It is easier to eat a healthy diet when you know which foods to eat, and you have a variety of ideas for each of your meals. A healthy meal is balanced, and it is high in essential nutrients and low in unhealthy components, such as saturated fat or sugar. A nutritionist can help you develop a meal plan that meets your nutrient needs while staying within your calorie limits.
Traditional Dinner
For your entrée, have a source of lean protein, such as chicken breast, fish, extra lean ground turkey or a soy-based meat substitute. Add cooked vegetables, for potassium, dietary fiber and vitamins, and complement with a whole grain, such as brown rice or bulgur. Instead of frying food in butter, grill, steam or roast without fat, or add a small amount of heart-healthy olive oil, canola oil or soybean oil. Drink a glass of milk, and have fruit for dessert if you are still hungry.
Salad
A large salad of spinach, romaine lettuce or mixed greens is low in calories and high in protein, healthy fats, dietary fiber and essential nutrients. For variety, add more raw vegetables, cucumbers, mushrooms or sprouts. Your protein can come from hard-boiled egg whites or canned light tuna, which provides heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A small amount of oil-based salad dressing adds flavor and unsaturated fats, and grated fat-free cheese supplies calcium without many calories.
Sack Lunch
When you are away from home, base a healthy lunch around a sandwich on whole grain bread because a diet rich in whole grains may lower your risk for heart disease, according to the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Nutrient-dense ideas include lean protein, such as turkey breast with fat-free cheese, and garbanzo bean dip, or hummus, which provides fiber. Add lettuce and tomatoes to your sandwich, and have vegetables on the side, such as carrot sticks or bell pepper strips. Fat-free yogurt and whole fruit or grapes can round out your lunch.
Breakfast
A balanced breakfast includes a whole grain, such as whole-grain toast, a whole wheat English muffin, oatmeal or high-fiber, low-sugar cold cereal, according to MayoClinic.com. Eat low-fat or fat-free yogurt or milk with your cereal, or fat-free cheese on your toast. Lean proteins include vegetarian breakfast sausage, hard-boiled or scrambled egg whites and fat-free cottage cheese. Fruit, such as berries, oranges or grapefruit, provides dietary fiber and potassium.
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