JOURNAL: Healthy Eating in a Hurry

I have a four year-old son and a 10 week-old son.  Although I am able to stay home with them both, I still find I have very little time!  My eldest needs more attention and nurturing as he adjusts to not being an only child.  My newborn needs breastfed, diapers changed, put to sleep, cuddled and played with, etc.  I do my best to keep the laundry and dishes done, the house relatively clean, and my family well-fed.  There seems to be little time to do anything else.

When my husband is home in the evenings, I make my family a fairly healthy supper. However, I don't prepare meals for myself during the day.  First of all, it would likely take me hours to make a dish from scratch with all the interruptions from my sons. Also, my routine is based around their routines, so I don't eat at a set time in the morning or afternoon.

Although I ate fast food most days when I was pregnant this year (Did I mention that I put on 65 lbs.?), healthy eating is important to me.   

Eating the same things for breakfast and lunch keeps me from having to think about what to eat and from having to plan ahead.  Shopping is much easier also, since I always stock up on the same things: fresh or frozen fruits, almond milk, and Green Giant Healthy Colors Steamers. 

My favorite variety of Healthy Colors, Valley Blend.

I start my day with a glass of almond milk.  I usually don't eat breakfast, so this gives me some easy-to-digest calories for producing breastmilk. 

In the mid-afternoon, I eat two servings of fruit.  For the past two months, I have relished the nectarines that are in season at the grocery store, but I also sometimes have a banana or a pound of fresh strawberries.  Today, I ate frozen blackberries that I thawed in my fridge for most of the morning.  

Next, I eat a bag of Green Giant Healthy Colors Steamers.  There are four varieties, but my favorite is Valley Blend with carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli (yes, it's fancy California blend!).  Each variety is lightly sauced.  I know it would be better if I cleaned raw vegetables and steamed them, but time is the issue here.  I can carry my baby in one arm and take a bag of Green Giant Steamers out of the freezer and throw it in the microwave with the other hand.

In the late afternoon, I have an almond milk soy protein shake, full of calcium.  You can find one of my recipes here.

When my husband gets home, I make a quick dinner for my husband, my son, and myself.   Most nights I have a frozen fruit bar and a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich.

I'm still trying to lose weight, however, I know I need to eat well for my baby, too.  I lost 30 lbs. with the birth of the baby and have taken 15 lbs. off eating this way since we came home from the hospital.  I'm glad I have found a way to eat convenient food that is good for me, too!

How do you eat well when you don't have time to prepare food?