5 Foolproof Ways To Stick To Your Healthy Eating Habits Past January

There’s no denying that setting goals for the new year is a tricky business, with changes to our daily habits undoubtedly being the hardest to stick to. Seriously, getting a promotion is more likely than us sticking to our harsh January gym routine past 1st Feb. But according to research by HelloFresh, the UK's leading recipe box delivery service, top of our New Year Resolution list for 2020 - ahead of exercise and even giving up drinking - is balanced eating. It’s definitely my top priority right now, that’s for sure.

Each year, I emerge from the post-Christmas funk (where I lived in pyjamas and didn’t know what day of the week it was) with a new found enthusiasm to get fit, eat better and generally sort my life out. But I’m a real foodie, and denying myself all the deliciousness of excessive carbs is tough - and made even tougher when real life resumes and inevitably gets in the way. 

You don't need to be a good cook - simple recipe cards make it so easy

After a busy day back at work and a gruelling gym class that was definitely not the best idea, hunting down ingredients for a new internet recipe is the last thing you feel like doing. Convenience; that’s where most people fall off the wagon. For me, however, my biggest challenge is busting myself out of a culinary rut and inspiring myself back into better eating. It’s all too easy to use the same rotation of recipes all the time, but that pasta dish? Again? Not great. 

So if, like me, you’re looking to set yourself some food goals in 2020 – and actually achieve them – you may be wondering where to start. Basically all you need is a an abundance of healthy ingredients, a load of inspiration, complete and utter convenience and no need to think about what to eat ever again. Sounds impossible, but thank goodness, then, for HelloFresh who can do all of that hard work for you. With fresh ingredients and new recipes delivered to your doorstep (and a whopping 35% off your first 4 boxes with the code HELLOGT35), HelloFresh’s convenient recipe boxes are probably your best bet to sticking to your intentions. Oh, and following these 5 simple suggestions from Hello Fresh themselves…

1. Plan your meals

Instagram users regularly wax lyrical about the endless pros of meal prep, and for once they’re speaking sense. I am an avid meal planner as it is, only buying the ingredients I need for set meals later in the week - it’s a big money saver, plus i’m a total ditherer in supermarkets. But, as a result, I end up getting lazy and sticking to the same meals over and over. HelloFresh has a range of 21 recipes on offer each week to choose from, so I’m able to plan meals and try some brand new nutrient-packed dishes to inspire my new year routine without having to find time to do a big shop. The dream. 

When it comes to sticking to goals, be realistic about what you really want to achieve. If you have a sweet tooth of Wonka proportions, you’ll never survive going cold turkey. Instead, try reducing your refined sugar and replacing with fresh fruit, date bars and low-sugar alternatives to wean yourself off. One of my big focuses for 2020 is to eat simpler and try new healthy recipes - signing up for a HelloFresh recipe box was the perfect way to try dishes I'd never made before without the faff.

One of the biggest myths and concerns around food boxes is that the food isn't fresh - but HelloFresh ingredients are picked and packed to order. Great news as we all try our hardest to back peddle on the menu of beige we lived off at Christmas with as much fresh veggies as we can handle. One of the best bits of opening up my HelloFresh box this week was the rainbow of fresh veg looking back at me - not going to lie, it’s easier to stay on track when it looks so Instagrammable. One of the recipes in my Classic Box this week was the Indian-Style Chickpea & Pistachio Burger with Turmeric Wedges and Rocket. Normally, I’d just buy a pre-made burger so it was good to get stuck in and try making one myself without the hassle. The pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipe card made it incredibly easy. One thing I would say is that I personally needed a bit more spice to get the flavour I desired - but hey, that’s what my spice cupboard is for. The turmeric and nigella seed wedges, however, were a taste sensation!

My HelloFresh Indian-Style Chickpea & Pistachio Burger looked SO much like the picture.

HelloFresh found out that Brits are more likely to buy larger portions, fall for special offers (two for one, baby!) and grab unhealthy food when they hit the food shops while hungry. Errr yeah, guilty. But hey, you can’t snack if you don’t leave your house! Recipe boxes like HelloFresh take away the temptation and only take around 30 minutes to make, meaning there's no need for snacking before hand. And don't worry about the portion sizes - these meals are spot on and left me happily full!

What's cooking? Just some of the fresh delights lurking in my recipe bag

Did you know that 1.6bn tonnes of food is wasted every year across the globe? Yeah, not great. According to HelloFresh, ’Caring for the environment’ leaps to the third position of top resolutions for 2020. Nearly half of Brits feel guilty about the amount of food they throw out each week, and I’m genuinely one of them. That’s why I’ve become such a meal planner over the past year but even then my portion control leaves a lot to be desired. With my HelloFresh box this week, all the fresh ingredients were delivered in exact portions so there’s next to no household waste. I recycled my plastic containers and, obviously, polished off all the food on my plate. So basically, better for the planet all round!

HelloFresh is the easiest way to cook fresh, flavour-packed dinners, even when you're low on time. With flexible food box subscriptions suitable for up to 4 people - including speedy Rapid and vegetarian options - there's no shopping, no planning, no waste. Just great food and great recipes delivered straight to your door. Curious? Gay Times readers can give HelloFresh a try for less with 35% off your first four boxes - just use code HELLOGT35!