Eating healthy means including more plant products and less processed food in your diet. A healthy food plan does not have to be complicated or take a lot of effort to develop and prepare. Learn to identify healthy foods and make them part of every meal, every day. You can reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases and becoming overweight by following a healthy food plan.
Breakfasts
Breakfasts on a healthy diet feature a healthy carbohydrate like whole grains, fruits or vegetables and a source of lean protein. Meal ideas include ready-to-eat cereal with at least 5 g of fiber and less than 5 g of sugar per serving served with low-fat milk and fresh berries; low-fat, plain yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit; whole-grain English muffin sandwiches made with egg whites and low-fat cheese; whole-wheat pancakes served with applesauce, bananas and chopped walnuts; or lean ground turkey flavored with fennel seeds wrapped in whole wheat tortillas with salsa. Keep frozen home-made pancakes in the freezer, yogurt in the refrigerator and cereal in the cupboard so you never have to stray from your healthy food plan.
Lunches
You have many options for lunch in addition to turkey sandwiches on whole wheat or green salads with grilled chicken. Be creative with sandwich options and combine hummus with spinach, shredded carrots and tomatoes on a whole-wheat pita or melt low-fat Swiss cheese over low-sodium ham and asparagus spears on rye bread. Make your own soup by roasting onions, tomatoes and eggplants with fresh thyme and then puree with low-sodium chicken broth. Other combinations include roasted carrots with fresh ginger or roasted asparagus pureed with vegetable stock and topped with chopped chives. Have a salad of chickpeas, cucumbers and diced red pepper dressed with lemon juice and olive oil on the side.
Dinner
A simple way to conceive dinner on a healthy food plan is to fill half your plate with watery green or orange vegetables. Reserve the other half for a small portion of protein and a 1/2- to 1-cup serving of whole grains or a starchy vegetable like sweet potatoes or peas. Good combinations include grilled shrimp with a mushroom and tomato quinoa pilaf with steamed asparagus or chicken roasted with lemons served with mashed sweet potatoes and sauteed kale. Whole grain pasta, brown rice and amaranth are other whole grain options. Choose vegetarian sources of protein like beans or soy often. When you do choose animal proteins, opt for fish or chicken which are the healthiest choices.
Snacks and Sweets
Use snack time to fill in gaps in nutrition, rather than fill up on junk food. A healthy food plan features foods such as whole wheat crackers, skim milk, fresh fruit and nuts at snack time. A healthy food plan does not mean you have to deprive yourself of dessert, just opt for the most nutritious options. Fresh fruit with Greek yogurt and honey, low-fat pudding or fruit crisps are usually healthy options.
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