How to add variety to healthy eating?

ctooch99

OK, so don't flame me - I know there are tons of great things to eat for health and fitness - I am just curious how people vary their menus and foods to keep eating healthy while enjoying variety and new tastes? After all, eating is one of the best things in life.

I am a creature of habit - I find something I like and I eat it until I hate it. And I am worried about doing that with some of the healthy things that are important in my diet.

So for example - I LOVE oatmeal and I have been eating it 4-5 times per week for breakfast. I am stuck on what I can do to vary things so that I will still love oatmeal and not get sick of it. I do eat egg whites once or twice week with whole wheat toast, but I am looking for other ideas (not just for this but for all meals).

Anyone have any "variety" trick they use to keep their healthy diets new and interesting?

Thanks!

Emily_Katherine

My overall strategy for variety is to repeat things within a week, but switch it up the next week. I plan dinners and work lunches weekly for my husband and I and have found that a fairly specific set of criteria helps me to try new things. When I plan my week of meals I make sure to include 2 meals of seafood (at least one high in omega-3s) and at least one that is meatless. Then I will figure out how I can use leftovers to make sure nothing goes to waste. This means that sometimes items repeat within the week, like the ham, halibut and pitas this week:

Saturday - Steak, Salad, Sweet Potatoes

Sunday - Slow Cooker Ham, BBQ Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday - Dinner: Pasta with Asparagus, Parm, Egg Lunch: Ham and Cheese Wraps, Salad

Tuesday - Dinner: Grilled Halibut Steaks, Hashbrowns, Green Beans Lunch: Out

Wednesday - Dinner: Ham & Pineapple Pita Pizzas, Salad Lunch: Ham and Cheese Wraps, Salad

Thursday - Dinner: Asparagus and Halibut Salad, Pita Lunch: Leftover Naan Pizzas, Salad

Friday - Dinner: Birthday Dinner, Lunch: Team Lunch at work

I also try to switch up elements like the salad greens (this week, spinach!) or the raw fruits and veggies that accompany my lunch. Next week, my no-meat meal is pancakes and fruit and the two fish meals are Smoked Salmon grilled cheese and BBQ Trout, with the leftover trout served over spring mix salad for lunch one day. I try to mix up the variety of snack foods, types of cereals, and yogurt I buy as well. Keeping an eye on sales on packaged foods and what is in season in terms of produce will naturally keep things varied, too.

AllTehBeers

My favorite thing to do is cook my favorite fast food meals.

Burgers - Low fat ground beef or turkey meat
Tacos - ^ same,
Fajitas - Chicken and lots of peppers and onions
Pizza - Wheat crust, no meat, lots of veggies

This helps my cravings for the "naughty" foods but is a much healthier alternative.

ctooch99

My overall strategy for variety is to repeat things within a week, but switch it up the next week. I plan dinners and work lunches weekly for my husband and I and have found that a fairly specific set of criteria helps me to try new things. When I plan my week of meals I make sure to include 2 meals of seafood (at least one high in omega-3s) and at least one that is meatless. Then I will figure out how I can use leftovers to make sure nothing goes to waste. This means that sometimes items repeat within the week, like the ham, halibut and pitas this week:

Saturday - Steak, Salad, Sweet Potatoes

Sunday - Slow Cooker Ham, BBQ Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday - Dinner: Pasta with Asparagus, Parm, Egg Lunch: Ham and Cheese Wraps, Salad

Tuesday - Dinner: Grilled Halibut Steaks, Hashbrowns, Green Beans Lunch: Out

Wednesday - Dinner: Ham & Pineapple Pita Pizzas, Salad Lunch: Ham and Cheese Wraps, Salad

Thursday - Dinner: Asparagus and Halibut Salad, Pita Lunch: Leftover Naan Pizzas, Salad

Friday - Dinner: Birthday Dinner, Lunch: Team Lunch at work

I also try to switch up elements like the salad greens (this week, spinach!) or the raw fruits and veggies that accompany my lunch. Next week, my no-meat meal is pancakes and fruit and the two fish meals are Smoked Salmon grilled cheese and BBQ Trout, with the leftover trout served over spring mix salad for lunch one day. I try to mix up the variety of snack foods, types of cereals, and yogurt I buy as well. Keeping an eye on sales on packaged foods and what is in season in terms of produce will naturally keep things varied, too.

Awesome information - thanks for sharing! PS - I like fish alot - but I am not big on "fishy" fish - how does halibut taste?