Many people have decided on being healthier in their New Year’s resolutions. This is very understandable — who wouldn’t aim to be healthier these days? With the pandemic far from over, everyone needs to keep up their game and stay healthy to fight any illnesses.
One way to ensure that you are healthy is by putting nutritious food in your body. As they say, you are what you eat. Making an intelligent choice on your meals is essential to support health and provide energy for your daily activities. Nutritious food need not mean eating tasteless meals. You can eat delicious meals that your body will thank you for.
Breakfast is vital, as it is your first meal of the day.
Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast,” since it will be your first meal after a long sleep. Making a good breakfast choice will help you make good choices throughout your day because it will prevent you from being too hungry and binge eating whatever food you crave or see.
However, some people get too busy in the morning to have breakfast. Lunch becomes their first meal of the day. On the other hand, some prepare a big meal that will serve as both their breakfast and lunch.
Whatever the case is, the tip is to have a balanced meal to ensure you get the nutrients you need. It should contain one of each of the following:
- Fiber-rich carbohydrate source – Carbohydrates give us fuel for the day ahead and provide us energy.
- Protein source – Protein helps repair and build our muscles. It also facilitates metabolic reactions and improves immune functions.
- Fruits and vegetables – These are valuable sources of vitamins and minerals. It can also lower your risk of different diseases and health problems.
Here are some delicious and healthy meals that can work well for breakfast or lunch.
1. Oatmeal
Overnight oats are a classic quick meal that is loaded with nutrients. Combine your cup of oats with almond milk, chia seeds, and cinnamon. Let it sit in the fridge and add healthy berries in the morning.
If you want to experiment with your oats, you can add some egg whites while cooking them. Stir continuously as the eggs cook, then add your berries, a little almond butter, and a splash of maple syrup once everything is cooked.
2. Pancakes
Pancakes are a staple breakfast or lunch food that is easy to prepare. It’s good that you can easily pair pancakes with other food to have a balanced meal. Add some egg or even a homemade burger patty on the side for your protein source. Then juice up on some fruits and veggies to complete the meal.
3. Eggs
You can come up with a lot of meals with eggs. You can prepare a rice bowl with scrambled eggs and some tuna or chicken. Side it up with some salad for your veggie needs. If you are not into rice, you can opt for whole-grain bread as your carbs.
4. Pasta
Although pasta may be an unusual meal for breakfast, there are benefits of eating it in the morning. Pasta, especially whole-grain, is healthy for every meal.
It can even fight diseases and trim down your waist, which can help you lose weight apart from burning calories during periods. Add breakfast-friendly ingredients such as eggs, smoked salmon, yogurt, cheese, vegetables, and nuts to make the pasta meal more appealing to eat in the morning or early lunchtime.
5. Soup
Soup is simple to cook, yet very filling. Choose the kind of soup that you prefer — you may add different vegetables and meat to it for a tasty meal. You can even add the leftovers from your fridge to the soup.
Some famous soups are pumpkin soup, chicken soup, tomato soup, clam chowder, cream of mushroom soup, miso soup, and pho.
6. Salad
Breakfast salads are a thing now. It’s an excellent way to start your day with its nutrients which not only energize you, but can boost your mood, productivity, and digestion. You may also eat it in the morning or as your lunch.
How to make one? First, choose your leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Leafy greens include kale, spinach, bok choy, turnip greens, beet greens, romaine lettuce, and arugula. Some cruciferous vegetables are broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
Then, add your protein source, which can be animal-based or plant-based. The animal-based source would be seafood, eggs, meat, and cheese. Add tofu, beans, nuts, seeds, or quinoa if you prefer plant-based protein.
Put in either croutons, crackers, grains, or potatoes for your carbohydrate needs, then your plant oils for an added healthy fat. Homemade dressings using plant oils like olive, avocado, or seed oils are healthier options than the dressings that can be bought in supermarkets.
You can choose from many meals for your breakfast and lunch. What’s essential is to keep it a balanced meal to ensure that it is delicious and healthy.
Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash
