Preparing and eating a healthy dinner is a benefit you can provide to yourself and your family. With the alarming rise in obesity in America, and the difficulty many people experience in maintaining a healthy weight, having the opportunity to choose the right mix of nutrients you eat each evening can help you meet your family's nutritional goals and prepare healthy dinners everyone enjoys.
Nutritional Needs
Your nutritional needs matter when developing healthy dinner menus, as eating well-balanced meals throughout the the day affords you the opportunity to eat the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Adults and children of all ages over 1 need 45 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates, preschool to high-school aged children need 10 to 30 percent of calories from protein and 25 to 35 percent from fats, while adults need the same protein amounts, but between 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat. If you eat well-balanced meals during the day, your healthy dinner can complete the nutrients you need before you retire for the evening.
Pasta and Rice
The complex carbohydrates in brown rice or whole-wheat macaroni or spaghetti are superior to the simple carbohydrates in white white and pasta. Although relatively calorie-dense, with 216 calories per one cup of brown rice, eating one serving fills you up. Make an Asian rice pilaf topped with baked chicken, a lentil and brown rice casserole or combine broiled shrimp, penne pasta, spinach, fat-free sour cream and reduced-fat feta cheese for a meal with just 284 calories per serving and only 5 g of fat, according to Jyl Steinback, author of "Superfoods." If not adding vegetables to the rice or pasta main dish, serve with a large side salad of mixed, raw vegetables.
Poultry, Meat and Seafood
When choosing a protein for your healthy dinner meal, choose seafood, beans or poultry more frequently than beef. Beef, unless extra lean, contains higher amounts of saturated fat than do other sources of lean protein. A three ounce beef rib has almost 10 g of saturated fat, while one-half a roasted chicken breast or cod each has less than 1 g of saturated fat. Sprinkle healthy almonds on salmon before baking and serve with salad and fruit. Make chili with chicken or extra-lean beef. Add light-red kidney beans to the chili for fiber and added protein. If your family enjoys casseroles, combine baked or boiled chicken with low-calorie mushroom soups, skim milk or fat-free mayonnaise. Add either broccoli or mixed vegetables to the dish and bake. Your family will enjoy side dishes such as steamed, herb-seasoned vegetables, whole-wheat Italian bread, fruit, raw vegetable platters or spinach salads.
Dinner Salads
Salads are filling, low-calorie main dish meals for dinner. Start with a base of your favorite greens such as arugula, romaine, Bibb or endive. Add fresh dandelion greens for taste and only 12 calories per 1/2 cup. The greens contain a trace of fat, 1 g of fiber and 51 mg of calcium. Use a protein such as hard cooked eggs, one to two ounces of shredded cheese, cooked garbanzo or kidney beans, three ounces of seafood or poultry or roasted walnuts. Creamy regular-fat salad dressing such as ranch has over 70 calories per tablespoon. Instead, use a flavored rice or balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil or fat-free dressing. Adding a whole-wheat, crusty roll and 1/2 cup of fresh fruit salad keeps the meal nutritionally balanced.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity Among U.S. Adults Continues to Rise; July 2009
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- "Superfoods"; Jyl Steinback; 2001
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Calories
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Fatty Acids, Total Saturated
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Dandelion, Ranch Dressing
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