Sure, it’s easier to pick up the phone and order a home-delivered pizza, or grab some takeaway on the way home, but that can be just the beginning of a raft of problems including becoming overweight and risking some serious illnesses.

Do a bit of planning at the start of every week. Make an appointment with yourself to prepare healthy food for each of the seven days ahead. This doesn’t mean cooking every day, by the way. It just means that you’ll be sure to eat right seven days a week even if you only cook on one or two days.

Remember to make an appointment to shop at least once a week, after you’ve made up your shopping list for healthy eating during the week ahead.

Think about it. Weekends are a great time to cook. You can prepare a week’s meals over the weekend with a bit of planning, then pop them into the freezer and take them out during the week as you need them. That includes lunches too since most workplaces have a microwave oven to warm up food brought from home.

Make up tasty meals with grilled lean meats, chicken or fish as well as steamed or stir-fried vegetables, and other healthy ingredients.  Not only will it be easy to have healthy meals at the end of a busy day, but you will also be able to control how much you eat at every sitting.

A large pot of healthy soup is a good thing to make over the weekend. Separate it into smaller containers and freeze them. Before you go off to work move one container from the freezer into your refrigerator so when you get home it can be microwaved in a couple of minutes and your dinner’s ready.  Enjoy with a wholegrain bread roll and you will have a nourishing as well as filling meal.

Whenever you do have time to cook an individual meal, make up some extra portions, freeze the leftovers and use them for meals later in the week.

Another strategy that helps you cope with a busy lifestyle without resorting to junk food is to eat healthy meals and snacks every three hours during the working day. This helps to maintain your energy levels without giving you that afternoon slump when you’ve eaten a big lunch.

Keep your pantry well stocked with long-life ingredients that can be combined in a variety of ways. Some examples of these are vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions, pasta, rice (especially brown rice which is high in fibre), and noodles.

Keep a selection of canned vegetables such as tomatoes and tuna on hand, together with canned soups or beans so you’ll always have a selection of ingredients to make up a good range of healthy foods.

Studies show we’re working longer hours than ever before, but our health is suffering because we aren’t eating right. For a great selection of recipes take a look at our Healthy Living Recipe Archive. Healthy food has never been so easy to prepare.