Proper nutrition is a balanced diet, healthy foods and a varied menu. What is the best way to create a menu for a healthy diet? How to make it interesting?
Proper nutrition: secrets
What should a proper diet be? Healthy and tasty! It is important to combine these two components.
First of all, the diet should be balanced. That is, the menu should have enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other valuable substances. And from this follows another rule: the menu should be varied. You cannot eat only vegetables or grains. Then the body will not get everything it needs. Products must be fresh. Don't forget about calories. You need to choose a daily rate and stick to it.
Proper nutrition includes reducing sugar and salt consumption. Therefore, instead of salt, you should add lemon juice, spices, onions, garlic and fresh herbs to your dishes. As for sugar, you should use more fruits, dried fruits and berries. They can easily replace a harmful product.
You can't starve, because proper nutrition should be satisfying. But at the same time, overeating is prohibited. Portions should be small. You should eat little, but often. It is best to have three main meals and 2-3 snacks.
Healthy lifestyle: a healthy and varied menu
Proper nutrition is part of a healthy lifestyle. Of course, a healthy lifestyle includes not only eating, but also giving up bad habits, exercising and having a proper daily routine. However, nutrition plays an important role in life.
How to create a menu correctly? You need to take into account all the secrets of proper nutrition, while remembering your preferences. You can't cook food you don't like, even if it's healthy. This will spoil everything and slow down the transition to a healthy lifestyle.
Here is an example of a healthy eating menu for the week.
One day:
- morning: rice porridge with pumpkin and pear, yogurt, green tea;
- intermediate breakfast: fruit smoothie (apple, banana, yogurt, blueberry);
- lunch: vegetarian cabbage soup, baked sea bass, salad with peppers and tomatoes, dried fruit compote;
- afternoon snack: cottage cheese with fennel;
- evening: vegetable stew (zucchini, carrots, onions, eggplants, tomatoes), a piece of boiled chicken, a slice of bread, kefir.
Day 2:
- breakfast: omelette with tomatoes and sweet peppers, bread, apple, black tea;
- snack: a handful of nuts;
- lunch: buckwheat soup with vegetables, beef with stewed vegetables, cranberry juice;
- afternoon snack: yogurt, four apricots;
- dinner: salad and boiled fish, fermented baked milk.
Day 3:
- morning: cottage cheese with cinnamon and apple, cocoa;
- snack: sandwich with cheese, parsley, tomato, freshly squeezed orange juice;
- lunch: beetroot soup, two chicken cutlets with fennel, celery salad with sour cream, compote of raspberries, apples and pears;
- afternoon snack: a handful of nuts and dried fruit;
- evening: corn porridge with stewed carrots and fennel, yogurt.
Day 4:
- breakfast: oatmeal with nuts and banana, 100 ml of yogurt, rosehip infusion;
- breakfast: fruit salad (kiwi, peach, melon slice);
- lunch: pickle sauce, vinaigrette, bread, carrot juice;
- afternoon snack: cheese, toast, cocoa;
- dinner: meat rolls with broccoli and sweet peppers, tea with lemon balm.
Day 5:
- morning: three cheesecakes, a bunch of grapes;
- breakfast: boiled egg, cucumber, bread;
- lunch: fish soup, two slices of boiled beef, Chinese cabbage salad, celery stalks and carrots, bread, grapefruit juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit and strawberry salad of strawberries, kiwi, pineapple;
- evening: baked fish with vegetables, kefir.
Day 6:
- breakfast: sandwich with boiled beef, sweet pepper and basil, coffee;
- breakfast: three cottage cheese dumplings with natural yogurt;
- lunch: mushroom soup, eggplant rolls with nuts and herbs, cranberry juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit;
- dinner: rice with seafood and vegetables, kefir with cinnamon.
Day 7:
- morning: milky rice porridge with apricots, fruit juice;
- breakfast: celery stalk salad, fennel and herbs;
- lunch: chicken broth, beef cutlet, boiled cauliflower and green beans, ginger tea;
- afternoon snack: a few cookies with oatmeal, cocoa;
- evening: pancakes with chicken liver, bread, tomato and cucumber salad, fermented baked milk.
As you can see, a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are no reason to give up delicious dishes.
Recipes for proper nutrition
You can come up with many interesting recipes. We offer delicious recipes for every day of the week.
Here are some options for a hearty breakfast.
A healthy sandwich
A slice of rye bread, a piece of cottage cheese, a round tomato, a sprig of basil.
Oatmeal with fruit
Cut the pear, sprinkle with sugar and heat. Boil oatmeal, add pears.
Milk porridge
Boil rice in milk. Finally add some cinnamon and vanilla.
Here are the recipes for lunch.
Pumpkin soup
Cut 500 g of pumpkin, red onion, carrots, add water. Cook until done. Finally, add salt, add spices and beat with a mixer.
Dumpling soup
Cut the carrots, onions, peppers, celery. Cover with water and cook for twenty minutes. Add salt and pepper. Mix 100 g of finely grated cheese, one egg and some flour. Shape into dumplings. Place one at a time into the soup. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Chicken rolls
The chicken fillet is cut lengthwise, pounded, salted and sprinkled with black pepper. Place pre-cooked broccoli florets, cheese, wrap and bake.
Dill salad
Thinly slice one bulb of fennel, half a head of red onion, one pepper and basil. Season with vegetable oil and lemon juice.
And dinner dishes.
Baked fish
Season the fish with salt and pepper and place on foil. Place any vegetables nearby. Cover with foil and bake for half an hour.
Hearty salad
Boil half a chicken breast, cut into small pieces. Cut the onion, the two tomatoes and the pepper into cubes. Season with salt and vegetable oil.
Dice the celery root, carrots, onions, Jerusalem artichokes and turnips. Simmer for fifteen minutes, add salt, oregano, simmer until soft.
Other recipes will also work. You just have to let your imagination run wild and don't forget about healthy products.
Eating right: 10 recipes for a healthy breakfast
Today we propose to divide humanity into those who do not eat in the morning and those who start the day with breakfast. And also for those who eat something for breakfast and those who know a lot about the right breakfast. With the help of tips and recipes from MedAboutMe, you can easily move from the first category to the second. And it will be right.
Why is breakfast important?
Scientists have already answered this question after researching the matter up and down.
Those who choose not a cup of coffee on the run, but a normal, healthy, proper breakfast, better control their weight, better follow nutritional recommendations and generally eat more rationally. On average, they have better cardiometabolic risk scores and perform better on tests that measure attention and cognitive function. Some studies also show that skipping breakfast causes a person to expend less energy throughout the day, reducing physical activity.
By starting the day with breakfast, we give ourselves energy for fruitful activities in all respects. Those who want to lose extra pounds should not forget breakfast, as the body will try to compensate for the calories lost in the morning in the late afternoon. But we all remember how harmful it is to overeat at night, right?
A proper breakfast: what is it?
In addition to the fact that breakfast should be, it should also be correct, that is, it should contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates in an optimal ratio.
You should get at least 25g of protein with your morning meal. Fats and carbohydrates should not be avoided either, but the latter should be represented by so-called "complex carbohydrates" that do not cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. For example, a good combination would be a portion of oatmeal with fruit instead of sugar, eggsand vegetable salad. The total calorie content of the breakfast should be between 400-500 calories. This will provide enough energy for active work.
10 simple recipes: a healthy breakfast for everyone
Oatmeal with berries and yogurt
You can prepare it in the morning or in the evening the day before, and in the morning just warm it up in the microwave. Add a small cup of 2% fat Greek yogurt and a handful of berries or fruit, fresh or frozen. These can be: currants, strawberries, blueberries, blueberries or blueberries, cherries, plums; pieces of apple, pineapple or banana, melon, kiwi or papaya. By simply substituting one fruit for another, you can change the flavor almost endlessly.
Oatmeal with cheese and vegetables
Who said you can't add grated cheese to oatmeal? That's right, no one. Therefore, add it for your health, it will enrich the taste of the porridge and provide the much-needed proteins to the body. For one portion of oatmeal, 25-30 g of cheese is enough. You can complete this snack with cucumber slices and a handful of cherry tomatoes.
A cup of green tea with vegetable milk will complete your breakfast.
By the way, tea and coffee at breakfast are not prohibited at all. Just don't add sugar or extra heavy cream to your cup. You can also make a smoothie with pre-made green tea.
Buckwheat porridge with chicken and sweet pepper
Buckwheat with a piece of chicken breast and chopped sweet pepper will fill you up without weighing you down and give you a good supply of energy. In general, buckwheat is one of the healthiest foods. Don't forget about her.
Buckwheat porridge with yogurt and fruits / berries
Pour the cooked buckwheat from the evening with natural yogurt, add a handful of berries or slices of banana. A hearty and healthy breakfast is ready.
Zucchini fritters
Cooking is simple and fast. For a portion for one person, it is enough to grate one medium zucchini on a coarse grater and squeeze out the juice. Add an egg and 1-2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour (rye or wheat). The amount of flour depends on how well you squeezed the excess juice from the zucchini. A little sea salt, vegetable seasoning. Fry in an almost dry pan so that the pancakes do not absorb excess fat. Serve with yogurt or sour cream. You can sprinkle with chopped herbs or cheese.
By the way, exactly the same pancakes can be made from apples. Try it, it's delicious!
Pie with vegetables and chicken breast
The pita can be filled with whatever is in the fridge: lettuce or cabbage, cucumber cut into strips, celery, cherry or tomatoes. Add a few slices of baked or simply boiled chicken breast, two spoons of yogurt - and get a hearty, healthy breakfast.
Salmon toast
Take a few thin slices of whole wheat bread and toast them lightly in a toaster or oven. Spread with cream cheese and top with slices of smoked salmon and lettuce. You can add some olives or black olives, just not too salty. Salmon is a source of valuable Omega-3 fatty acids.
But if you don't have salmon, you can easily substitute canned tuna.
Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and sweet peppers
A very appetizing and filling dish. It is simply impossible to cook.
Wash and cut into slices one medium tomato or several small ones. Wash, remove the seeds and cut into slices or cubes one sweet pepper. Prepared vegetables are fried over moderate heat in a little oil. Lightly beat two eggs with sea salt, pour them over the tomatoes and peppers, sprinkle with chopped herbs, cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes.
If you add a spoonful of sour cream or milk to the eggs, the dish will have a more delicate taste. Adding a handful of grated cheese will make it richer in calories, and the spices will enrich the taste to perfection.
Granola
Although you can buy it from a store, making it yourself can be much better because you will know exactly what goes into it and you won't be using any preservatives, colors or flavor enhancers. This is not difficult to do. Granola prepared on the weekend will serve as an excellent addition to various breakfasts for a week or two.
For your preparation, you will need 1 package of the most ordinary large oats without any additives. Add 150-200 g of any nuts, 100 g of dried fruits or berries, 2-3 tablespoons of natural honey and 2 tablespoons of butter to the flakes. Usually they take olives, but it is quite possible to replace them with almonds, cedar, walnut or sesame.
The flavor of the finished product will vary depending on what dried fruits and nuts you use. It can be, for example, walnuts with dried cranberries or the classic combination of hazelnuts with raisins and dried apricots, or cashews with dates and banana, or gourmet almonds with dried cherries. Adding some dark chocolate and coconut flakes is also good.
The well-stirred mixture is placed in a tray and baked in a preheated oven at 150°C, stirring thoroughly every 5-8 minutes. After about 30 minutes, the granola will reach the desired state: it will become golden and crunchy. The cooled product can be placed in a tightly closed jar, in which it will keep perfectly for 2-3 weeks.
Granola can be added to cottage cheese or yogurt, sprinkled on sandwiches spread with cream cheese, added to fruit salad and puddings.
Stir
The possibility of variety is extremely large, because a blender or mixer allows you to create delicious, nutritious mixtures from a wide variety of ingredients.
Try starting with, for example, a glass of oat milk, a banana, a handful of blueberries (ice cream is fine), 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. Beat with a mixer. Everything.
Bonus: how many healthy snacks can be made with cottage cheese! Cheese pancakes with yogurt and berries, cottage cheese casserole, cottage cheese with grated carrots and herbs, spread cottage cheese on crackers with canned tuna and herbs, etc.
Healthy eating program for one week
In general, a balanced, healthy diet can be quite varied, so it is quite possible to develop a menu with new dishes every day. We present an example of a menu for a week in accordance with all the recommendations given earlier:
Day of the week | breakfast | Dinner | Dinner |
Monday | Oatmeal with dried fruit; 2/3 cup low-fat milk; fruits. | Vegetable salad (you can use, for example, olive oil as a dressing); whole wheat bread sandwich with herbs, cooked chicken breast and soft cheese; fruits. | Baked fish, vegetable salad as a side dish. |
Tuesday | Whole grain toast; cheese; boiled egg; fruits. | Salad of bulgur, chicken breast and cherry tomatoes (can be garnished with honey and Dijon mustard); fruits. | Whole grain pasta with tomatoes and dry herbs; Herbal tea. |
Wednesday | Cottage cheese with honey; nuts; fresh juice. | Salmon, avocado and fennel sandwich on whole wheat bread; natural yogurt. | Chicken fillet with vegetables in the oven. |
Thursday | Omelette from two eggs; tomato; cheese; small baked apple with honey and cinnamon. | Chicken soup with vegetables; salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, flax seeds with olive oil. | Pie with lean beef, lettuce, dressing - natural yogurt, garlic and dill. |
Friday | Smoothies (banana, yogurt, vanilla); roll with salmon, avocado and cucumber. | Salad of roasted pumpkin, spinach, feta cheese and lemon-butter dressing; rye bread with lean ham; fruits. | Steak with fresh stuff; baked apple with honey and cinnamon. |
Saturday | Buckwheat with carrots and black pepper; natural yogurt; fruits. | Couscous with carrots, onions, corn, green peas. | Roasted beets; rye bread with soft goat cheese; olives. |
Sunday | Maple Syrup Cheesecakes; natural yogurt; fruits. | Broth with croutons and boiled egg; tomato and mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing. | Peppers stuffed with brown rice and ground beef; cherry tomatoes with soft cheese and herbs to taste. |
It should be noted that when you include small snacks in the diet, fruits and nuts will have to be removed from the main menu. In other words, the apple from breakfast is transferred to the afternoon snack. A similar system can be used in the opposite direction, adding snacks to the main meals - breakfast and lunch.
It is also important to remember that servings are calculated individually based on age, health, lifestyle and daily calorie intake. Therefore, the portion size will differ for men and women.
How to make a healthy diet
Many people try to lose weight using different methods. It is important to stick to a certain diet for the process to be as effective as possible. Proper nutrition allows you to quickly lose extra pounds, but only if you adhere to its principles. It is necessary to make the right menu that maintains a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
What kind of food can be called right?
Proper nutrition (sometimes called healthy) involves eating natural foods that only benefit the body. The diet of a person who plans to eat according to this principle should include dishes that contain the necessary amount of nutrients. We are talking about the following components:
It is necessary to count them to provide the daily need. It is also important to observe other rules that make proper nutrition. Thus, fast food, processed foods, carbonated drinks and other harmful foods should not be included in your diet. It is also recommended to limit the amount of salt, to exclude fried foods, steamed or boiled dishes, stewed or baked. You should eat at the same time every day.
How to make a menu for the week
The peculiarity of proper nutrition is that it does not imply following a strict menu. It should be compiled taking into account the characteristics of the person and his food preferences. The main thing is to follow the basic principles of combining products. We are talking about the following rules:
- breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates;
- dinner should contain a large amount of carbohydrates;
- Each meal should include foods containing fiber (vegetables, fruits, bran);
- if you want to eat sweets, then this should be done only in the first half of the day;
- It is important to distribute calories correctly.
Usually, people who adhere to proper nutrition create a menu for the week in advance and then simply prepare meals in accordance with it.
Monday
The daily food menu is supposed to include five meals. On the first day of the week, you can eat as follows:
- Prepare oatmeal for breakfast. It can be supplemented with any fruits. It is recommended to use tea or coffee as a drink.
- The second breakfast can include dried fruit and cottage cheese. You should not chase low-fat fermented milk products, believing that they are the most favorable for weight loss. This opinion is wrong. Experts recommend eating fatty cottage cheese, as it is better digested.
- Lunch on Monday can consist of cabbage soup in meat broth and boiled chicken. Be sure to add fiber-rich vegetables. As a drink - compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can enjoy a fruit salad and unsweetened biscuits.
- For dinner, it is recommended to prepare an omelette, vegetable salad and tea. With proper nutrition, you can forget about the rule that states that you cannot eat after 18. 00 hours. But the last dose should be no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Tuesday
The menu on the second day is compiled according to the same principles as on Monday. Breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates, but porridge should be prepared in a different way. Tuesday's diet might look like this:
- For breakfast, it is recommended to cook buckwheat porridge. It can be supplemented with vegetables and tea.
- For a second breakfast, you can eat yogurt and an apple.
- Lunch always consists of a first and second course. On Tuesday, you can prepare buckwheat soup as the first, and fish cutlets and mashed potatoes as the second. As a drink - dried fruit compote.
- The afternoon snack includes cottage cheese, toast and cocoa.
- For dinner, you can eat boiled chicken fillet with vegetables and drink tea.
Wednesday
You can eat more than porridge for breakfast. For example, an omelet would be a good option. This is what is suggested to be eaten on the third day. In general, the menu for Wednesday can be compiled as follows:
- For breakfast, a person who is losing weight eats an omelette, toast and a vegetable salad. He chooses tea as his drink.
- The second breakfast involves eating yogurt and toast.
- For lunch, you can prepare fish soup and boiled beef with a side dish of vegetables. You should not forget about the drink, natural juice can play its role.
- For an afternoon snack, you can safely eat yogurt and cottage cheese.
- For dinner, it is recommended to cook meat and complement it with a side dish of rice. You should also serve this dish with a vegetable salad. Tea can be used as a beverage.
Thursday
One of the principles of proper nutrition is variety. You should not eat the same meals every day. The menu is made in such a way that the options are not repeated. So, on Thursday it is recommended to eat according to the following scheme:
- For breakfast, you can prepare rice porridge and season it with dried fruits. Drink coffee as a beverage.
- The second breakfast can include a banana and kefir.
- For lunch, you can make soup with cereals. As a second course, you should choose grilled fish, complemented by a side dish of rice. Salad, for example, vinaigrette, will not be superfluous. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, experts advise to eat cottage cheese with sour cream and dried fruits.
- An excellent option for dinner is roast meat with vegetables. You can supplement it with yogurt to drink.
Friday
The diet on Friday does not differ much from all previous days, because it is composed according to the same principles. The menu might look like this:
- For breakfast, one eats oatmeal and fruit and drinks coffee.
- For a second breakfast, you can eat biscuits, washing them down with juice.
- You can prepare vegetable soup as a first course for lunch. The second course can be goulash with a garnish of baked or boiled potatoes. In addition, lunch should include a vegetable salad. The drink is juice.
- Fruits in the form of a salad and yogurt are recommended for an afternoon snack.
- Dinner - vegetable stew, ham, tea.
Weekend
Some people think that on days off they can afford to deviate from their diet and eat unhealthy foods that were not present in the diet on other days. This opinion is wrong, because such an action can cancel all the benefits of the previous menu. Of course, sometimes you can afford something not particularly useful, but in small quantities. Heavy food can be consumed on holidays, but not every weekend.
The menu for Saturday in the mode of proper nutrition may look like this:
- Breakfast includes oatmeal and a baked apple. As a drink, you should use tea without sugar.
- Second breakfast – yogurt and banana.
- For lunch, you can prepare chicken soup with vegetables. Experts recommend choosing fish as a second course. Salad - vinaigrette. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can eat yogurt and add nuts to it. You can opt for dried fruits instead.
- For dinner, a great option would be ham and vegetable stew. The drink is tea.
On Sundays you can treat yourself to cottage cheese for breakfast. It should be seasoned with honey. You can also eat toast with tea. For a second breakfast, you can choose yogurt and biscuits. Lunch consists of borscht, chicken cutlet with buckwheat, compote. An excellent option for an afternoon snack, as usual, will be cottage cheese with the addition of dried fruits. For dinner, it is recommended to eat boiled beef and vegetable salad.