I often hear people say they are too busy for a living foods or raw food diet. There is a common belief that raw foods take more time to prepare. I believe there is some truth to that notion but it is also true that eating a living food diet can be easier than a cooked food diet. I find I spend less time in the kitchen for raw food meals. Here is why:
– ANY way of eating includes elaborate dishes that take many ingredients and complicated steps to create. Raw food is no different. There are gourmet type meals that fit this description. But these are not the mainstay of eating raw.
– Some dishes do require advance planning, especially if you will be sprouting or dehydrating. However, many times the actually time spent rinsing your sprouts, or making your item to dehydrate is quick.
– Spending a bit of time now will save you time tomorrow. That dehydrated bread, or jar of sprouts, or nut pate can be used in several ways for VERY fast dishes for two or three days. I always try to have something on hand for quick prep meals.
– Clean up is usually much quicker. No greasy, stuck on messes.
Here is a sample menu plan:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | |
| Breakfast | Smoothie | Fruit Salad | Smoothie |
| Lunch | Large Kale Salad and watermelon | Pate on avocado boat and Caesar salad | Guacamole and nut pate on romaine lettuce with carrots and celery sticks |
| Dinner | Nori Roll with Nut Pate | Marinated veggies & sage burger | Kale Salad |
| Snacks | Cherries and walnuts | Ants on a log | Apples with tahini |
| Start dehydrating sage burgers and crumbles for sandwiches, salads and pizza next week. | Start dehydrating bread for burgers and sandwiches. | Start sprouts for salads and wraps |
| Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Breakfast | Chia Porridge | Smoothie | Fruit Salad | |
| Lunch | Large kale salad and sliced peaches | Eggless egg salad on dehydrated bread | Marinated Broccoli and eggless egg salad sandwich | Kale Salad and cherries |
| Dinner | Carrot Beet Salad with Mock Chicken Strips | Collard Green Wrap and watermelon | Garden salad with sage crumbles and un roasted veggies | Broccoli Slaw and watermelon |
| Snacks | Cherries | honeydew melon | honey dew melon | raw brownies |
| Start to Dehydrate Mock Chicken Strips after breakfast. | Make eggless egg salad | Dehydrate Pizza crust for next week
|
Make brownies |
If you have extra time on one day you can take time to make something more elaborate like lasagna.
The key is to have a repertoire of recipes you can make easily and are comfortable with. It is important to explore and expand your list of go to recipes so that you are able to be creative and make appetizing meals based on what you see when you open your refrigerator.
Also keep in mind that by spending a few extra minutes each day to prepare something that can be used in future meals will save you time in the long run. This could be a dehydrated item, a sauce or a dressing, a pate or nut cheese, or a dessert.
Do you have tips and tricks to make your prep time quicker? Do you have go-to recipes that you use regularly? Tell us about it in the comment section.
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Health sage burgers- how to make them and a salad to go with it…..thanks
The go to option for a quickie nutritious dinner … A green smoothie using lots of Kale..
Sounds good Reggie. The living foods fast food.
Are there options for working folks who might want to purchase weekly meals already prepared? In Atlanta?
Anita, we are fortunate here in Atlanta to have many vegan and raw food restaurants and chefs. That said it is far better to prepare your own food as much as possible. Raw foods especially need to be prepared fresh or used within a few days for some items. The beauty of raw food is that you can have a fresh healthy meal in 30 minutes or less. Take time on weekends to make up a fresh salad dressing, and dehydrate something and you are all set to throw together a great meal after a busy day at work.