Looking for tips on great foods

kebrondl

Any advice on food and great things to eat that are easy to prepare and healthy?

kommodevaran

No single foods are healthy. You eat healthily when you get in enough of all the nutrients you need every day, and not too many calories over time. You can eat what you like.
What's easy to prepare is going to be subjective.

diannethegeek

Let's see. This week I bought:
Coffee
Greek yogurt
Baby carrots
Chopped salad kits
Cherries
Watermelon
Cream cheese
String cheese
Hummus
Frozen peas
Frozen green bean mix
Cheddarwurst
Protein bars
Bread
Pinto beans
Popsicles
And gatorade.

The possibilities are endless. We could end up listing every food out there. Just start playing around with recipes and foods you like until you get there.

amusedmonkey

Foods aren't healthy out of context, combination and variety are. What I like to do is think of an ingredient I want to have, then search for recipes that have it. More often than not, what I find is a collection of recipes that I can use or adapt to my calories if they look too high in calories.

Another way I go about it is by using a "pantry search" website (such as supercook) where you get to list some ingredients you already have or want and it suggests recipes that you can prepare without having to buy many or any new ingredients. This particular website also asks you if you have certain ingredients and you can quick-add them without having to go through the whole list. It's so convenient when I don't feel like grocery shopping. They also offer filtering, and one of these filters is "quick and easy", plus you get to pick the main ingredient of the dish. Very handy.

kebrondl

Thanks, this is helpful.

amusedmonkey

You may also like Eat This Much, a website that helps you formulate a meal plan that fits your calories.

kebrondl

Thanks so much

mjrc2

I can talk healthy foods all day. Beans and legumes are great and inexpensive. Toss them with brown rice and veggies. I like to take canned chickpeas, rinse and drain them, toss with a little EVOO and whatever spices I am in the mood for and roast em in the oven till they're crispy. I do the same with dried lentils-except I cook them in stock first. It makes a nice snack. I eat a ton of greens, cooked and raw. I find salad greens a little boring, I eat something called spicy mustard greens. They are not for the faint of heart-if you like the flavor of wasabi, you would like these greens. I do not know where you can buy them-I grow them every summer. Beet greens and chard are also my greens go-to. I encourage people to step out of their comfort zone, and eat new things.

lantana411

I stay clear of processed foods. I avoid high fat foods like cheese and some luncheon meats. I avoid sauces because they are typically filled with sugar/salt/fat. I choose foods that are real and not manipulated. I love the taste of real food. I drink Pellegrino and not sugary,artificially flavored/colored drinks. When I go out to eat I order food that is easy to edit - like the Mexican place we visit makes a great salad - I order it with extra veggies and no dressing or cheese so I avoid calorically dense additions.

So far I've lost 75 pounds and I enjoy my every meal. As I've learned, it works when you work it... Best of success to you!

RaeBeeBaby

Check out the recipes thread here on this site for some great ideas.

I do a lot of food prep (mostly on the weekend) so I have options. I make a large pot of grain (rice, quinoa, millet or a combo) and usually some type of meat like chicken breast or lean ground beef. I always have canned beans on hand if I don't have time to make them from dried. I'll spend a little time preparing different veggies and keeping them in containers or ziploc bags. I also make hardboiled eggs a couple times a week.

Once you have those things available you can make all kinds of things. Rice and veggie bowls, big salads, tacos.

Foods I almost always have on hand:

Tons of veggies - peppers, onions, cukes, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, celery, mushrooms
Fruit - grapes, bananas, apples, mangos, berries
Salad mixes or romaine
Eggs (lots of eggs)
Cottage cheese
Yogurt
Salsa
Peanut butter

@mjrc2 - those spicy mustard greens sound enticing! I will have to try growing some next summer. I pick dandelion greens out of my yard and eat them all the time. Some people find them bitter, but I like the taste and I know they're super healthy.

lantana411

Your posts remind me of the international grocery we visit each week - we eat Chinese mustard greens, yu choy, Thai basil, snow pea tips, chive blossoms, jackfruit (and boiled seeds that taste like chestnuts), each week. I shake up our food with spices - like roasting granny smith apples sprinkled with Chinese 5 star spice or lamb shoulder chops with fresh oregano and fresh-squeezed lime juice. When we go to the Chinese restaurant we order steamed greens and steamed lobsters. I don't believe in suffering - I believe in enjoying each meal!

mjrc2

YAY FOODIES!
@lantana411 You are so lucky to have access to jackfruit, I have always wanted to try it! I will certainly try the 5 star spice with roasted apples, yum!
@RaeBeeBaby I used to do the same thing every week, until I returned to school,now I have to be a little more creative-get back on track...