You do not have to rely on drive-through and convenience foods for healthy meals if you are a single man. Fill your bare refrigerator with simple-to-prepare, healthy foods that will support your health and weight management goals. Whether you choose to cook or want the options that are the easiest to prepare, you can enjoy a balanced diet.
Grains
The U.S. Food Guide Pyramid recommends eating between six and 12 servings of grains daily and making at least half of these servings come from whole grains. Whole-grain bread and bagels are easy, no-cook sources of whole grains. Top a 100 percent whole wheat bagel with peanut butter for a quick breakfast or use the bread for an easy sandwich at lunchtime. Oatmeal is also a whole grain and takes just minutes to cook in the microwave. You can purchase quick-cooking brown rice in single-serving packages and precooked, frozen brown rice for simple sides. Whole-grain pasta is another easy-to-cook, healthy option.
Proteins
You should avoid excess saturated fat, which can increase your risk of developing heart disease. Choose lean proteins, such as pork tenderloin, skinless chicken and white fish. The easiest options are water-packed tuna, which you can add to pasta sauce or use to make a sandwich, and preformed lean ground beef or turkey burgers, which you can broil in minutes and have on a whole-wheat bun with lettuce and tomato. Eggs and nonfat dairy products are other healthy sources of protein. Hard-boil eggs and stash them in the refrigerator for a quick breakfast option. Eat low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese as no-cook protein options.
Fats
Everyone, even men, needs healthy fats to support heart health, proper hormone production -- which supports muscle growth -- and vitamin absorption. Replacing saturated fats and trans fats, found in many commercial foods, with unsaturated fats can also help keep your cholesterol in check. Peanut or almond butter on toast or in oatmeal is a good source of these healthy fats. Choose moderate servings of plain, toasted nuts instead of chips for snacks. Slice avocados onto your sandwiches or order guacamole instead of nachos when you order Mexican take-out. Use olive oil instead of butter for scrambling eggs or making a pasta sauce.
Fruits and Vegetables
Men should eat between 2 and 2½ cups of fruits and 2½ to 4 cups of vegetables daily -- and french fries do not count. People who eat more fruits and vegetables have lower incidences of chronic disease. Fruits and vegetables offer valuable nutrients, including fiber, potassium, vitamins A and C and magnesium. Ideally, you should fill your refrigerator with a variety of choices, such as berries, melon, citrus, apples, leafy greens, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers and carrots. For the easiest options, stock up on bananas, prewashed lettuce to make a quick salad, baby carrots, pears and frozen vegetables and fruits.
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