If you’re trying to eat healthy and watch your weight, cooking at home might not seem like the most convenient option. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Instead of dining out all the time, you can opt for more fulfilling and economical meals that are easy to make with a few ingredients from the grocery store or local farmers market. Learn about 9 great lessons you can learn from healthy food in this blog post.
Uconn health center blackboard is a part of the health education information provided by United Community Medical Center Health Education Center. Before I even step foot in a grocery store or farmers market, I always think about what my shopping list should consist of – whole fruits rather than juices, vegetables rather than processed carbs, small amounts of protein-rich foods like chicken breasts or shrimp vs large portions of beef steak or pork chops.
9 Great Lessons You Can Learn From Healthy Food :
1. Balance is the Key:
When I’m cooking for myself, I aim for balance in all of my meals. That means that some days I’ll eat balanced meals with equal amounts of protein and carbohydrates, while other days I’ll eat more of a carbohydrate-heavy diet. Other days, I’ll choose to eat primarily proteins and less carbs. It’s all about listening to your body and how you feel on that day.
2. Recipes are Not Necessary:
Using recipes is a good idea, especially when you’re first learning how to cook. However, once you know how to cook, making your own meals can actually be much easier and more rewarding. You don’t have to follow recipes anymore (as long as they don’t require weird amounts of ingredients) because you know exactly what’s in your food and what will happen. This gives you the opportunity to add personal touches that can really make a meal extra special (like adding herbs, spices or even dessert).
3. Planning Ahead Will Save Your Life:
There’s no question that grocery shopping is the most time-consuming part of preparing a healthy meal and it can take hours. If you feel like you’re spending too much on food or if you feel like your diet is boring, take time to plan ahead. Think of meals that you can cook in bulk and freeze for future use. Try to plan your menu a week at a time so that you have a list of meals to choose from instead of getting hungry and having no healthy option available.
4. Eating At A Table, Not On The Floor:
Like I mentioned above, I try to eat meals that are balanced when I cook at home. You can actually learn a lot about nutrition by eating in front of your family and watching what they choose to eat. When you plan your meals around other people’s food choices, you’ll be more likely to make healthier choices yourself. For example, if you see your mother having a bowl of cereal before dinner and think ‘Oh man! She’s eating less than me!’, the fact is that she’s eating more than enough for her body to function properly, it’s actually for the best for her and her overall health.
5. Use Your Time Wisely:
When we exercise we are burning calories, especially through our legs. That means the more time you spend on the treadmill or in a health club, the more new calories you’re burning. When we eat at home it’s not exactly the same thing. We’re eating with our hands and not really exercising very much while we’re eating.
6. Stock Your Kitchen With A Variety Of Essential Foods:
When you’re cooking at home, you don’t need to buy every single thing you need for a meal. I have a few essential staples that I always keep on hand in my kitchen. The first is olive oil and the second is spices. You can use olive oil for everything – from sautéing food to drizzling on salads, it adds the perfect amount of flavor without becoming too tangy or overpowering..
7. Common Ingredients Will Save Your Diet:
I always keep a variety of vegetables and fruits on hand so that I can use them for many different meals throughout the week. For example, if I see a bunch of onions on sale at the market or in the produce section, I’ll buy them and then make several different dishes from within that fridge or produce aisle. By using a variety of ingredients, you can really cut down on meal prep time.
8. Eat A Variety Of Fruit:
I’ll admit it, I’m not a huge fan of fruit at night, but I do know that it’s important to eat at least three servings of fruit every day. I buy my fruit in bulk so that there are always multiple varieties within arm’s reach. It takes a little extra work to gather fruit, wash them and then put them away, but the benefits are worth it. Eating a variety of colorful fruits means that you’re eating more vitamins and nutrients while also giving off better tasting meals (think salsa).
9. Drink Enough Water:
Water is an essential part of staying healthy and losing weight. Your body uses it to flush out toxins and when you’re drinking plenty of water each day, your metabolism will speed up simply because your body won’t have to work as hard to digest food. You should aim for eight glasses of water a day and although this may seem like an impossible goal, I’m pretty sure that if you sat down for a minute and thought about it, you’d realize that it’s not impossible at all.
