Affordable Meals to make at Home In Under Five Minutes

   Many athletes and their families find that eating well during a busy week can be a challenging task. However, with a few ideas and a little prep time, you can easily fuel your body so that you are energized and motivated for all of your training, competitions and other activities by providing affordable meals to make at home in under five minutes. 

   If you need a snack that will sustain you for over two hours, eat foods from at least three different food groups, making sure that one of those foods is a good source of protein. Examples: granola and fresh berries in Greek yogurt; tuna with whole grain crackers and grapes.

   Producing fast food from home isn’t as hard as you’d think. It’s easy to prepare 5-minute meals if your kitchen is well-stocked. Here’s five you could try, on the fly.

Affordable Meals to make at Home:

   >> Turkey and cheese sandwich

   >> Peanut butter and sliced apple in a whole wheat tortilla

   >> Oatmeal with nuts, dried apples and milk

   >> Chicken, cheese and bean quesadilla

   >> Canned beans and leftover chicken added to canned soup

Additional Tips:

   Schedule time to do food prep. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re able to whip up a meal in minutes.

   Make a casserole or other main dish and store it in single-serving portions. Put them in the freezer for a later date. 

Snacks That Satisfy: 

Keep these ready-to-eat foods on hand for a quick snack:

Mozzarella cheese sticks

Cottage cheese

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Yogurt and Greek yogurt

Tuna

Milk

Hard-boiled eggs

Graham crackers

Natural peanut butter or other nut butters

Nuts and dried fruits

Granola bars (<10 grams sugar)

Hot and cold cereals

Crackers (>3 grams fiber)

Maximize your performance by seeking out personalized advice from Nutrition Coach Jill Daniels, MS, RD, CSSD, Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.  www.JillDanielsRD.com