I like to think I have a fairly balanced diet. It is by no means perfect but I do try to think about what I am eating and make a conscious effort with my choices. I thought I would write a few tips about healthy food and where to start with it all if you are feeling a little overwhelmed. Even if you are doing a few of these things each day to improve, that is a positive!
Start the day right…
Never skip breakfast, it is the most important meal of the day! For me, breakfast is so exciting and I love making my food look pretty by sprinkling fruit, nuts and seeds on granola, yogurt, smoothie bowls…. The list is endless for breakfast. There are so many ideas on Pinterest so why not discover some new favourite. Sometimes I look at menus of my favourites cafes for inspiration of ideas. It is the perfect time to incorporate some fruit into your diet too. I make my own granola which is so yummy… and very healthy! You can find my cacao and nut Deluxe Granola Recipe and my Cranberry Coconut & Almond Granola on my blog. It really doesn’t take long to make and it is so satisfying to do!
Make food from scratch…
Homemade food is much more nutritious and in my opinion tastes so much better than ready prepared meals. Let’s face it though… who has the time to cook perfectly every single day? When I can, I tend to cook in batches and freeze and other portions for another day. Not only am I still eating well but it is like having the beauty of a ready meal without the guilt. Try to find your staple dishes that you can just cook effortlessly like Spaghetti Bolognese and then it won’t seem as daunting. I even freeze the cooked pasta and so you don’t even need to cook that the second time either! If you like to cook like I do then making different things each week will be exciting. I tend to cook a lot some weeks and then use up the frozen meals on busy weeks.
Get excited about your food storage…
Storing your food in an aesthetically pleasing manner can really inspire you to want to eat healthily. I love putting my oats and powders in jars and adding my own tag labels. Getting some healthy superfoods such as cacao nibs and baobab powder can also sweeten your desserts without eating any refined sugars. I love to use date syrup on my yogurt!
Try to limit your refined sugar intake…
Over the last few years I have really tried to limit my refined sugar intake. Before, I would eat more chocolate and ice cream but now I try to have more raw chocolate with natural sweeteners and yogurt for dessert. I also love natural sugars found in fruit, also they are best to eat with a meal to keep the dentist happy. I have found subscribing to SourcedBox has really helped me discover better snack choices too.
Treat yourself to some healthy cookbooks for inspiration…
There are some great books out there and my favourites being my Eat Smart book by Niomi Smart and my Happy Salads book by Leon. Madeleine Shaw and Naturally Sassy also have amazing books that I would like to own also… but I already have a lot of cookbooks! I love browsing the recipes for new and exciting ideas.
Make a meal plan…
Me and my boyfriend always make a meal plan and that means that we know exactly what to buy for our weekly shop. We will often have a few top up shops in the week for things like fruit and milk (fresh fruit is less likely to sit in the fridge going off) but we try to think about our weekly meals. It is so tempting to buy a quick but not necessarily healthy meal from the supermarket if you don’t plan. I also hate wasting food so even if I am tempted to go for an unhealthier option, I wouldn’t want to be careless with money so I don’t.
Always look at healthier options but don’t deprive yourself of things…
Yes, eat healthy but don’t deprive yourself of things because you will end up craving them. Everyone deserves a slice of cake on their birthday after all! Little portions are best for treats. You can also find healthier treats like raw chocolate that taste just as good if not better than the refined sugar packed versions. Lots of supermarkets sell reduced sugar items now. We often save ice cream and chocolate to the weekend now.
I hope you found these tips useful! What do you do to stay healthy?
