With the rise of the fast food empire still going strong, it’s become natural to take the family to your favorite restaurant or drive through.
But that’s not healthy.
What if you could feed your family the food that they deserve without slaving for hours in the kitchen or draining your funds?
A handful of quick prep tips:
Don’t try to tackle a five-star recipe when you haven’t successfully mastered boiling water.
- Start with your favorite foods. Look for recipes that incorporate your favorite foods. That way you’re more likely to look forward to the meal, which will minimize your food waste.
- Work with what you have. Don’t try a recipe that requires a grill if all you have is a stove.
- If you’re especially thrifty and you’re aiming to reuse leftovers, choose foods that taste good or even better when reheated. Eggs and fried chicken are out.
- Flex your muscles (don’t rip the shirt)! Never baked muffins before? There are tons of yummy and healthy muffin recipes to try.
- Do your research. There are millions of foodie-verses and taste-ospheres to explore!
A dash of positivity:
There are way too many internet memes bemoaning the need for healthy eating and glorifying unhealthy foods such as pizza and burgers. This has to be your choice. Don’t do this because you HAVE to, do it because you WANT to.
If you walk around with the idea that you’d rather have a quick take out burger than a nice nutritious meal, you’re torturing yourself, and it’s not worth it. Be determined to do this for you.
A recipe for cooking the healthy way:
- Ditch fatty oils and butter. Most things taste just as good when you fry them in a bit of water instead of butter, and olive oil is a much tastier and healthier substitute for ordinary oil.
- Pick whole grains over unrefined grains.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables… You knew it would be on this list.
- Do you really need that much meat? Meat is a major source of protein, but it’s also the biggest contributor of saturated fats in your diet. Look into lean meat, poultry and fish.
- Replace whole-fat dairy with low or non-fat dairy products.
- Watch the sodium content.
- Avoid frozen foods, it’s easier we know, but most of the nutrients have been lost. Fresh food takes more prep time, but it tastes significantly better while boosting your health.
- Keep ingredients to a minimum. This reduces your stress and also allows you to focus on a few key elements in the meal.
- Go for flavor. Use spices, herbs and citrus to broaden the scope of your meals. When it tastes better than your regular old take-out, you won’t feel as though you’re missing out.
- Think before you buy. Don’t go for the first thing you see, put thought into your meals and find the best option for you.
Enjoy your new lifestyle:
Cooking healthier doesn’t mean that you have to deprive you and your family of your favorite foods, it just means adjusting your view and finding new favorites. Don’t make it a chore, make it an adventure. Find ways to explore and broaden your horizons.
Use these tips and find more, add your own, ask for opinions and experiences. We’ve gotten into the trend of eating whatever is popular. We’ve missed out on so many new experiences, and have convinced ourselves that healthy eating is bland and boring, but what if it isn’t? What if all that needs to change is our perception?
Take a chance, we promise- you’ll thrive.