Food Prep: Staying On Track When Life Gets Busy!
Creating Healthy Habits to Support a Diabetes Diagnosis
by Dr. Allie Butler, PharmD
As the hustle and bustle of the fall swings into full gear, many of us find it difficult to balance healthy choices with the busyness of our lives. For someone with diabetes, this can lead to mismanagement and lack of sugar control! But an hour of your time over the weekend spent on food prep can lead to healthier choices throughout the week. Having these staples to pull from will make busy routines easier and make you less likely to fall victim to the poor food choices a full schedule can bring.
During your next grocery trip, add these items to your list and follow this quick step-by-step guide to create healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas. Check out our add-on grocery list to better round out your week. And remember to check t hose food labels and choose appropriate portions. Carbohydrates are not your enemy, but they can defeat you!
Grocery List
- 1 whole chicken
- 2 dozen Eggs
- 2 lbs ground turkey or beef
- 1 package of bacon (turkey)
- 2 packs of English Muffins (Ezekiel=lower carb option)
- 1 bag of baby carrots and 1 bag of sugar snap peas (or vegetable of choice)
- 2 English cucumbers
- 4 broccoli crowns
- 8 sweet potatoes
- 8 baking potatoes
- 1 lemon
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 package sliced cheese (of choice)
- 1 container of sliced turkey lunch meat
- 1 package cheese sticks (of choice)
- 1 container of low-fat plain Greek yogurt (16 oz)
- 1 packet French onion soup mix
- 1 packet of ranch dressing mix
- 2 packets of taco seasoning
- white vinegar
Step-by-Step
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Potatoes: Clean potatoes off and pierce several times with a fork. Place all into the over until cooked (approximately 1 hour)
- Chicken:
- Prep the chicken with 1/2 packet onion soup mix and 1/2 packet ranch dressing mix. Rub all over the outside of chicken. Cut lemon into quarters and place inside chicken along with garlic cloves.
- Place chicken on trivet in pressure cooker and cook 6 minutes per pound on auto setting (or according to your pot’s settings). Allow to depressurize for 10-15 minutes. (Alternatively, this can be cooked in a crock pot on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat falls of the bones).
- Breakfast sandwiches:
- Place bacon on cookie sheet and place in oven for 10-15 minutes (to preferred doneness)
- Spray one 12-count muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and crack one egg into each spot. Place in oven for 10-15 minutes (to desired firmness)
- Remove eggs and bacon from oven when cooked. Assemble breakfast sandwiches with English muffins, cheese slices, eggs and bacon. (store in the refrigerator and reheat in microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a toaster oven set to 350°F for 10 minutes).
- Hard boiled eggs: Place remaining eggs in large pot of water on stove and place on high heat until boiling. Allow to boil for 1-2 additional minutes. Remove eggs from heat and allow to set in hot water for an additional 10 minutes prior to removing and placing in the refrigerator.
- Turkey Cucumber wraps: Take 1 cucumber and cut lengthwise into 12 even pieces. Unwrap 12 cheese sticks. Use sliced turkey to wrap 1 cheese and 1 cucumber into a roll. Wrap individually and store for use throughout the week.
- Cucumber Salad: Use remainder of cucumbers slices for cucumber salad recipe found here.
- Yogurt dip with veggies: Take remaining packets of ranch dressing mix and onion soup mix and combine with yogurt. Divvy up with raw veggies for individual snacks.
- Broccoli: Boil large pot of water and cook broccoli for 3-5 minutes (depending on preferred firmness).
- Taco Meat: Prepare ground beef/turkey according to taco seasoning mix instructions. Store for use throughout the week in other recipes.
Add these items to your grocery list to round out the week: 1-2 bags of applies, 1 bunch of bananas, 8 greek yogurts, 1 container hummus, pita bread, 1 bag cheese sticks, tortillas, lettuce, nuts (raw) and nut butter (natural).
Don’t let life get in the way of accomplishing your goals. A busy schedule doesn’t have to mean poor food choices. A little extra effort goes a long way to achieving success and winning the battle within.
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This page is for informational and educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. While this information is retrieved from reputable sources, it is not intended to replace physician offered medical diagnosis, treatment or advice. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment. For all medical emergencies, please contact your doctor immediately or call 911. Please refer to full medical disclaimer here.