How To Eat Healthy Without Cooking

Let me be real with y'all: I hate cooking. Every part of it. I hate grocery shopping, prepping, the actual cooking part, and cleaning up. I get so disappointed when I go through all the effort to try a new recipe, follow the directions perfectly, and what I get is meh.

But eating healthy is important to me because it helps me feel my best and fuels my athletic performance. In addition to working here at UVA Health, writing about healthcare, I'm a certified fitness instructor. For the purposes of this post, I define healthy eating as getting a good mix of lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. Here are my tips to eat healthy without cooking — or at least cooking very little.

Bowls: A Healthy No-Cook Meal

Try making a bowl. All you need is:

• A whole grain, like brown rice, farro, or quinoa
• Vegetables, like broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, edamame
• A protein, like beans, tofu, or chicken
• Any nuts or seeds or sauces

Here's one I like:

• Brown rice — I make a large batch ahead of time in my Instant Pot
• Broccoli — steamed in the microwave
• Tofu — prepackaged and seasoned
• Teriyaki sauce