A good way to avoid snacking on highly processed snacks and going for the easy fast food is to prepare your menu for the week. That way you are not caught in a frenzy to figure out what to eat when mealtime comes around or you are struck with hunger midafternoon. 

I know that we are all busy but if you get into this routine, it will become quicker as you get into it. When I had all the kids at home, I used to have a spreadsheet with a list of all the groceries that I needed to buy and over time I kept adding to it so that it became very easy to go over the list and check items that were needed for the week. There always seems to be certain items that you buy regularly. Now that the kids are all grown and out of the house, I do not use that list any longer but if you are good with a computer and use spreadsheets it does make shopping easier. 

What I still do is make a list of all the meals for the week. I have a binder of healthy recipes that I go through and pick my meals. Sunday is the day that I set aside for this. From the recipes I make a list of the ingredients that I am missing in my pantry that I will need to buy. I account for healthy snacks daily and what to have for breakfast and lunches. I also plan for 1 healthy dessert for the week. I have been sharing many healthy recipes on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nutritionaustin and in our blog at  https://nutritionaustin.com/ if you need ideas. 

When shopping look for the simplest and healthiest version of what you need. Look at the ingredients and if it has a lot of words that you do not understand, stay away. There are always some that will have a short list of natural ingredients. If you have time, you may want to make your own homemade sauces and dressings, etc. Making your own is the best way to control what goes into what you eat. If you make a big batch, it will last you a while and you may be able to freeze some depending on what it is. 

See previous post for what to avoid and what is good to eat. See also the various oils and fats that are good and the ones that are not. 

Happy Planning!