Let’s be real – as much as some of us would love to cook fresh, nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner this is far from realistic or achievable with the hundreds of balls we have in the air as moms.

Often, we need to draw on convenient options such as take aways to get us through busy times and I am no exception!

Rest assured, buying dinner or lunch doesn’t need to mean foregoing a nutrient dense and delicious meal. As a working mother myself, I order in take aways to enjoy with the family when a lack of time calls for it. Apps on our phone have made it so easy to ensure a freshly cooked, delicious meal is at the door in no time so why not take advantage?

On my last order I thought I must remember to share some of our family favorites for all those busy mums and dads who sometimes need a night off from cooking. Think of it as a quick cheat guide to what to choose when outsourcing a meal to ensure you are still nourishing your families with a healthy option.

Japanese

• Edamame and miso soup to help as nutritious tummy fillers, sides or starters
• Opt for brown rice sushi with a cooked protein
• Terayaki Salmon or Chicken with brown rice – you can always scrape off some sauce if it is too sweet
• Agedashi tofu
• Rice paper rolls filled with protein and veggies/noodles

Italian

• Grilled fish, with rice or potatoes and steamed vegetables
• Thin based pizza with veggie toppings
• Wholemeal spelt pastas with tomato based sauces and parmesan

Fish shop

• Grilled fish – avoiding high mercury varieties such as Basa and deep fried options which are often found on kiddie menus
• Salad and steamed vegetables
• Sweet potato chips
• Wedges over hot chips – dilute ketchup if your kids love it with regular passata to lower the sugar hit

Chicken shop

• Roast chicken with salads or roast veggies
• Try a drumstick from a roast chicken as opposed to nuggets or chicken schnitzel 

Meat or grill

• Grilled burger – remove the top of the bun or get it naked if your kids will allow!
• Grilled chicken breast or kebab
• Serve with salad, roast or steamed veggies, baked potato or sweet potato chips

Enjoy the no mess and no fuss guilt free momma! Bon appetite x