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Smart Ways To Achieve A Healthier Meal Plan

All of us believe that homemade food items are healthier than the ones from restaurants. This is indeed true and that is why "home-made" food counts higher. A conscientious planner at every home tries to make meal planning as a habit for life.

Author: ChrisDevlin
Date: Mar 13, 2012 - 9:14:02 AM

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All of us believe that homemade food items are healthier than the ones from restaurants. This is indeed true and that is why ‘home-made’ food counts higher. A conscientious planner  at every home tries to make meal planning as a habit for life. For this they should have sufficient ideas about healthy meals and the right proportion to be taken. Considering this significant factor, the Health and Human Services Department of US has introduced dinner plate as a symbol replacing the conventional food pyramid.

This clearly depicts that your healthy meal is a combination of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy items. You can choose between the type of fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins in any form and low-fat dairy products. An organized meal plan makes your life healthy. It is good to go with a weekly meal plan than a monthly one. This is because your mind will be fresh with the meal ideas that you had for the previous week. A healthier meal plan can be obtained by considering the following factors:

1. Think of planning a balanced diet: The first and foremost way to achieve a healthier meal plan is to plan a balanced diet that is enriched with nutritious food items. It should contain everything that your body needs for trouble-free functioning. Your meal should be a combination of food items rich in vitamins, healthy fat, proteins, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, fiber, antioxidants and much more. Remember your meal should contain grains, protein, vegetables, fruits and dairy products in the right proportion to call it as a balanced diet and fulfill the calorie requirement of an individual at a time.

2. Do not forget to include your family’s favorite food: Your meals should not contain only fruits and vegetables with a message that they are healthy. You should also be aware in analyzing the favorite food items of your family members. This is because the full nutrient of any food item is acquired only when we love and eat it willingly. It is even a better idea to make your little ones eat their least favorite food items by promising their desired snack or dessert.

3. Plan for healthy breakfast and smaller meals all through the day: Breakfast is the most vital part you need to concentrate on. A healthful and wholesome breakfast gives good strength and a good start to your day. Let your breakfast be power-packed, for example it can be a blend of whole-wheat bagel with smoked salmon, fresh orange juice and lettuce. Instead of having three full meals, you can have it as a nutritious breakfast with three or four smaller meals in-between to increase your stamina and facilitate you to keep your energy levels up always.  

4. Let multivalued fruits and bright vegetables stay a part of all your meals: Ensure that your meal plan definitely has bright colored vegetables and fruits. This is because brightly colored vegetables and fruits like broccoli, corn, lettuce, carrot, beets, squash, oranges, berries, mangoes, apples etc. are naturally enriched with iron, zinc, calcium, fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamins and much more. These nutrients have the power of fighting against numerous diseases and decrease your intake of medicines.

5. Allow your meal plan to be a combination of simple and complex food: While planning your meals, prepare it in such a way that a day is balanced with simple as well as complex food items. This will make you feel comfortable as there is no need for you to struggle in the kitchen for a long time for all the three meals of the day. If your breakfast is simple as an Egg sandwich with whole-grain bagels, spinach and fresh juice then make a sophisticated dinner like Rice noodles with garlic prawns and sweet corn soup.

6. Let your meal plan be focused on the seasonal fruits and veggies: Include the seasonal produce in your meal planner as it not only supports your diet but also supports your budget-friendly shopping. These seasonal fruits and vegetables are blended with nature and are available only in the particular season. By eating this you can augment your strength and endurance in a natural way.

These are the smart ways to achieve a healthier meal plan and this is the right time to start one. Cheerful planning

easy healthy chicken recipes 

View all articles by ChrisDevlin

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