Lavish meals are at the heart of many of our favorite and most cherished holiday celebrations. Unfortunately, the typical menu has unhealthy choices stacked higher than a pile of mashed potatoes and gravy on Thanksgiving. Fun festivities create challenges for our normal diets and might throw us off track.
Finding ways to eat healthy after holiday feasts is no easy feat. Having guidelines to follow can help ensure your success and support your well-being. With the right mindset, meal plan, and grocery list, you can return to a more nutritious lifestyle.
1. Replace Unhealthy Foods With Nutritious Alternatives
Switching one menu item for another is an easy way to begin or transition back into healthy eating. Swapping your favorite sugary treat for a delicious piece of fruit is a good place to start. Instead of grabbing chips or cookies for a snack, reach for lower-fat nuts or crunchy veggies. These nourishing foods satisfy hunger without sacrificing your health goals.
Avoid red meats containing high amounts of saturated fat and instead enjoy delicious plant-based protein. Popular options include chickpeas, quinoa, tofu, leafy green vegetables, beans, and seeds. These versatile foods are an excellent addition to any meal as the mouthwatering main dish or a scrumptious side.
2. Bring Some Color to Your Plate
Adding more color to your cuisine is a fun and simple way to make meals more nutritious. Fruits and vegetables are the popular go-tos for getting a taste of the rainbow. They are generally loaded with essential vitamins and important antioxidants. These nutrients can help protect against some cancers, chronic diseases, and hypertension. Challenge yourself to see how many different colors you can fit into your next meal.
Red fruits and veggies are known for supporting the heart. Orange and yellow options are good for the nervous system, improve eye health, and protect against heart disease. Blue and purple picks are shown to fight against heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Green vegetables and fruits also lower cancer risks, improve cholesterol, and support overall immune functions.
3. Plan and Prepare Dishes Ahead of Time
Set yourself up for success by mapping out your menu for the week and preparing meals ahead of time. You’ll be less likely to hit up a drive-through or go straight for the unhealthy snacks in your pantry. With a nutritious meal ready to go, it will be easier to achieve your desired health objectives.
Head to the grocery store with a detailed list of all the ingredients you’ll need for the week. Sticking to it could help prevent a trip down the junk food aisle. Aim to buy nutritious foods that will fit well with multiple recipes, like brown rice and leafy greens. Plan to set aside one to two afternoons or evenings per week to make your tastily nutritious entrees.
4. Learn New and Exciting Recipes to Share
Eating the same bland meals on repeat is not an exciting way to live. Switch up your cooking game by learning a delicious and nutritious new recipe. Getting excited about what you prepare makes the process even more fulfilling. Sharing your latest dish with your friends and family adds another layer of enjoyment to the process.
Start with a goal of whipping up one different recipe per week and grow your culinary skills from there. Turn up the flavor by adding fresh herbs and spices to your cuisine. Explore more nourishing options by including a new fruit or vegetable as a side dish. Trying out creative recipes will broaden your palate and may introduce you to your favorite new health food.
5. Ditch Processed Foods for Fresh Ones
Processed foods might be convenient, but they are more likely to be unhealthy and ultimately less filling. Such foods are often packed with high levels of fat, sugar, and sodium. Eating too many of these foods can lead to negative health outcomes like hypertension, heart disease, and obesity.
Natural foods like fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients that fill you up and make your taste buds happy. Compared to processed alternatives, they have the opposite effect on your well-being. Fresh, natural foods can increase your energy and immune functions, improving your health instead of working against it.
6. Eat Multiple Smaller Meals Throughout the Day
Who says you have to stick to three square meals daily? Eating smaller meals throughout the day can boost your energy levels and satisfy cravings. It is also a practical way to prevent binging on unhealthy foods like sugary candy or salty chips.
Try to squeeze in healthy snacks between your scaled-down breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Dried fruits, smoothies, mixed nuts, and Greek yogurt are excellent and easy options for managing your hunger. Carrots and celery sticks also fill you up while helping meet your nutritional needs.
New Year, New You
Food brings friends, family, and communities together. It doesn’t have to drive you apart from your health goals or make you miss out on any celebrations. Swap out the unhealthy choices in your daily menus and aim for the nutritious foods your body needs and craves.
Broaden your culinary skills by making new recipes to share with your loved ones. It is important to be gentle with yourself and remember your health is at the center of your well-being. If you overindulged at the holidays, now’s the time to begin a nutritious food journey that can sustain you all year long.
