With so many convenient food options offering big serving sizes but poor nutritional value, it can be difficult for anyone to prepare a healthy menu plan that is diverse and includes plenty of tasty foods. Learning about which foods boast the best nutritional profiles is a good place to start, and planning ahead can also save time and improve the dishes that make the cut.
Healthy Foods
A working definition of a healthy food is a one that offers high amounts of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients and low amounts of calories, saturated fat, cholesterol and added sugar. Most of the healthiest foods are whole foods, which means that they are unprocessed and contain few, if any, chemical additives or preservatives. Fruits and vegetables are some of the most perishable healthy foods, but whole grains, beans and legumes are examples of healthy foods that are still nutritious after months of storage.
Nutrition
The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults who want to eat a healthy diet strive for a daily breakdown of calories that gets about 20 percent of calories from protein, 25 percent from fat and 55 percent from carbohydrates. The Clinic also urges people to focus on lean sources of protein, such as fish and low-fat dairy products; unsaturated fats, such as nuts and plant-based oils; and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy vegetables.
Planning
Planning is an integral part of forming a healthy menu. The Helpguide website suggests that you plan a week's or even a month's worth of healthy meals at a time. Although that might seem like a lot of work up front, it becomes easier if you choose to include some meals of leftovers as well as recipes that you already enjoy and make often. Buy ingredients you'll need in advance, do as much prep work ahead of time as you can and go for convenience items that still have excellent nutritional profiles, such as pre-chopped vegetables and whole-grain baking mixes.
Guidelines
Use basic guidelines to help balance each meal in a menu plan and make it as healthy as possible. Try including foods from at least three of the U.S. Department of Agriculture food pyramid's five main groups --- grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and low- or non-fat dairy products. The pyramid calls for servings from each group every day, so including balance and variety in the healthy meals you prepare will help deliver all the essential nutrients your body needs.
Tips
A healthy food menu plan should fit your lifestyle and budget so it's easy to stick with over a long period of time. Use foods that are easy to get and that all members of your family like. Meals Matter, a division of the Dairy Council of California, suggests stocking pantry staples such as brown rice, whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, beans and tortillas so that it's easy to use them to make a quick meal if necessary. Finally, explore new recipes and cookbooks to find fresh menu ideas and new ways to experiment with healthy foods you already use.
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