Eating has never been easier. A few taps on an app & food is delivered straight to your door, already prepared. The problem is 9 times out of 10 it’s not healthy. Finding healthy options that are delivered straight to your door is not so easy and it’s a heck of a lot more expensive!
At the same time, cooking healthy food at home requires an awful lot of executive function, something those of us with ADHD struggle with. As a result deciding what to eat, grocery shopping and cooking can feel like a never ending chore. No wonder you reach for the takeout menu or ready meal.
The good news is, cooking healthy food is possible even if you have ADHD. The key is to make things as simple & as straightforward as possible.
Meal times were always difficult for me which resulted in me relying on ready meals. Unfortunately when I ended up with B6 and iron deficiency as a result of not eating properly I knew things had to change. But it wasn’t easy trying to figure it out. Especially as all the advice I came across on meal planning was aimed at non ADHD people. Nothing ever worked for me, until I started to study habit and behaviour change methods. By combining these methods with my knowledge of ADHD I finally came up with a routine that worked for me & one I have stayed consistent with.
Below I’m sharing with you the tips & tricks I use as a health coach with ADHD to eat healthy meals without the overwhelm.
I use cooking hacks
To simplify recipes and keep them low effort I keep chopped onions, garlic and ginger in the freezer. Use dried herbs instead of fresh. I keep a supply of veggies I use regularly in the freezer. Chopped broccoli, cauliflower and sliced peppers are always on hand so I’m cutting down on the amount of prep. I use microwave rice instead of making it on the stove. I cut the cooking time of a biryani by 8 minutes just doing this last night & it tasted exactly the same. Less washing up too.
I clean up as I go
A big pile of washing up staring me in the face means it’s not going to get done. So, once I’ve used something it goes straight in the dishwasher. That way all I have to do is press a button and the washing up disappears.
Keep it simple
I choose recipes that are 10-20 minutes long. 30 minutes is my maximum. I keep them easy to do. Too many steps and it’s harder to motivate myself to do it. The recipes I choose are 3-5 ingredients & don’t require ingredients you can’t find at your local store. I avoid recipes that have lots of extra steps. No marinating anything overnight allowed!
I cook 2 meals at once so I can use leftovers for the next day
You can do this if you’re cooking just for you, yourself & your partner or a family. Just double up your ingredients. You can use the leftovers the next day for lunch or dinner. Alternatively, you can freeze them and reheat them on a night when you just don’t feel like cooking, life has gotten in the way or you’re feeling too overwhelmed. We all have those days, but if you have a healthy meal to hand you are less likely to reach for your phone & order that takeout.
I chose recipes that are based on vegetables with a high quality source of protein & fibre
Protein helps keep you full so you aren’t reaching for snacks which pile on the pounds and can spike your blood sugar. They also help balance out your blood sugar so you aren’t experiencing energy dips, mood swings, irritability (well not because of sugar anyway your boss I can’t do anything about) and no feeling hungry between meals.
I use a meal delivery kit & buy fresh ingredients when I need them
I use Simply Cook to choose my recipes each week. That way I’m not searching online all the time for ideas and getting stuck in analysis paralysis. It takes less that 5 minutes to pick out my meals each week. The recipes are all delivered to me along with all the spices & sauces I need already measured out. The recipe cards have a shopping list for the fresh ingredients with a tear off strip I can take to the store so I don’t have to worry about writing up a shopping list. They are also stored on the app in my phone in case I forget. The Simply Cook recipes provide suggestions for swaps in case you don’t like or don’t feel like a particular ingredient. It really is gold for those of us with ADHD.
Setting up new routines
The way to successfully eat healthy meals regularly when you have ADHD & ditching your takeout habit is to set up the right routines & habits for YOU. What works for me may not work for you and that’s ok. No one size fits all. The way to be successful with meal planning & cooking without overwhelm is to eliminate as much hassle as you can. Keep it simple and low effort. That way there is less resistance coming from your brain.
It may not be easy at first, it’s why I have a 1:1 coaching programme based on using habit change with my clients, but with the right systems & support your new routine will be like second nature to you. But you need to acknowledge your ADHD & learn to work with it first.
If you are someone who struggles with eating regular, healthy meals because the idea of cooking & meal prep is too overwhelming then make sure you take a look at my 1:1 Meal Planning Consult for ADHD Women where I work with you to create your own meal plans and routines that will work for your own life & make eating healthy a breeze.
Sarah Parker, Health & Life Coach
I specialise working with women with ADHD - both diagnosed and those who identify with the symptoms of ADHD. I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, just weeks before my 30th birthday. I’m also a proud crazy cat lady and have fostered over 300 cats & kittens!
