It’s hard balancing the need for your family to eat healthily and the convenience of takeout. Fortunately, you can make quick and easy meals to help keep everyone healthy and happy.
What are the benefits of eating healthy?
It may be possible to prevent up to 80% of premature heart disease and stroke diagnoses with lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity and healthful eating. Since heart disease is the number one causes of death that is a reason alone should encourage you to eat healthy.
few heart healthy tips:
eating plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grainschoosing fat-free or low fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oilslimiting saturated and trans fat intake, such as fatty meats and full-fat dairy productslimiting drinks and foods that contain added sugars
Following are a few ideas to help support a healthy diet:
Peanut Butter Toast
Most families are in a hurry in the morning, so it’s hard for parents to make a nutritious breakfast for their kids before they rush out the door. That’s what makes peanut butter toast so convenient. Try different variations such as adding fruit, granola, coconut flakes, or chia seed jam so your family doesn’t get bored. The whole-grain bread offers fiber, the peanut butter provides a burst of protein, and a topping of different fruits adds extra nutrients. Check out the Lifesum app or website for other great energy-boosting options to add to your peanut butter toast or other meals.
Breakfast Smoothies
Breakfast smoothies are convenient and easy. It’s also easy to add a lot of nutritious foods without sacrificing taste. Even the pickiest eaters won’t notice if you throw some spinach or a little kale into the smoothie. You can create delicious concoctions and use natural energy boosters like Maca and protein supplements. These smoothies provide a healthy breakfast packed with vitamins and minerals and will keep your family full until lunch.
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are full of vitamins A and C plus magnesium. You also get iron, riboflavin, vitamin E and vitamin K in this vitamin-packed food. Turn a sweet potato into a healthy lunch by stuffing it with chicken-chorizo sausage and feta cheese. You can also have a Thanksgiving-themed sweet potato by stuffing it with cranberries and turkey. The flavor of sweet potatoes compliments a variety of sweet and salty foods, so use your imagination to create a healthy and filling lunch.
Caprese Salad Remix
Salads almost always have tons of health benefits, but unfortunately, it’s easy to turn a salad into a high-calorie, high-fat meal thanks to the dressing. Caprese salad is typically topped with a balsamic dressing that doesn’t add high calories like creamy dressings do. The fresh mozzarella and basil are hard to resist, but Caprese salad alone typically isn’t that filling. Remix this traditional Italian salad by adding protein options like chicken, avocado, prosciutto, or pine nuts. These proteins compliment the flavor of the salad and help you stay full longer.
Spinach and Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas are surprisingly easy to make. The store-bought sauce is high in sodium; “make your own” and freeze it so it’s available anytime you want to make this tasty Mexican meal. Enchiladas can be nutritious if you go light on the cheese and toss in vegetables like spinach and corn. You can add chicken for added protein or stick to veggie enchiladas and add black beans for fiber and protein. You can also make a casserole instead with the superfood quinoa as the base and skip the flour tortillas.
You don’t have to waste the whole day making healthy meals for your family. With these quick and easy meals, you will be surprised how easy it is to make healthy meals that your family will love.
The post 5 Quick and Easy Healthy Meals You Can Make for Your Family Today appeared first on Alternative Medicine Magazine.
