Eating well when you're tired or busy
Photo: Alesia Kozik / Pexels
On a tired or busy day, a proper meal can feel like a mountain. If your appetite is small as well, it is tempting to skip, or to live on toast. A few easy habits can keep you nourished without much effort.
What the science says
Dietitians at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust point out that eating a meal is really five jobs: planning, shopping, cooking, sitting down to eat, and clearing up. Each one uses energy, so it is no surprise that a balanced meal can feel impossible on some days. Their leaflet suggests regular small meals at similar times, shortcuts such as pre-chopped and frozen vegetables, and cooking extra to freeze (NHS dietitians' leaflet (opens in a new tab)).
Eating alone can sap motivation too. A new Newcastle University study of 46 people aged 80 and over found that some women who had cooked for others for years simplified their meals once they lived alone. The study was small, but it shows the problem is common and nothing to feel bad about (Good Housekeeping UK (opens in a new tab)).
Five-minute plates
Adapted from the dietitians' quick-meal list:
- Eggs, beans or cheese on toast. Add a piece of fruit.
- Soup with a protein. Choose a tin with chicken, lentils or beans, or stir in a spoonful of beans and have bread with cheese.
- A wrap or sandwich. Fill it with ham, ready-cooked chicken, drained tuna or peanut butter, plus salad leaves and a yoghurt on the side.
- A quick omelette. Spinach, sweetcorn or spring onion cook in a minute. Grate cheese on top.
- A snack plate. Cheese, hummus, crackers, cucumber and cold meat count as a meal.
- A baked potato. Microwave it, then add tuna and sweetcorn or a spoonful of beans.
Stock a few standbys
The same leaflet suggests keeping easy foods from each food group to hand: tinned beans and fish, frozen vegetables and fruit, eggs, yoghurts, rice pouches, wraps in the freezer and oatcakes. Our tuna, egg and green bean salad comes almost entirely from the cupboard and fridge.
Make it less of a job
- Eat the same breakfast most days. One less decision.
- Sit down to chop. Even a stool by the worktop helps.
- Let the shops do some work. Frozen vegetables, ready-chopped onions and an online order saved as a weekly list all save energy.
- Freeze small portions. A batch of chilli or dal in small pots is tomorrow's dinner.
When to ask for help
If you're often skipping meals, sleeping so much that you can't eat, or finding it hard to keep your weight steady, speak to your GP or a dietitian.
One small habit
Choose one "tired-day meal" you can make without thinking, and keep its ingredients in the house at all times.
Handy kit
- Small freezer pots for single portions. View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)#ad / affiliate