A balanced diet is one that will give your body all the nutrients it needs to function properly. A balanced diet not only means eating a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups, but also includes eating the right amount of those foods. The National Institutes of Health reports that regularly eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy sources of protein and fat will help you keep your diet healthy and balanced.
Breakfast
The Mayo Clinic reports that eating a healthy breakfast can get your day off to a good start and may help you concentrate better throughout the morning. A healthy breakfast can include whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, a couple of eggs or a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with strawberries or bananas and low-fat milk. Choose healthy foods that you enjoy. Choosing whole-grain foods and fruit with fiber for breakfast can give you energy and keep you full for a longer period of time than other, unhealthy choices.
Morning Snack
If you work outside of your home, plan ahead for your hunger and bring a healthy snack instead of grabbing potentially unwise choices at a vending machine. A healthy snack can include nuts and seeds, which are full of protein and can help satisfy your hunger. Nuts can provide you with healthy fat, but they are also high in calories, so eating just a little bit may be better for you. Other snack ideas include any type of fruit or vegetable, some yogurt or whole-grain foods. A small, healthy snack comprised of a combination of these types of food will satisfy your hunger and give your body the important nutrients it needs.
Lunch
Lunch can be a tricky meal if you are regularly out of your home during that time. As with snacks, planning ahead and bringing a lunch from home can help you avoid some restaurant foods high in salt, calories and unhealthy types of fat. A sandwich made with whole-wheat bread topped with spinach, tomato and avocado slices can be a good choice, or a salad with grilled chicken with a bit of light dressing. Prepare and bring healthy foods that you enjoy to increase your chances of eating them. If bringing a lunch is too difficult, choose places to eat that offer a variety of healthy choices.
Afternoon Snack
Because there are so many different fruits and vegetables, they always make a great snack. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends keeping fruit and vegetables where you can see them so you will be more likely to eat them. Keep them on the counter, on your work desk or any other regularly seen place. If you haven't had many fruits or vegetables so far in your day, an afternoon snack of apple slices, oranges, a banana or carrot and celery sticks can be a healthy choice to stamp out your hunger. Adding low-fat yogurt can also add some sweetness to your snack.
Dinner
Dinner can include plenty of options to keep your balanced diet exciting. As with your other meals, try to add some vegetables. Peas, broccoli, sweet potatoes or other vegetables you enjoy will be healthy and filling. Broiling or grilling fish or chicken with some olive oil is another way to get healthy protein and healthy fat during dinner. If you feel you need more grains for dinner, have whole-wheat pasta or brown rice.
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