Healthy Food

A good way to include more healthy meals in your diet, whether you have a lot of time for cooking or very little, is to prepare healthy meals ahead of time. If a healthy meal is already prepared and just needs to be assembled, thawed or reheated you are more likely to choose that meal over unhealthy alternatives like fast food or pizza. You can make a week's worth of healthy meals and freeze them or just prepare the basic components of healthy meals in advance for quick and easy dinner preparation.

Pasta Dishes

There are many types of pasta dishes that are healthy and can be prepared in advance. You can cook pasta and make sauce and freeze or refrigerate the whole dish, or just have healthy pasta sauces ready-made to add to pasta at dinnertime. Homemade pasta sauces are healthier and cheaper than store-bought versions which can contain hidden fats and sugars. Tomato-based pasta sauces are easy to make, freeze and refrigerate well and can be made with zero or little fat. If you grow fresh tomatoes, a batch of sauce is a great way to use a glut of them, but canned tomatoes work well too.

1. You can make a marinara sauce by simmering tomatoes, garlic and onions. For more flavor, fry the onions and garlic in olive oil before adding the tomatoes. Any vegetables, mushrooms and flavorings can be added for more nutrients and different tastes. You could make one basic batch of sauce ahead of time and add lean meat or vegetables when you reheat the sauce for dinner.

Meat and Poultry

2. Cooking lean meats ahead of time makes healthy dinner preparation quick. Grilled skinless chicken breasts will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or for a long time in the freezer. They can be incorporated into sandwiches, salads, stir frys and pasta dishes.
   Alternatives to hamburgers can also be made in advance and frozen. They just need to be thawed and baked or grilled when you want to eat them. Turkey burgers, fish or seafood burgers and chicken burgers are lean alternatives to beef; you can add more moisture and flavor by adding finely chopped vegetables, herbs and spices. You can also substitute ground turkey for ground beef when making meat sauces, chili or lasagna ahead of time.

Vegetable Dishes

3. If you prepare an array of vegetables ahead of time you are more likely to incorporate them into quick meals. Vegetables like onions, bell peppers, eggplant and Portobello mushrooms are delicious when roasted. Just chop them into large pieces, drizzle with a little olive oil or other healthy oil and roast in the oven until they are soft. They keep well in the refrigerator and make a tasty addition to cold salads or sandwiches.

Soups

4. Soups can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated. At meal time they can be re-heated quickly and often taste better a day or two after preparation as all the ingredients' flavors develop. Because you choose exactly what ingredients go into your soup, you control the fat and calorie content.
   Every basic soup is made in a similar way but with infinite variations---chop your choice of ingredients, cover them with stock and simmer until everything is cooked and soft. More flavor can be imparted by sauteing or roasting vegetables first but try to use a small amount of unsaturated fat only, like olive oil or vegetable oil.
   Homemade stock has the most flavor but bought cans or cartons work well too, just look for low fat, low sodium versions for a healthier soup.
   Avoid making creamy soups as they are much higher in fat than clear soups. A smooth soup can be made by cooling the soup then blending it in a food processor or liquidizer. Soups can be made more filling without making them unhealthy by including beans, rice, lentils or small pasta shapes.

Salads

5. All kinds of salads can be prepared ahead of time by omitting the dressing. You can make a pasta salad, couscous or bulgur wheat based salad in advance and just add a low fat dressing when you are ready to eat it. For any salad if you prepare and store ingredients in advance, you just need to assemble it at meal time. If the salad is already prepared you are more likely to eat that rather than unhealthy alternatives.
   Keep an assortment of ingredients like hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, corn, mushrooms and cooked chicken breast in small containers in the refrigerator so that they can be combined with lettuce for an instant salad.
   Avoid creamy dressings and make your own for the healthiest choice. Low fat dressings are widely available but making your own means you know exactly what is in the dressing and avoid any unnatural preservatives. A basic vinaigrette is made by mixing oil and vinegar with any other flavoring ingredients of your choice and keeps well in the refrigerator. Use healthier oils like olive oil and nut oils and add flavor with a little garlic, mustard, lemon juice, herbs or spices and use the dressing in moderation.
   If you toss the salad with dressing a little at a time you may find you need less of it to cover the ingredients than if you pour some over the top of the salad without tossing it.