Coming up with nourishing combinations to fill your plate morning, noon and night can get monotonous, and often, we find ourselves reaching for the same old things–or worse–what’s calorie-dense and convenient. In addition to having a well-stocked fridge and pantry, and practicing meal planning, browsing articles like this one, packed with suggestions, for fresh ideas is always helpful. Let’s spark some cooking creativity!
Healthy breakfasts
Starting the day with a smart meal, brimming with fruit and veggies, whole grains, nuts and/or low-fat dairy, can give you energy and help you stay full until noon. Here are some nourishing breakfast suggestions:
• French toast made with whole-wheat bread
For the batter, mix skim milk with eggs. After cooking, sprinkle with cinnamon, and top with banana slices and a drizzle of natural peanut butter.
• Whole-grain or buckwheat pancakes
Top with fresh, sliced fruit.
• Omelet or scrambled eggs
Add lots of vegetables, like green or red peppers, onions, fresh or frozen peas, broccoli and spinach. Top with a sprinkle of low-fat cheese.
• Breakfast burrito
Top a whole wheat tortilla with beans, poached eggs, green chiles, salsa and nonfat sour cream.
• Oat bran muffin
Add walnuts and dried cranberries to the muffin batter for an extra boost of nutrients.
Healthy lunches
Packing or preparing your midday meal in advance supports portion control and smarter food choices. A satisfying lunch can include a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk products. Choose lean protein, like grilled fish, grilled chicken, beans or tofu, and choose healthy fats, like olive or canola oil. Try some of these in the weeks ahead:
• Tuna or chicken salad
Add apple chunks, pineapple, grapes or a few raisins. Put the mixture on whole wheat bread and have some carrot sticks on the side.
• Grilled cheese sandwich with low-fat cheese
Add sauteed spinach and onion and some tomato slices.
• Pasta sauce or soup with lots of vegetables
Try spinach, kale, onions, bell peppers, and grated zucchini or carrots.
• Turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.
Add lots of vegetables, like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and avocado slices. Use mustard instead of mayonnaise.
• Green salad with lots of colorful vegetables
Skip boring iceberg and try red cabbage, carrots and bell peppers. Top with dried cranberries, raisins, sliced pears, oranges, nectarines, strawberries or grapefruit. You can also top it with drained canned tuna or a hard-cooked egg and a sprinkle of low-fat cheese. Use olive or canola oil and vinegar for the dressing. We can also recommend this salad recipe.
• Mini pizza on whole wheat pita bread
Top with tomato sauce, lots of veggies and a sprinkle of low-fat cheese.
• Burritos with whole wheat tortillas.
Include low-sodium canned black beans and some corn. Add sliced avocado, tomatoes, bell peppers, low-sodium salsa and low-fat cheese.
• Pasta salad with whole wheat bow-tie pasta
Add broccoli or other veggies, chunks of cooked chicken breast and a little feta cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar or lemon.
Healthy dinners
We’re going a bit more general when it comes to supper suggestions and serving up a collection of tips, instead.
The perfect prescription
When building a smart, satisfying dinner dish, you can follow these basic rules:
- Start the last meal of the day with colorful vegetables.
- You can include a whole grain, such as brown rice, whole wheat bread or whole wheat tortillas.
- For protein, think lean, as in grilled chicken, fish or pork, or a nice plant-based choice, like beans or tofu.
- When cooking, use healthy fats, such as olive or canola oil. Flavor your foods with herbs and lemon instead of salt.
Set up for success
When you have the right foods within reach, you can pull together a fast, filling dinner even when you're pressed for time. Here are some staples to keep on hand:
- Frozen chicken breasts and fish filets, without breading
- Frozen vegetables
- Frozen and canned fruits in their own juices (no added syrup)
- Canned beans, such as pinto beans, white beans and black beans
- Low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- Tomato sauce and pasta sauce
- Whole-grain pasta and brown rice
- Onions and garlic
?Cook smarter, not harder
If you know you have a busy week ahead, let the grocery store do some of the work for you. Look for precut, washed, ready-to-eat options such as:
- Packaged fresh vegetables, like baby carrots, salad mixes, and chopped broccoli and cauliflower – These are great for making quick salads, soups, casseroles and stir-fries.
- Packaged, sliced fresh fruits, such as melon or pineapple – You can add these to a container of low-fat yogurt to make an easy fruit salad.
- Precut, trimmed meat – Trimmed meat has less fat and saves you mess and prep time.
- Precooked chicken – Many grocery stores sell rotisserie chicken in the deli section. You can chop or shred the meat and use it in burritos, soups and casseroles.
?It’s almost homemade
Start with one or two prepared ingredients, and then add your own fresh ingredients. Try some of these simple suggestions:
- Pizza – A premade pizza crust and a jar of pizza sauce can be the start of a healthy Italian meal. Just add plenty of fresh vegetables and a sprinkle of low-fat mozzarella.
- Vegetable soup – Combine low-sodium canned chicken broth, frozen vegetables, and some uncooked brown rice or whole-grain noodles.
- Asian chicken salad – Combine grilled chicken breast slices with a bag of prewashed lettuce, canned mandarin oranges (no syrup) and slivered almonds to make an easy crowd-pleaser. A store-bought ginger-soy vinaigrette is the perfect way to pull these flavors together.
- Fish tacos – Use frozen fish filets, such as cod, and bagged shredded cabbage for a lighter take on Mexican night. Place the cooked fish and the cabbage in corn tortillas, and top with salsa, lime juice and low-fat sour cream.
- Stir-fry – Sauté precut vegetables, precut and trimmed meat, and canned pineapple chunks for a quick and flavorful dinner. Serve with steamed brown rice.
Looking for more recipe inspiration?
Follow @ParkviewHealth on Pinterest for nutrition and recipe ideas, and general wellness suggestions.
Copyrighted material adapted with permission from Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
