We are all essentially creatures of convenience. If something feels hard or challenging to do, we simply won’t stick to it in the long term. This includes improving your diet for menopause. In my one-to-one menopause consultations, I often recommend healthy convenience foods to make life easier. You could consider adding to your shopping list too.
Many of the women I work with are busy professionals, combining a hectic work life with busy family life and placing their needs at the bottom of the pile. Not eating certain foods because they have fussy eaters in the house. So, how are you supposed to change this when you feel the odds are stacked against you?
When can you eat what you want?
The one meal many women have to themselves, without having to consider the needs of others is lunch. My top tip here is to always plan for leftovers. Simply make a little more than you need for dinner and you can package up next day’s lunch whilst you are dishing up dinner. No fuss involved whatsoever.
My top tip here is to always plan for leftovers. Simply make a little more than you need for dinner and you can package up next day’s lunch whilst you are dishing up dinner. No fuss involved whatsoever.
The sticking point tends to come when you need to find foods in a hurry but are unsure what to choose or how to bulk up leftovers to make them more satisfying.
I find having staple ingredients in the fridge or cupboard means you can put together a meal that is satisfying, nutritious and more importantly, easy.
These are my favourites for when time is of the essence and means you can always throw a tasty, satisfying meal together in no time, but will also help guide you if you need to pick something up from the supermarket.
Convenience foods to add to your shopping list
Sauces and dressings – can really help to bring a meal together and keep things interesting. Vinegar, pesto, mustard or Greek yoghurt mixed with a little harissa paste.
Jars – kept in the fridge or cupboard depending on the contents, these will last you a fair amount of time and reduce food waste. Sun dried tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, artichokes, sweetcorn, sauerkraut or kimchi (these fermented foods are a great addition to your menopause diet, offering numerous benefits for gut health and mood). Keep some nut butter on hand to add to porridge.
Protein – Menopausal women tend to need more protein, so this should be the foundation of every meal. You could cook a chicken at the weekend to use throughout the week. But you could also purchase some cooked chicken or other lean meat to base your meal around. Hummus, lentils, chickpeas and other beans, cooked salmon or mackerel, tofu, falafels, tinned tuna, boiled eggs, prawns – Are all other options you could consider and could even pick up on from the supermarket on your lunch break if you needed to. Sprinkle nuts or seeds onto salads to top up protein, add healthy fats and nutrients. You can now buy packets of salad toppers in the salad section and protein pots if you are in a hurry.
Pouches – Microwave pouches are a godsend. The grains are already cooked so you can simply open the bag and eat without heating. Leftovers can also be kept in the fridge for a few days. Wholegrain rice, lentils, quinoa, mixed grains are good option and can be added to a salad or bulk up a soup.
Fresh foods – Cooked beetroot, mixed salad leaves, vegetables (particularly cruciferous vegetables roasted ahead of time), avocado, spring onions, hummus, shop bought soups. Dairy products, like full fat Greek yoghurt.
Constructing your lunch
When putting together your meal think ½ plate vegetables, ¼ protein and ¼ carbohydrate and let this guide you to right sort of proportions.
Have a look through the list and see how you might construct a meal.
- Vegetable soup, add shredded cooked chicken, beans or feta to make it more satisfying.
- A large handful of salad leaves, sweetcorn, lentils, cooked vegetables and cooked salmon
- Falafels, salad, sliced roasted peppers, sliced avocado, Greek yogurt and harissa topping.
You should be able to see that with a little imagination you can quickly and easily pull a satisfying meal together.
The key to successful change is to make it easy and enjoyable. Add a few of these to your next shop and see how you get on.
If you would like to find out more about how I can support you to make improve your diet and lifestyle for perimenopause or menopause, I warmly invite you to get in touch for a chat.