We all know that good eating habits are key to overall health and wellness. In fact, there are even brain foods that can boost your work performance!
But as a busy professional, it can be hard to take time to cook at home and reap the benefits of healthy meals.
So many of us turn to take-out or snacking because we feel like we don’t have the time to prepare a healthy meal.
Luckily there are so many quick and simple recipes out there that make healthy eating simple—here are 25 of our favorites.
Healthy Eating Basics
Before sharing some of our favorite healthy recipes a quick caveat is needed. We know that there are different ideas about what a healthy diet is and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
And, health is more than just what you eat. At The Post, we are passionate about fostering connection, as community is essential for mental health, as well as cultivating a gratitude practice for better health and wellbeing.
That said, focusing on nutrition is a key pillar of a healthy lifestyle. But with all the specialized diets and programs out there, it can be hard to know what to do.
That’s why we’re focusing on the basics:
- Preparing food at home rather than getting takeout
- Focusing on balanced meals with carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, and fiber
- Getting in lots of fruits and vegetables
- Filling meals with enough protein to keep you satiated
- A well-balanced diet made of breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and desserts
- Delicious food that makes you happy!
Eating well doesn’t have to be boring or bland—just try out some of these healthy meal ideas and you’ll see.
25 Healthy Meal Ideas for Busy Professionals
All the below healthy meal ideas fulfill our above description of “healthy” and are quick and simple to make. There are no obscure and expensive ingredients or technical requirements to make these recipes, so everyone should be able to do it.
Breakfast
- Banana Pancakes (Plant-based): You’d never believe these pancakes are made without traditional flour. Using bananas and oat flour as the base, they pack a healthy punch first thing in the morning.
- Sheet Pan Breakfast Bake: This egg-based breakfast option is a good choice to serve more than one person in the morning. All you have to do is mix the ingredients up and bake them on a single sheet pan.
- Healthy Banana Muffins: If you love a sweet breakfast, try this healthier take on a classic. Pair it with some cheese or a bit of yogurt if you want something more substantial.
- Overnight Oats (Can be plant-based): Save time in the morning by prepping the night (or weekend) before! Overnight oats are versatile and can be made with any number of ingredients—this recipe shows you exactly how to adapt it.
- Healthy Breakfast Egg Muffins: This grab-and-go option is great to make ahead of time and keep in the freezer. Egg muffins are endlessly versatile, satiating, and delicious.
Lunch
- Protein-Packed Roasted Vegetable Salad (Plant-based): This flavorful salad comes together on a sheet pan and can be prepped in jars for lunches to take to work throughout the week.
- Weekday Meal-Prep Pesto Chicken & Veggies: If you prefer hot lunches throughout the workweek, try this meal-prep option. The pesto and tomatoes add a delicious flavor to your otherwise standard chicken and vegetable option.
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich (Plant-based): Forget about eggs and tuna—try this chickpea option instead. It’s super simple to prepare the chickpea salad in advance and then just prep your sandwich before heading to work.
- Ultimate Chicken Salad: This option is easy to make ahead of time and delicious to eat on its own or between bread as a sandwich. With crisp celery, grapes, and green onions, this chicken salad perfectly balances textures and flavors.
- Easy Buddha Bowls: The best part of this recipe is you can adapt it based on whatever veggies or toppings you have handy. A Buddha Bowl is a combination of grains, protein, vegetables, and a delicious sauce—like the peanut dressing in this recipe.
Dinner
- Easy Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas: This meal requires just one sheet pan and comes together in just 25 minutes. Perfect for people who love Mexican food!
- CrockPot Tuscan Garlic Chicken Thighs: Use your slow cooker to save time and create something delicious. Combined with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, this chicken dish is bursting with flavor.
- Protein-Packed Chili (Plant-based): You don’t need meat to make a filling chili. This option uses beans and quinoa to up the satiety factor plus a whole bunch of spices to boost the flavor.
- No-Boil Baked Penne with Meatballs: Skip a step with this no-boil pasta dish. You can’t go wrong with meatballs, penne, and delicious creamy tomato sauce.
- Very Best Lentil Soup (Plant-based): Hearty and delicious, this soup is great to either whip up one night or meal-prep a large batch to freeze and save for later.
Snacks
- Chia Seed Pudding (Can be plant-based): Another versatile option, chia seed pudding can be made with a variety of kinds of milk, toppings, and mix-ins. It’s a great option to prepare at the beginning of the week so you have some healthy snacks on hand.
- Best Ever Guacamole (Plant-based): Pair it with crackers or veggies, and you’ve got a healthy and delicious snack.
- Roasted Chickpeas (Plant-based): Make a big batch of this tasty and crunchy snack so you can enjoy it throughout the week.
- Best-ever Peanut Butter Protein Balls (Plant-based): You’ll never guess this sweet snack is packed with healthy ingredients like chia and flax seeds, natural peanut butter, and oats.
- Apple Chips (Plant-based): No, they’re not potato chips, but this good-for-you option is still tasty and satisfies your need for something crunchy.
Dessert
- Pineapple Coconut Popsicles (Plant-based): Skip the ice cream and make your own frozen treat with just three simple ingredients.
- Coconut Cookies (Plant-based): Chewy and soft, this gluten-free cookie recipe will help satisfy your sweet tooth without anything too decadent.
- Crustless Apple Pie (Plant-based): We all know the filling is the best part of any pie, so this recipe cuts out everything extra. Bonus—you get to perfect the hasselback technique with apples.
- Greek Yogurt Chocolate Mousse: Using yogurt instead of cream makes this dessert lighter and healthier, without losing the chocolate flavor.
- Fruit Pizza (Plant-based): This one might take a bit longer to prepare, but the payoff is worth it! Enjoy some fresh fruit and yogurt on top of a delicious “pizza” base.
Which recipe will you try first? Let us know!
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and it doesn’t have to take too long. We hope these 25 healthy meal ideas for busy professionals help you stay on track with your health and wellness goals.
And if you’re looking for a workspace that also prioritizes wellness, contact us and book a tour of The Post today.