food Archives - Appointment - Online Appointment Scheduling Software

Change Up Your Food Routine With These Fun Techniques

By Abby Miller | Time Management | No Comments

Need a little more spice in your life? Are you tired of the same-old food routine? That’s a common feeling people experience. But, especially after the pandemic, people realize they want more out of their lives. Your life doesn’t have to be as exciting as a dramatic soap opera. But, doing things differently or trying new things can help bring back some excitement if you’re feeling bored.

Most people tend to like at least some bit of change — a change in scenery, workplace, and, most commonly, food. Trying new food can be an adventure in itself, but it’s not constantly changing what you eat that can make a difference. Sometimes all you need to do is change the way you do things. And, yes, that can involve cooking.

One of the best ways to change up your style of preparing food is by limiting how long it takes. So for those who don’t feel like a chef in the kitchen and grumble through cooking, this one’s for you. Of course, some people want to enjoy meal-making, but the length it takes is just too overwhelming. But here’s a little secret — it doesn’t have to be that way.

Even if you’re set on the way you do things, it never hurts to switch up your routines from time to time. And especially when that change helps save you time. Here are some tips to change your food routine to free up more time.

1. Try Meal Prepping

Have you ever heard of this new craze that’s taken the internet by storm? Meal prepping involves making food in advance, whether all of it or portions, in order to save you time. How much you do beforehand is up to you. Whether you want to have ready-chopped vegetables or fully-prepared lunches, this technique can take a weight off your shoulders.

You can do this for every meal of the day, too. There are no limits to meal prepping. Wondering how to make breakfast in advance? Decide how much prep work you want to do the night before. For example, some people prefer the taste of freshly cooked eggs to reheated eggs. Let’s say you want to have an omelet for breakfast tomorrow. Tonight, pre-cook any bacon or sausage, if you choose to add those. Any vegetables, like peppers or avocados, can be chopped and sliced the night before. And if you really want to go all out, just make the whole thing.

If you’re interested in the boxed-lunch idea, all you need to do is set aside some time. Use that moment to make a large portion of whatever meal you’re in the mood for. Divide up the food into lunch-size amounts and put them away in plastic storage containers. And, if you’re really looking to stretch your food routine budget, you can freeze these lunches. This technique is great for bringing healthy lunches to work, school, or simply for days when you’re on the go.

2. Invest in a Slow Cooker

One of the easiest ways to cut down on cooking time is by using a slow cooker. These helpful appliances are designed to save you time and do all the cooking for you. Not to mention, they’re relatively cheap and widely available.

Slow cookers can be used for more than just dinner, too. Try using one to make breakfast. The food will cook overnight while you catch some well-earned z’s. Or, utilize this wonderful device for your meal prepping needs. Large slow cookers are very useful for making large portions of food. For example, you could cook a pound or two of chicken. When it’s done, cut it up or shred the meat how you like it. Then you’ll have chicken you can use for multiple meals — chicken salad, pulled barbecue chicken, and pieces to throw in pasta dishes.

With such a versatile device, you can use a slow cooker any time and for any kind of meal. There are tons of recipes out there — from soup to veggies. You’ll not only have some delicious home-cooked meals but also more free time. It’s a win-win.

3. Get Some Time-Saving Gadgets

Another internet sensation? Kitchen and household gadgets that are designed to make your life easier. Many of these have been gaining popularity through short-video apps, like TikTok and Facebook Watch. Clearly, these gizmos have taken off. So why not try some?

There’s just about every kind of device out there. If you’re stumped by how to cut up avocados, there’s a tool for that. Want hard-boiled eggs without the disaster of trying to peel them? You can bet there’s something for that. How about cutting vegetables in fancy slices? You guessed it — there’s a device out there. Salad spinners, fruit corers, sushi rollers, yolk separators — these are all real things.

Lots of manufacturers and inventors have realized that certain aspects of cooking can be so time-consuming. That’s why people are always coming up with new tools to help reduce the time spent on preparing food. There’s probably a gadget out there for just about everything. Start doing some internet searches and see if there’s something perfect for your kitchen woes.

4. Make Cooking an Activity

One way to change up the way you view mealtime and cooking? Make it fun. There’s something fulfilling about sharing a meal you’ve made with someone. And if you’re not the biggest fan of cooking, this might be a way to boost your enthusiasm.

If you have kids, this is a great way to get them involved in the meal-making process. It keeps them engaged and maybe even gain a lasting interest in making food. It’s nice having a little chef on your hands. Even if your kids aren’t too keen on cooking to begin with, making dinner together is a good bonding experience. Not to mention, it’s device-free.

Children need hands-on activities to keep their minds sharp. Cooking can involve fine motor skills and the development of hand-eye coordination. Whatever task you have them do depends on age and your child’s personal abilities. Of course, having a toddler chop up a watermelon is not advised. Stirring up batter, sorting ingredients, or rolling up dough are just a few easy tasks for young kids.

And if you don’t have kids, what’s a better date idea than cooking together? It’s usually cheaper than a restaurant (but hey, go as gourmet as you want), and you can stay home. You won’t need to dress up to enjoy a fancy pasta dinner — just make it at home. Likewise, this kind of activity is a great bonding exercise for couples. It can help you learn how to work together and share the fruits of your labor as a team.

Remember to Make It Fun

The whole point of mixing up your food routine is to have some more fun experiences. Don’t make yourself do anything you know you won’t enjoy. Sometimes you can surprise yourself, but don’t go into anything that’ll feel like torture.

Try out a little at a time. You don’t need to completely change up everything you do. You just need variety, which doesn’t involve uprooting every practice you’re used to doing. It’s all about gaining new experiences. So go out there and have some fun in the kitchen.

Change Up Your Food Routine With These Fun Techniques was originally published on Calendar.com on Sept. 28, 2022, by Abby Miller. Featured Image: Marcus Aurelius; Pexels.com. Thank you!

5 Power Foods to Offer Customers at Appointments

By Jon Bradshaw | Business Tips | No Comments

Many people don’t think about eating or hydrating before their appointments. Sitting in the waiting room on an empty stomach can quickly put visitors in a bad mood. One of the ways you can ensure your customers are happy and taken care of is by offering free refreshments.

While it’s not your responsibility what others put into their bodies, consider offering some healthy alternatives to the typical refreshments. Healthy eating can lead to a boost in mood and energy. Visitors will enter and leave their appointments feeling so much better thanks to a combination of good service and quality refreshments.

This list contains five power foods that your business can consider offering to your customers:

1. Trail Mix

Trail mix is a prepackaged snack that frequently gets overlooked in favor of more sugary treats. The typical pouch of trail mix is full of protein and fiber. This is thanks to the nuts and seeds that are staples for the recipe.

Another great aspect of trail mix is that it comes in so many varieties. You can get bags that contain M&M’s, yogurt bites, or dried fruits. These add-ins don’t compromise the healthiness of the snack. Rather, they add a little bit of extra flavor and excitement to every package. Different flavors will also appeal to the variety of customers who visit.

2. Granola

Another great snack food is granola. This treat consists of rolled oats, often with nuts and honey. A good batch of granola is packed with protein and vitamins, such as iron and zinc. Just be sure not to purchase a variety that contains a bunch of added sugars. While this might be more flavorful, it changes it from a power food to a sweet treat.

A more common snack is the granola bar. The concept is similar, but the granola is packed tightly into a travel sized snack. These bars often have chocolate chips, peanut butter, or even marshmallows added in. While not as nutritious and power boosting as old-fashioned granola, this is still a solid choice. It sure beats a bowl of candy sitting on your front desk.

3. Yogurt

Yogurt isn’t typically top-of-mind when it comes to snacks, but think about the portable options at a hotel breakfast bar. It is quick, easy, and prepackaged. With the variety of flavors, it’s also often a kid-friendly option. Parents waiting with their kids at an appointment can appreciate this choice.

Yogurt is a great source of calcium, which is important for teeth and bone health. It’s also delicious and easy to eat, which is perfect for kids! Parents can ensure that messes aren’t made, and you’ll have some happy families entering and leaving your establishment. If you choose this choice, make sure to also have spoons available.

4. Fresh Fruit

Few snacks rival the power of fresh fruit. Fruit is part of a balanced diet, yet many Americans are failing to include it in their meals. Providing fresh fruit for your customers can help patch those holes in their food pyramid.

Fruits, unlike many snacks, are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. More importantly, they lack a lot of the additives found in packaged foods, such as artificial coloring and added sugars. Fruit isn’t lacking in taste either. Bananas, apples, and oranges are full of unique flavors and can be eaten at any age without utensils.

The only thing you need to worry about with fruit is ensuring its quality. Fruit needs to be monitored much more frequently than other foods. They expire much more quickly and may need to be washed before consumption. You should make sure any fruit that has gone bad is disposed of quickly to avoid gnats or fruit flies.

5. Juice

When it comes to beverages, water is the easiest and most preferred option. Most people just don’t stay as hydrated as they should. After that, coffee and soda are often the most common drinks available in a waiting room. While these are popular beverages, there are some better options to consider.

Just like fresh fruit is more optimal than sugary snacks, fruit juice can be more rejuvenating than even a cup of coffee. While customers can get a quick surge of energy from coffee, their energy can take a sharp dive after the caffeine wears off.

Juice can provide all the energy needed for a busy day without the threat of a crash later on. Not only that, but the nutritional value is far superior to that of a can of soda. Any sugar found in natural juice is just that — natural.

A good snack can really make a difference in the days of your customers. Supplying your body with better nutrients from the snacks you consume, has mood-boosting power. If you provide the same healthy foods to your work team, you can witness a change in their attitude as well. Healthy eating should never be underestimated.

Image Credit: Helena Lopes; Pexels; Thanks!

How to Plan Your Perfect Eating Schedule

By Jon Bradshaw | Knowledge Base, Scheduling | No Comments

As wonderful as eating is, it takes a lot of time. Planning your meals can give you more time to enjoy your food, as well as more time to get things done.

Meal-planning is not just about figuring what to eat. Eating at the right time can boost your energy, keep you feeling full throughout the workday, and cut down on your snack intake.

We’re wired to think about eating in terms of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The trouble is, the same eating schedule doesn’t work for everyone. What if you work the night shift? What if you need to spend your lunch break running errands?

The solution is to find eating times that work for you. Here’s how to do it:

1. Keep tabs on your productivity.

Everyone has their own daily rhythm. Some people are most productive in the morning, while others crank out their best work in the afternoon or at night.

To figure out when you should eat, think through your peaks and troughs. If you usually take lunch at noon but always feel groggy afterward, try a different time. Eating earlier in the day could keep you from crashing as hard.

2. Monitor your hunger.

Hunger is your body telling you to feed it. Even if you’re in your groove at work, don’t ignore it.

Try not to think of hunger as a binary. Are you hungry enough for a full meal, or would a granola bar be enough? There’s nothing wrong with putting a 3 p.m. snack on your schedule, as long as it’s truly a snack.

Realize, too, that our body isn’t great at distinguishing hunger from thirst. Practice mindful eating: Sometimes, a drink of water is what we really need. At other times, our body might be responding to a nutrient deficiency rather than a lack of raw calories.

3. Snack responsibly.

Snacks can be part of a healthy diet, but they should not be arbitrary. Plan out your snack times so you don’t overeat, and so that you can focus on your work.

Try to combine snacks with other break-time activities. Maybe you bring a bag of trail mix along with you on a walk. That way, your sole focus isn’t shoveling food into your mouth.

If you struggle with snacking, get an accountability partner. At home, encourage your spouse to say something if you grab the bag of chips right after dinner.

In the office, social norms can keep people from speaking up. A good alternative is to ask your office manager to choose healthier snacks, which are both less tempting and less harmful if you do decide to binge.

4. Consider when you exercise.

Planning meals around your workout schedule can be tough. If you prefer to exercise first thing, then you need to think through your morning routine: How are you going to wake up, work out, shower, eat breakfast, and still get out the door in time for work?

If you want to exercise after work, be sure you get a bite to eat 2-3 hours in advance. Depending on when you get off work, this might mean taking a later lunch than people typically do. And because making dinner takes time, it might also mean eating supper later in the evening.

As important as exercise is, don’t let it dictate your meal schedule. Find a balance: Perhaps you work out earlier than you otherwise would so that you have time for a filling breakfast before heading to the office.

5. Factor in your sleep schedule.

Most people have trouble falling asleep on a full stomach. Especially if you exercise after work, avoid eating dinner so late that it gets in the way of your sleep. Popping into the kitchen for a midnight meal is almost never a good idea.

One exception? If you’re so hungry that you can’t sleep because of it, feel free to grab a late-night snack. Just be sure to practice portion control: Especially when you’re tired, it’s easy to overeat.

6. Keep it consistent.

Eating at regular times in the day keeps your metabolism stable. That, in turn, prevents swings in your mood and energy levels.

Be proactive: If you worry that you’ll be so busy tomorrow that you won’t have time for lunch, then it might be best to work a little more before you leave the office today. If you need to wake up early one day, postpone breakfast until your normal time.

What about special occasions? Events like office parties and birthdays may require you to eat at odd times. That’s OK, as long as you get back to your routine afterward.

Don’t let eating be a haphazard activity. Prepare healthy meals, choose the right time to eat them, and listen to your body afterward. For finding your ideal eating schedule, self-awareness is key.