus, freezing food locks in vitamin and antioxidant content. This is all about feel-good food in a cinch.
Top tips:
- A handful of frozen blueberries in porridge or on pancakes.
- Some frozen peas in a stir-fry.
- Frozen spinach in a smoothie.
- Tins of pulses and beans offer up great plant-based sources of protein and high fibre amounts.
Larder & Freezer Friendly Foods Shopping List
I am most definitely not encouraging any panic buying, but if you did need to restock your larder or have an online shop due, these are my go-to cupboard staples that also pack a nutritional punch.
Canned oily fish (sardines, mackerel, anchovies, salmon, herring).
Excellent for a boost of omega 3 (an essential fatty acid that we can only find in food). Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties & fish is also a great source of protein.
Tinned tomatoes
A nutritional powerhouse full of vitamins C, E & K & high in lycopene, a bright red carotenoid that has powerful antioxidant activity. Tinned tomatoes often have higher amounts of lycopene compared to fresh.
Kidney beans
These legumes are packed with fibre & offer a good source of protein. They provide a range of B vitamins, including a healthy whack of folate. Try adding these to tomato-y soups, stews or blending them up in soups.
Frozen cauliflower
Packed with vitamin C & fibre. Offers liver support (cauliflower belongs to a group of vegetables called cruciferous, known to support detoxification pathways). An excellent addition to any curry or stew, or – my new fave trick – adding them to smoothies to create a rich & creamy texture.
Green tea
Contains high amounts of L-theanine, an amino acid which can support anxiety & concentration. Rich in polyphenols & EGCG, a powerful anti-inflammatory compound.
Frozen berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
Aka the darlings of my freezer! These guys are packed with antioxidants (molecules involved in protecting your cells from the effects of damaging free radicals). They're such a versatile staple, adding colour & nutrients to any smoothie, porridge or 9pm yogurt bowl.
Rolled oats
Loaded with fibre & beta glucans, a naturally-occurring polysaccharides (fancy way of saying starchy carbohydrates). Beta glucans can be useful in many immune conditions, including infection prevention, immune enhancing effects & as an antioxidant.
So there we have it, my top nutritional tips for eating well at home, some superstar foods to have in and some top-drawer recipes to power up your health and cooking.