Healthy eating habits/Healthy Eating for Busy Adults

Busy People

Breakfast and Healthy Eating

On average, nearly 1 in 5 Australian adults skip breakfast at least 3 days per week.. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day as it helps refuel your body for the day ahead.

When you eat a healthy breakfast, you're more likely to:

• Eat more vitamins and minerals.
• Eat less fat and Cholesterol:, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.
• Have better concentration and productivity throughout the morning.
• Control your weight.

Spoonful of cereal

Simple tips to make sure you include breakfast

• Prepare meals the night before.
• Prepare a breakfast to eat on the go or grab something quick such as fruit or cheese and crackers.
• Keep breakfast ingredients at work so you can eat when you arrive at work.
• Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier.

Eating healthy when you are short on time

• Cook in bulk on the weekend and keep meals in the freezer to use for during the week.
• Grab fruit when on the go.
• Use a microwave, it’s easier and faster to microwave foods than cook them in the oven or on the stove.
• Use small, thin pieces of food as it cooks quicker.
• Don’t throw out leftovers, keep them for a quick meal the next day.
• Prepare lunches the night before to avoid preparing in the morning.

Vegetables

Why are vegetables important to include in the diet?

Many Australians only eat about half the recommended quantity of vegetables per day. Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and many other nutrients naturally present in plants. Most vegetables are low in energy compared to many other foods, and may help ‘fill us up’ to avoid excessive weight gain too. Diets high in vegetables may help protect you from chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

What is a serve of vegetables?

• ½ cup of cooked green or orange vegetables
• ½ medium potato or other starchy vegetables
• 1 cup of green leafy vegetables or salad
• ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas or lentils

How many serves of vegetables should I be eating a day?

	19-50 Years	51-70 Years	70+ Years
Men	6	5.5	5
Women	5	5	5

Making Fast Food Healthy

Takeaway can be a regular habit for busy people, so If you happen to be too busy to prepare meals and go for takeaway try and choose healthier choices. Most restaurants and cafes now serve lower fat, healthier options, however a lot of take-away foods often contain hidden fats.

Tips for choosing healthier takeaway foods

• Try to avoid anything that is fried or battered
• Avoid foods cooked in cream or butter such as butter chicken.
• Avoid high fat meats such as processed meats and sausages and choose leaner meats like turkey, ham, chicken and roast beef.
• Try to avoid meal combos which include fries and soft drinks and just get the burger
• Share an entrée with a friend
• Order from the child's menu
• Order the lunch or appetizer version of your meal
• Choose burgers with salad rather than ‘the lot’, and ask for no mayonnaise or margarine on the bun.
• Order souvlaki or kebabs with extra salad rather than lots of meat.
• Try thin crust pizza with lean meat or lean chicken with plenty of vegetarian toppings.
• Choose pasta with tomato-based sauces instead of cream based.
• Choose steamed rice over fried rice.
• Eat plenty of vegetables with stir-fry dishes.
• Drink low-fat smoothies, milkshakes and coffee or tea.
• Try to avoid ordering dessert, or try low-fat frozen yoghurt, ice creams or fruit.
• Put left overs into a doggie bag instead of trying to finish the meal
• Try to avoid or limit dressings, sauces and gravies
• Ask salad instead of chips
• Choose lower fat dressings and sauces
• Choose low-fat muffins instead of regular muffins, danishes or croissants
• Ask for your bread without butter

Key Points

• Try to eat breakfast every day
• There are many ways you can include breakfast in your diet
• Cooking healthy meals can be made quicker
• Vegetables are important in the diet, try and meet your recommended serves per day
• Choose healthier choices when eating take away

Further Reading

• http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/smart-eating-for-you/nutrition-a-z/breakfast/
• http://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/
• http://www.health.qld.gov.au/nutrition/resources/wtmgt_takeaway.pdf
• http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/healthy-lunch-ideas-busy-adults