Feeling like eating healthy is the last of your priorities? I know how you feel. If you have kids, juggle work, social commitments, home commitments, and rest (although it may never seem like it), it may seem easier to just grab some take-out some days. But eating healthfully can be really easy – as long as you take a little time to prepare.

You can do this by making a little commitment to think of what you’ll buy at the grocery store and do some meal planning. Take an hour or less while the kids are sleeping to write up a few meals you’ll make during the week. On some days, be prepared for a quickie meal, because you never know when you’ll be stuck at work for longer than usual and have to have dinner on the table – fast. It can be as simple as beans, rice, and sauteed bell pepper. Jot all these items down and be prepared while you go grocery shopping so you don’t have to make an extra trip because you’ve forgotten something.

Anytime in the week, set aside an hour or however long you have to put your planning ahead into action. It can be as simple as just chopping. Chop or slice up the vegetables you’ll most likely use and store them in some tupperware or a plastic bag. In our house, green onions, cilantro, and onions are used with a lot of meals, from stir-fries to just being a garnish on soups. I chop these up and put them in some tupperware along with a paper towel. I find this also helps keep the vegetables fresher, longer, and saves time and energy in the long run. I like knowing that I don’t have to chop another set of vegetables and can throw these items into a dish easily. You can dice up some mango and put it in the freezer to throw in a smoothie, or slice up some carrots you’ll use in tomorrow’s stir fry. By doing this, you’ll also feel less likely to grab some food on the way home, because you already have food at home that you can throw together.