What’s the first word that comes to mind when someone says diet? Here’s what patients have said:
- Boring
- Awful
- Deprivation
- No taste
Surely, you can add even more to the list. But these words are passé when it comes to today’s healthy recipes for weight loss, including healthy dinner ideas, healthy lunches and healthy snacks. There is an endless number of delicious, nutritious recipes you can make. Here are some tasty food tips that can help.
Healthy and Nutritious Low-Calorie Snacks
Let’s start with snacks. Your body is working much more efficiently now, and rather than starve all day and then eat too much at dinner, snacking every few hours makes sense. Gather your ingredients at the store, so you have them available each week.
- 3 cups of popcorn topped with Parmesan cheese
- Glass of low-fat milk with spoon of peanut butter
- Medium apple sliced with 1 tablespoon nut butter spread on slices
- Protein bar with 80-calorie, high-protein yogurt
- Raw vegetables with high-protein Greek yogurt dip
- Rice cake and low-fat chocolate milk
- Roasted chickpeas, seasoned with spices
- String cheese and high-fiber crackers
- Trail mix with whole-grain cereal, nuts, seeds and dried fruits (portion into small ¼ cup servings)
Healthy Lunch and Dinner Ideas for Dieters
Creating healthy lunch and dinner recipes that are both nutritious and delicious is easy. You need to prepare a list ahead of time of ingredients and make sure you have the food items necessary to use. Here are some easy recipes you can try that are filled with good nutrition and won’t add too many calories per meal.
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Try a veggie pizza. Use ½ of an English muffin and cover with 2 tablespoons pizza sauce, 1⁄2 cup chopped onions and peppers, and 2 ounces mozzarella cheese. Bake 15 minutes in a 325-degree oven. Enjoy with a fresh fruit or veggie salad.
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Grill your favorite vegetables. Roast or grill vegetables (carrots, beets, onion, peppers, broccoli, Brussel sprouts) in a hot oven at 450 degrees. Cover with olive oil spray and fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil and/or garlic) Add salt and pepper. After cooking, top the veggies with 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles for a delicious meal.
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Get creative with cauliflower. Cauliflower is the wonder vegetable that can be eaten raw with seafood dip (tastes like shrimp! or cooked and pureed to mimic thick mashed potatoes. There are recipes online for cauliflower grilled cheese sandwiches and cauliflower pizza — all easy to make and low in calories and carbs.
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Keep ready-to-serve foods on hand for quick, tasty meals. Have a supply of low-sodium soups, frozen homemade chili, rice and beans, prepared bagged salads and roasted chicken to serve healthy lunches or healthy dinners on days when you’re in a hurry.
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Make a salad meal for lunch or dinner. Keep salad toppings in separate containers in your fridge such as beet slices, olives, cherry tomatoes, chopped carrots, chopped onion, mandarin orange slices, walnuts, boiled eggs, and chopped chicken or tuna. Also have on hand bags of packaged salads. Take one-half bag of salad and top it with your favorite toppings. The walnuts, eggs, tuna and chicken add protein while the beets, olives, onions, carrots, tomatoes and oranges add delicious, nutritious flavor.
Sources
EatRight.Org: Snacking for Adults and Teens.
EatRight.Org: 7 Ways to Enhance the Flavor of Your Food.