Grab and Go: Try stocking your kitchen with healthy, whole foods. The less ingredients on the package, the better. Pick any combination of the following:

1. Fruit (fresh or frozen): berries, bananas, oranges, apples, grapes

2. Vegetables (fresh or frozen): pea pods, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, peppers

3. Healthy protein/fat sources: olives, nuts, natural nut butters, hummus, seeds, hard-boiled eggs, plain yogurt, avocados, string cheese, beans, canned tuna

Prepare in Bulk: If you do cook…then cook in big batches. The beauty of cooking is that it gives you much more control over what you eat to begin with. Eating leftovers increases your food quality for the same effort as convenience products the next day.

Avoid High Calorie Beverages: The problem with liquid calories is that they are consumed rapidly and – sadly – don’t provide much in the way of feeling full or satiated. So the person who downs a 400-calorie latte is going to get hungry again fast and will likely go on to eat just as much as if they hadn’t had the high calorie beverage. All the more reason to live by the motto: “Eat your calories and drink water.”

On the topic of beverages, there is a lot of hype about smoothies. While it is best to eat solid food, skipping meals is not a good thing because it diminishes the nutrition and energy your body needs. If a smoothie keeps that from happening, then it’s the right choice. But avoid pre-made smoothies that may be loaded with sugar, or diet smoothies packed with artificial sweeteners.

Instead, use unsweetened milk as a base (dairy, organic soy, almond or hemp), whole fruit (no juice), vegetables and a healthy protein or fat source (yogurt, flaxseeds, nuts or chia seeds). If you want to use a protein powder, choose unflavored powders, as the flavored versions often contain sweeteners (both caloric and non-caloric), artificial flavors and dyes. Shakes made with whole foods, protein and healthy fats will boost the nutritional quality and also make it more satisfying.