5 Food Tips to Stay Healthy While Working Abroad

Living on your own in a foreign country? To overcome the challenges of cooking for one, a little planning and even just one weekly grocery trip can go a long way. Take some time each weekend to plan out one big dish to cook that can last all week and a few smaller, easy-to-make meals, then make an itemized grocery list. With a plan in place, you’ll lessen the chances of buying food that will just go to waste if you don’t use it.

Also, one of the best investments you can make in your new home is to stock your pantry with some staples right after you move in. Once you’ve got rice, cooking oil and basic seasonings like spices, vinegar and toyo, your weekly grocery list will be a lot smaller.

It can be tempting to eat out for lunch every day, especially if your co-workers are always inviting you out. So why not recruit co-workers in your effort to eat well and save money with a lunch swap?

If you can get at least four people at work to join you, then each person can be assigned one day of the week to bring lunch for the group. The beauty of a lunch swap is that it’s social and helps build strong friendships at work, while saving everyone time and money since each person only needs to prepare one big lunch a week.

It’s very convenient to shop at supermarkets all the time, but branching out to different marketplaces can be exciting and actually more affordable. Most countries have markets that are just like our palengke, places where local vendors gather every day to sell food without all the overhead and fancy packaging needed for the supermarkets. Not only is the food there usually cheaper, it’s probably fresher as the limited stocks need to be replenished every day.

You don’t want to miss out on the local cuisine just because you’re trying to live a disciplined life. Everyone should eat out once in a while to celebrate, to socialize with friends and to experience all the new flavors that their host country has to offer. But once you’ve found some of the dishes you love best, why not learn how to make them yourself so that you can have them whenever you want without spending big bucks?

Another advantage of learning to make local dishes is that traditional cuisines are usually healthier than modern foods. Traditional recipes tend to make use of fresh, local ingredients rather than processed goods that are full of preservatives.

While you could stock up on microwavable dishes and processed meats to save time, these actually cost more money than buying simple, fresh ingredients. An internet search for easy meals also shows that the simplest-to-make meals often feature just a few key ingredients. If you plan your meals wisely, you can choose easy-to-make dishes that feature highly nutritious foods.

High-quality food is important because what you eat can impact not only your waistline, but your overall wellness too. After all, with all the sacrifices you are making to earn a good living, you want to be around to enjoy the fruits of your labor with your family for a long time to come.

To find out how you can take the first step in living longer, healthier, and better, check the BPI AIA health programs.