Nutritious Meals to Easily Incorporate

There are many stressors and responsibilities to balance during your time in a sober living home. This point of your recovery is likely dedicated to developing skills to manage adulthood on your own without falling back into the use of substances. While there are many factors to focus on during this time, one important area of concern is your health and nutrition. With the stress of early recovery, you may not feel inclined to dedicate a great amount of time to cooking and preparing nutritious meals.

Many of the meals that are quick and easy to prepare do not contain a high nutritional value. Review some of the following recipes to determine if they are a good addition to add to your routine. For this article, care has been made to select recipes that are easy to prepare and relatively inexpensive. They contain a high nutritional value to help you develop healthy cooking and meal preparation habits.

Avocado Toast

The simple recipe of avocado toast is a great breakfast option that can be made quickly and is filling. To start, put a slice of bread in the toaster or oven with a slice of your favorite cheese. While your bread is toasting, cook two eggs to your liking. For an extra spice to your morning, try adding pepperoncini or other veggies to your eggs.

Take your toast out and add an avocado to the bread. You may choose to slice it up or mix it into a spread. After the avocado is on, add a dusting of pepper on top, then add your cooked eggs to finish it off.

This recipe is super simple and can be adjusted in many ways to make it your own. You may wish to add butter, olive oil, or anything else you can think of to your toast creation. This meal pairs well with a side of fruit as well to create a well-rounded meal. Most of these steps can be accomplished within the time it takes to toast some bread and cook a couple of eggs.

Veggie Omelet in a Mug

This recipe is for the mornings when you need an extra pick-me-up but are also crunched on time. The prep time for this meal is ten minutes and the cooking time is only three minutes. If you are aware you will have a busy morning beforehand, this meal can be prepped the night before, leaving you with a quick and easy breakfast option in the morning.

The first step is to lightly grease the inside of a microwave-safe mug that is about 12 ounces. Combine two eggs, two tablespoons of milk of your choice, and a dash of salt and pepper. Stir the ingredients until well mixed. Then, add any veggies of your choice, up to ¼ of a cup. Add a sprinkle of cheese and mix again. Your preparation is now done. The part that likely takes the longest to complete in the preparation stage is chopping up your vegetables.

After your omelet mug is prepared, microwave on high for 45 seconds. Take it out and stir, then microwave again until your mixture is set. It should have a puffed appearance and take approximately 60 to 90 seconds. Your omelet in a mug is now done. To make this meal complete, you can add a side of toast or fruit for a quick and simple addition.

Sandwich

A sandwich is one of the easiest meals to prepare that can still be filled with nutritional value and be delicious and filling. To make a sandwich, all you need is the bread of your choice, condiments, sandwich meat, veggies, and cheese. The options available for sandwiches to make are endless, leaving you with a variety of choices to satisfy your lunchtime cravings. Try one of the following sandwich options:

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
  • This is one of the most simple and easy sandwiches to make. It may bring you back to your childhood, but it still may be a good option.
• Meat and Cheese Sandwich
  • Take your favorite sandwich meats and combine them onto a slice of bread covered in your favorite condiments. You can add cheese and veggies to create a well-balanced meal.
• Veggie Sandwich
  • If you do not like to consume meat, you also have the option of making a veggie sandwich. You may use any condiments of your choice, but hummus is a great option. Between the bread and lettuce, stack the veggies of your choice. You may add cheese if desired for some extra flavor.

There are many other sandwiches besides the three listed above, as the options are endless. Experiment with different kinds of sandwiches and find one that is enjoyable to you. Each sandwich option is relatively simple to make, allowing you an opportunity for various meal plans with different kinds to enjoy. To spice things up, take some of your favorite sandwich toppings and add them to a salad.

Burrito

A burrito is always a great filling item to enjoy for lunch or dinner. While it may initially feel like a lot of work, burritos are relatively simple to make. Start by cooking some rice and warming a can of beans. You can chop up any vegetables you wish to add. If you want to add more substance to your burrito, add a meat of your choice. Once each ingredient is cooked, warm up a tortilla and add the components of your burrito.

This is another meal that you can change up to your liking and try various ingredients to create a meal that satisfies your hunger. You can even turn this into a breakfast option by adding eggs, breakfast meat, veggies, cheese, and potatoes to your burrito. The possibilities with this meal are endless as well.

Pasta or Power Bowls

Another great dinner option is pasta. Spaghetti and meatballs is an easy meal that can provide nutritional value. Chicken and broccoli alfredo is another great pasta option. To make pasta, all you have to do is boil some water and cook the pasta. The sauce can be store-bought and warmed over the stovetop for easy use. Chicken, meatballs, broccoli, or any other ingredient you wish to add can be cooked separately and mixed in with the pasta and sauce at the end to make a great meal.

Power bowls are also simple meals that contain a high nutritional value. To make a power bowl, cook rice and your choice of meat and vegetables. Add them all together with a teriyaki sauce, or any other type of sauce that you prefer. The combination goes well together and only requires you to focus on a few key ingredients to implement a full meal.

Preparation Tips for Healthy Meals

No matter what your current cooking skill level is, there are a few simple tricks you can use to help make the overall implementation of meal preparation more manageable. Developing these skills helps to increase your level of independence during recovery. Using these tips can set you up for this process to run smoothly.

Plan With Others

One of the most challenging aspects of healthy eating is the expense. Sadly, grocery expenses seem to continually be on the rise and are not always the most affordable. To help alleviate some of the costs, find some other members within your sober living home that enjoy similar meals as you.

You can work together to prepare meals and split the cost of groceries. Oftentimes, it is cheaper to buy items in bulk. Buying food in greater quantities often means food will go to waste if cooking for one. If you have a group of a few others who wish to work on establishing healthy meal habits, put together a grocery list and split some of the items up.

For example, you can get a large amount of chicken, turkey, or other meats and split it up, allowing each of you to get your portions for a cheaper price. You may choose to cook together as well to make the meal preparation more entertaining. This also can help divide the responsibilities of cooking so you are not in charge of every meal by yourself.

Avoid Eating Out

Another great tip for effectively managing your finances is to avoid eating out. This is often an easy and delicious option; however, the cost of eating out can add up quickly. While making your own meals at home takes more effort, it can be financially beneficial over time. You can also know exactly how the food is being made and ensure you are fueling your body’s nutritional needs in recovery.

Eating out can be a fun social activity as well. There is nothing wrong with going out to eat every once in a while, but don’t let this become a regular habit. Avoiding this can also benefit your recovery journey.

Going out to eat can open up the potential desire to order alcohol with your food, especially during social outings. If you struggle to avoid temptations in social situations, eating at home can help eliminate the potential of meals being a negative impact on your recovery.

Clean as You Go

One of the other common complaints about cooking is the clean-up required afterward. There are often various dishes and clean-up that need to be completed when cooking. After you are finished cooking a meal, all you want to do is sit down and enjoy it. Many people dread the thought of cleaning up their mess after eating. While this will always be somewhat of an inconvenience when cooking, there are ways to make this process less strenuous.

The best way to eliminate the stress of cleaning up after eating is to clean as you go. If the meal you are cooking requires some cooking time, use the spare minutes between steps to wash a few dishes, wipe off the counter, and put ingredients away that you are no longer using.

Try to immediately put up each ingredient after use. Leaving everything out in the open can leave your kitchen in a state of overwhelming mess. Taking care of small cleaning tasks as you go makes the cleaning job at the end much more manageable.

There are many responsibilities that you have to take care of through your sober living journey. Not only are you focusing on recovery, but you are also focusing on implementing other healthy habits to create a successful life balance for yourself. Cooking and eating nutritious meals is one of those responsibilities that can bring about a high level of stress for some. If you struggle to determine what to make on a budget and with time restraints, these meals may be a great resource. Try to make different recipes and use the tips and techniques outlined above to set yourself up for success in your meal preparation. To learn more, reach out to Real Recovery Sober Living at (727) 290-9156.