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Running out of time to cook?  

Between children, work, and a few outings, it is not easy to take the time to cook. Here are my 10 tips to manage your time as well as possible:  

1. It all starts with your shopping: Be organized!

It is important to have a standard list of ingredients . All you have to do is check off the missing foods for quick purchases.
For your list, make on one side the fresh products: fruits, vegetables, yogurts, dairy products, meats, eggs and fish, drinks, herbs and spices and on the other side, the so-called cupboard products: cereals, rice, pasta , quinoa, bulgur, ... Don't forget the seasonings: olive oil, of course, but also soy sauce, lemon juice, beef and poultry stock cubes ...  

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2. Eating a balanced diet starts in the morning: Breakfast is important and you should not skip this meal (like lunch, snack and dinner for that matter). 

Although in the morning, we always have a lot to do: dress the children, do our hair, do a beauty, prepare a snack for one and lunch for the other, etc. time and if necessary: set the alarm clock 10 minutes earlier. Around 10 - 11 o'clock you will have less of this 'pump stroke' or this desire to nibble on something sweet. So start your day off right with a real breakfast.  

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A balanced breakfast is: (no amount will be mentioned, depending on your age, height, weight, and goal)  

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• Start a good glass of lemon juice 

• 1 cereal product: wholemeal bread for example - 1 dairy product: 0% yogurt for example
  - Fat: butter for example
  - A fruit: an apple 

- 1 coffee or green tea 

TOTAL CALORIES: 300 and you can easily last until lunch.  

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3. Lunch is not always easy. Besides work, there is not always everything we want. In any case, eating on the go is not incompatible with paying attention to your figure. Use quick preparations.  

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To save time, use sachets of frozen vegetables or ingredients in bricks, cans or jars. Such as hearts of palm, artichokes, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, tuna, tofu, salmon, tomato sauce, asparagus, ...
These foods are washed, peeled, and sometimes even already cut. 

If you prefer to use fresh vegetables, first prepare your cooking medium: boiling water, heat your pan, or preheat your oven. Then you will have time to peel and cut your food.
While cooking your preparation, concoct your sauce or marinade to maximize your time.  

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4. Just make the right choices:

- For a sandwich: opt for a slightly sweet bread, a garnish rich in raw vegetables: cucumbers, salads ..., and preferably a white protein: chicken for example.  

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- For a salad : always ask for the sauce on the side. It is not because we eat a salad for lunch and dinner that we are going to lose weight, we have to be careful with the fat! A drizzle of olive oil, balsamic, lemon is the ideal sauce for our meal.  

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- If you don't have time for lunch, bring back your midday meal by bringing back for example the leftovers from the day before or prepare yourself a good house salad (with all the ingredients you like). You will save time, money but also calories:)  

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5. Dinner: don't start preparing a meal for everyone. (You'll be tempted to bite your son's cheese pasta or even your husband's fries).  

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Prepare a good dinner for all of you and make this meal a moment of conviviality. You can even include the children or the husband in the preparation of the meals. Prepare everything in your kitchen , before starting the preparation of the meal, provide you with all the ingredients and utensils you will need: knives, pans, pots, peeler,  

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6. Take yourself a day to cook 1 or 2 hours: For example, on Sunday while the kids are playing or taking a nap, try to lock yourself in the kitchen and maximize that time :)

Prepare your dinners for the week and place them in airtight dishes.  

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7. Get organized. Take 20 minutes during the week (Sunday for example) to establish your menus for the week (with the family if you wish). And stick to the planned schedule.  

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For example:  

• Monday: Salmon and green beans served with basmati rice 

• Tuesday: Ground steak, raw vegetables, asparagus and wholemeal pasta 

• Wednesday: Eggs, ratatouille and semolina 

• Thursday: White fish, grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes 

• Friday: Grilled chicken cutlet,  baked cauliflower and baked sweet potatoes 

• Saturday: Zucchini tagliatelle with aubergine and tuna sauce 

• Sunday: Homemade pizza without dough (eggplant replaces the dough)  

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8. Always have fruits and vegetables (even homemade soups in the freezer) at home so you can have them at any time. 

Little tip: when you come home from shopping, cut your vegetables in advance. Place them in airtight dishes that allow fruits and vegetables to stay fresh even longer. 

Very good investment to save time during the week. 

One evening you come home late, all you have to do is cook the vegetables or serve them in salads.  

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9. Opt for quick cooking: 

The fastest cooking is raw - without cooking: sandwiches, plates or mixed salads. You can eat raw vegetables (finely chopped), but also many other foods such as raw fish (salmon or tuna tartare - season them with lemon juice, chives or soy sauce).  

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In the pan : regarding starchy foods, you will find in the store:  cooking bags  express for semolina, rice,… you just have to immerse them for a few minutes in boiling salted water. Eggs are also very easy to cook. For a 5-minute omelet, for 4-minute fried eggs, 3-minute boiled and 6-minute casserole.  

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Oven or microwave (which is not only used for reheating or defrosting preparations): cook your fruit for example. An apple can be baked or even in the microwave - prick it with a fork and cook for 5 minutes

In a non-stick frying pan , you no longer need fat. Cook your meats (lamb chops, minced steak), fish (sole, salmon, cod), and your vegetables (the finer you cut them the faster they will cook).  

10. Cook more: Don't hesitate to make larger quantities when cooking.  The next day at noon, you will no longer need to think or go out for lunch on the go, but you will already have your meal ready. But also if your leftovers freeze, freeze them well because they will be precious to you when you don't have time on a weekday evening to cook.  

Some quick meal ideas : baked fish foil with spices, casserole eggs on a bed of spinach, a variety of good salads, homemade soups (always have some ready in the freezer), a grilled cutlet or minced steak with raw vegetables, Provençal tomatoes, ... It is therefore very easy to cook well and quickly.

And losing weight with the rush of everyday life is possible! :-)