Proper nutrition is a balanced diet, healthy foods and a varied menu. What is the best way to create a menu for a healthy diet? How to make it interesting?
Proper nutrition: the secrets
What should be the right food? Healthy and delicious! It is important to combine these two components.
First of all, the diet should be balanced. This means, the menu should have enough proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other valuable substances. And from this follows another rule: the menu should be varied. You can't just eat vegetables or grains. Then the body will not get everything it needs. Products must be fresh. Don't forget about calories. You should choose a daily rate and stick to it.
Proper nutrition includes reducing sugar and salt consumption. Therefore, instead of salt, you should add lemon juice, spices, onions, garlic and fresh herbs to your dishes. As for sugar, you should use more fruits, dried fruits and berries. They can easily replace a harmful product.
You can't go hungry, because proper food should be satisfying. But at the same time, overeating is prohibited. Portions should be small. You should eat little, but often. It is better if there are three main meals and 2-3 snacks.
Healthy lifestyle: healthy and varied menu
Proper nutrition is part of a healthy lifestyle. Of course, a healthy lifestyle includes not only nutrition, but also giving up bad habits, sports and proper daily routine. However, food plays an important role in life.
How to create a menu correctly? You should consider all the secrets of proper nutrition, remembering your preferences. You can't cook food you don't like, even if it's healthy. This will destroy everything and delay the transition to a healthy lifestyle.
Here is an example of a healthy eating menu for the week.
1 day:
- breakfast: rice porridge with pumpkin and pear, yogurt, green tea;
- snack: fruit smoothie (apple, banana, yogurt, blueberry);
- lunch: vegetarian cabbage soup, baked sea bass, salad with peppers and tomatoes, dried fruit compote;
- afternoon snack: cottage cheese with fennel;
- in the evening: vegetable stew (zucchini, carrot, onion, eggplant, tomato), a piece of boiled chicken, a slice of bread, kefir.
Day 2:
- breakfast: omelet with tomatoes and sweet peppers, bread, apple, black tea;
- snack: a handful of nuts;
- lunch: buckwheat soup with vegetables, beef with boiled vegetables, cranberry juice;
- afternoon snack: yogurt, four apricots;
- dinner: salad and boiled fish, baked fermented milk.
Day 3:
- in the morning: cottage cheese with cinnamon and apple, cocoa;
- snack: sandwich with cheese, parsley, tomato, freshly squeezed orange juice;
- lunch: beetroot soup, two chicken cutlets with fennel, celery salad with sour cream, compote with raspberries, apples and pears;
- afternoon snack: a handful of nuts and dried fruits;
- evening: corn porridge with boiled carrots and fennel, yogurt.
Day 4:
- breakfast: oatmeal with nuts and bananas, 100 ml yogurt, rose infusion;
- snack: fruit salad (kiwi, peach, melon slices);
- lunch: pickle sauce, vinaigrette, bread, carrot juice;
- afternoon snack: cheese, toast, cocoa;
- dinner: meat rolls with broccoli and sweet peppers, tea with lemon balm.
Day 5:
- in the morning: three cheeses, a branch of grapes;
- snack: boiled egg, cucumber, bread;
- lunch: fish soup, two slices of boiled beef, salad with Chinese cabbage, celery stalks and carrots, bread, grapefruit juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit and berry salad with strawberries, kiwi, pineapple;
- evening: baked fish with vegetables, kefir.
Day 6:
- breakfast: sandwich with boiled beef, sweet pepper and basil, coffee;
- snack: three curds with natural yogurt;
- lunch: mushroom soup, eggplant rolls with nuts and herbs, blackberry juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit;
- dinner: rice with seafood and vegetables, kefir with cinnamon.
Day 7:
- breakfast: rice porridge with apricot milk, fruit juice;
- snack: salad with celery stalks, fennel and herbs;
- lunch: chicken broth, pieces of beef, boiled cauliflower and green beans, ginger tea;
- afternoon snack: some oatmeal cookies, cocoa;
- in the evening: chicken liver pancakes, bread, tomato and cucumber salad, baked fermented milk.
As you can see, a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are not a reason to give up delicious dishes.
Recipes for the right food
You can find many interesting recipes. We offer delicious recipes for every day of the week.
Here are some delicious options for breakfast.
Healthy sandwich
A slice of rye bread, a piece of cottage cheese, a circle of tomato, a sprig of basil.
Oatmeal with fruit
Cut the pear, sprinkle with sugar and heat. Cook oats, add pears.
Milk porridge
Cook rice in milk. At the end add some cinnamon and vanilla.
Here are the recipes for lunch.
Pumpkin soup
Cut 500 g of pumpkin, red onion, carrots, add water. Cook until done. At the end, add salt, add the spices and beat them with a blender.
Noodle soup
Cut the carrots, onions, peppers, celery. Pour in water and cook for twenty minutes. Add salt and pepper. Mix 100 g of finely grated cheese, an egg and some flour. Form noodles. Place one at a time in the soup. Cook another 5-7 minutes.
Chicken rolls
Cut the chicken fillet lengthwise, beat, salt and pepper. Place pre-boiled broccoli florets, cheese, wrap and bake.
Dill salad
Thinly slice a dill tuber, half a red onion, a bell pepper and basil. Season with vegetable oil and lemon juice.
And dinner plates.
Baked fish
Season the fish with salt and pepper and place it on a metal sheet. Place each vegetable close by. Cover with foil and bake for half an hour.
Hearty salad
Boil half of the chicken breast, chop finely. Dice the onion, the two tomatoes and the pepper. Season with salt and vegetable oil.
Dice the celery root, carrots, onions, Jerusalem artichoke and turnips. Boil for fifteen minutes, add salt, oregano, boil until soft.
Other recipes will work as well. You just have to use your imagination and don't forget about healthy products.
Eating right: 10 healthy recipes for breakfast
Today we propose to divide humanity into those who do not eat breakfast and those who start the day with breakfast. And also for those who eat anything for breakfast, and those who know a lot about proper breakfasts. With the help of tips and recipes from MedAboutMe, you can easily switch from the first category to the second. And it will be right.
Why is breakfast important?
Scientists have already answered this question, after studying the question up and down.
Those who choose not a cup of coffee on the run, but a normal, healthy, proper breakfast, control their weight better, follow nutritional recommendations better and generally eat more rationally. On average, they have better cardiometabolic risk scores and perform better on tests that measure attention and cognitive function. Some studies have also shown that skipping breakfast causes a person to expend less energy throughout the day, reducing physical activity.
By starting the day with breakfast, we give ourselves energy for fruitful activities in all aspects. Those who want to lose extra pounds should not forget breakfast, as the body will try to compensate for the calories lost in the morning in the late afternoon. But we all remember how harmful it is to overeat at night, right?
The right breakfast: what is it?
In addition to the fact that breakfast should be, it should also be correct, that is, it should contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the optimal ratio.
You should get at least 25g of protein with your breakfast. Fats and carbohydrates should also not be avoided, but the latter should be represented by so-called "complex carbohydrates" that do not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose levels. For example, a good combination would be a serving of oatmeal with fruit instead of sugar, eggs and a vegetable salad. The total caloric content of breakfast should be between 400-500 calories. This will provide enough energy for active work.
10 simple recipes: a healthy breakfast for everyone
Oatmeal with berries and yogurt
You can cook it in the morning or in the evening the day before, and in the morning just heat it in the microwave. Add a small cup of 2% fat Greek yogurt and a handful of berries or fruit, fresh or frozen. These can be: black currants, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or blueberries, cherries, plums; pieces of apple, pineapple or banana, melon, kiwi or papaya. Simply by replacing one fruit with another, you can change the taste almost infinitely.
Oatmeal with cheese and vegetables
Who said you can't add grated cheese to oatmeal? That's right, nobody. Therefore, add it for your health, it will enrich the taste of the porridge and provide the proteins that the body needs so much. 25-30 g of cheese is enough for one portion of oatmeal. This morning you can top it off with sliced cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes.
A cup of green tea with plant-based milk will complete your morning.
By the way, tea and coffee in the morning are not prohibited at all. Just don't add sugar or too much heavy cream to your cup. You can also make smoothies using pre-made green tea.
Buckwheat porridge with chicken and sweet pepper
Buckwheat with a piece of chicken breast and sliced sweet pepper will fill you up without weighing you down and give you a good supply of energy. Buckwheat is generally one of the healthiest foods. Do not forget about it.
Buckwheat porridge with yogurt and fruits/berries
Pour natural yogurt over cooked buckwheat in the evening, add a handful of blackberries or sliced bananas. A hearty and healthy breakfast is ready.
Zucchini fry
Cooking is simple and fast. For one serving for one person, it is enough to grate a medium zucchini on a coarse grater and squeeze out the released juice. Add an egg and 1-2 tablespoons of cereal flour (rye or wheat). The amount of flour depends on how well you squeeze the excess juice from the zucchini. A little sea salt, vegetable seasoning. Fry in an almost dry pan so that the pancakes do not absorb excess fat. Serve with yogurt or sour cream. You can sprinkle it with herbs or shredded cheese.
By the way, exactly the same pancakes can be made from apples. Try it, it's very tasty!
Pita with vegetables and chicken breast
Pita can be filled with anything in the fridge: lettuce or cabbage, cucumber, cut into strips, celery, cherries or tomatoes. Add a few slices of baked or simply boiled chicken breast, two spoons of yogurt - and get a hearty and healthy breakfast.
Salmon toast
Take a few thin slices of whole grain bread and toast them lightly in a toaster or oven. Spread them with cream cheese and put slices of smoked salmon and lettuce on top. You can add some olives or black olives, just not too salty. Salmon fish is a source of valuable Omega-3 fatty acids.
But if you don't have salmon, you can easily substitute canned tuna.
Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and sweet peppers
A very tasty and satisfying dish. It is simply impossible to cook.
Wash and slice a medium or several small tomatoes. Wash, remove the seeds and cut into slices or cubes a sweet pepper. Fry the prepared vegetables on medium heat in a small amount of oil. Lightly beat two eggs with sea salt, pour over the tomatoes and peppers, sprinkle with chopped herbs, cover with a lid and cook for a few minutes.
If you add a spoonful of yogurt or milk to the eggs, the dish will have a more delicate taste. Adding a handful of grated cheese will make it richer in calories and the spices will enrich the taste to perfection.
Granola
Although you can buy it in the store, preparing it yourself can be of much higher quality, because you will know exactly what is included in its composition and you will not use any preservatives, dyes or flavor enhancers. This is not difficult to do. Granola prepared on the weekend will serve as an excellent addition to various breakfasts for a week or two.
To prepare, you will need 1 package of the most common oat flakes without any additives. Add 150-200 g of each nut, 100 g of berries or dried fruits, 2-3 spoons of natural honey and 2 spoons of butter to the flakes. Usually they take olives, but it is quite possible to replace them with almonds, cedar, walnuts or sesame.
The flavor of the finished product will vary depending on the dried fruit and nuts you use. It can be walnuts with dried cranberries, for example, or the classic combination of hazelnuts with raisins and dried apricots, or cashews with dates and bananas, or gourmet almonds with dried cherries. Adding some dark chocolate and coconut flakes is also okay.
The well-mixed mass is placed in a pan and baked in a preheated oven at 150°C, mixing well every 5-8 minutes. After about 30 minutes, the granola will reach the desired state: it will become golden and crunchy. The cooled product can be placed in a tightly closed jar, in which it will be perfectly stored for 2-3 weeks.
Granola can be added to cottage cheese or yogurt, sprinkled on sandwiches spread with cream cheese, added to fruit salad and puddings.
Smoothies
The scope for variety is extremely large, because a blender or mixer allows you to create delicious, nutritious mixtures from a wide variety of ingredients.
Try starting, for example, with this: a glass of oat milk, a banana, a handful of blueberries (ice cream is good), 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. Beat with a blender. Everything.
Bonus: how many healthy breakfasts can be made using cottage cheese! Cheese pancakes with yogurt and berries, cottage cheese casserole, cottage cheese with chopped carrots and herbs, cottage cheese spread on crackers with canned tuna and herbs, etc.
Healthy eating program for a week
In general, a balanced and healthy diet can be quite varied, so it is quite possible to develop a menu with new dishes every day. We present an example of a menu for a week in accordance with all the recommendations given earlier:
| Day of the week | BREAKFAST | dinner | dinner |
| Monday | Oatmeal with dried fruit; 2/3 cup low-fat milk; fruit. | Vegetable salad (you can use, for example, olive oil as a dressing); a sandwich made with whole grain bread with herbs, broiled chicken breast and soft cheese; fruit. | Baked fish, vegetable salad as a side dish. |
| Tuesday | Whole wheat toast; cheese; boiled egg; fruit. | Salad with bulgur, chicken breast and cherry tomatoes (can be dressed with honey and Dijon mustard); fruit. | Whole grain pasta with tomatoes and dried herbs; Herbal tea. |
| Wednesday | Curd with honey; nuts; fresh juice. | Salmon, avocado and fennel sandwich on whole grain bread; natural yogurt. | Chicken fillet with roasted vegetables. |
| Thursday | Omelet with two eggs; tomatoes; cheese; small baked apple with honey and cinnamon. | Chicken soup with vegetables; salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, flax seeds with olive oil dressing. | Pita with lean beef, lettuce, sauce - natural yogurt, garlic and fennel. |
| Friday | Smoothie (banana, yogurt, vanilla); roll with salmon, avocado and cucumber. | Salad with roasted squash, spinach, feta cheese and lemon butter dressing; rye bread with lean bacon; fruit. | Steak with fresh stuff; baked apple with honey and cinnamon. |
| Saturday | Buckwheat with carrots and bell pepper; natural yogurt; fruit. | Couscous with carrots, onions, corn, peas. | Roasted beets; rye bread with soft goat cheese; olives. |
| Sunday | Cheesecakes with maple syrup; natural yogurt; fruit. | Soup with croutons and boiled eggs; tomato and mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing. | Bell peppers stuffed with brown rice and ground beef; cherry tomatoes with soft cheese and herbs to taste. |
It should be noted that when you include small foods in the diet, fruits and nuts will have to be removed from the main menu. In other words, the apple from breakfast is transferred to the afternoon snack. A similar system can be used in the opposite direction, adding snacks to the main meals - breakfast and lunch.
It is also important to remember that portions are calculated individually, based on age, health, lifestyle and daily calorie intake. Therefore, the serving size will differ between men and women.
How to make a healthy diet
Many people try to lose weight using different methods. It is important to stick to a specific diet for the process to be as effective as possible. Proper nutrition allows you to quickly lose extra pounds, but only if you adhere to its principles. It is necessary to create the right menu, which maintains a balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
What kind of food can be called correct?
Proper nutrition (sometimes called healthy) involves eating natural foods that only benefit the body. The diet of a person who plans to eat according to this principle should include dishes that contain the necessary amount of nutrients. We are talking about the following components:
It is necessary to count to ensure the daily requirement. It is also important to follow other rules that make eating correct. Thus, fast foods, processed foods, carbonated drinks and other harmful foods should not be included in your diet. It is also recommended to limit the amount of salt, exclude fried, steamed or boiled, boiled or baked foods. You should eat food at the same time every day.
How to create a menu for the week
The special thing about proper nutrition is that it does not mean following a strict menu. It should be compiled taking into account the characteristics of the person and his food preferences. The main thing is to follow the basic principles of combining products. We are talking about the following rules:
- breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates;
- dinner should contain a large amount of carbohydrates;
- Each meal should include foods that contain fiber (vegetables, fruits, bran);
- if you want to eat sweets, then this should be done only in the first half of the day;
- It is important that the calories are distributed correctly.
Typically, people who adhere to proper nutrition create a menu for the week in advance, and then simply prepare the dishes in accordance with it.
Monday
It is assumed that the daily nutrition menu includes five meals. On the first day of the week you can eat as follows:
- Prepare oatmeal for breakfast. It can be filled with any fruit. It is recommended to use tea or coffee as a drink.
- The second breakfast can include dried fruits and cottage cheese. You should not follow low-fat fermented milk products, believing that they are more favorable for weight loss. This opinion is wrong. Experts recommend eating fatty cottage cheese, as it is better absorbed.
- Monday lunch can consist of cabbage soup in broth and boiled chicken. Be sure to add fiber-rich vegetables. As a drink - compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can enjoy fruit salad and sugar-free crackers.
- For dinner it is suggested to prepare an omelette, vegetable salad and tea. With the right food, you can forget the rule that says you can't eat after 18. 00. But the last dose should be no later than 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Tuesday
The menu of the second day is compiled according to the same principles as on Monday. Breakfast should be rich in carbohydrates, but porridge should be prepared differently. Tuesday's diet might look something like this:
- For breakfast, it is suggested to cook porridge with buckwheat. It can be supplemented with vegetables and tea.
- For the second breakfast you can eat yogurt and an apple.
- Lunch always consists of a first and second course. On Tuesday, you can prepare buckwheat soup as the first, and fish cutlets and mashed potatoes as the second. As a drink - compote made from dried fruits.
- The afternoon snack includes cottage cheese, toast and cocoa.
- For dinner you can eat boiled chicken fillet with vegetables and drink tea.
Wednesday
You can eat more than just porridge for breakfast. For example, an omelet would be a good option. This is what is proposed to be eaten on the third day. In general, the menu for Wednesday can be compiled as follows:
- For breakfast, a person who loses weight eats an omelette, toast and vegetable salad. He chooses tea as his drink.
- The second breakfast includes eating yogurt and bread.
- For lunch you can prepare fish soup and boiled beef with a side dish of vegetables. You should also not forget the drink; natural juice can play its role.
- For an afternoon snack, you can safely eat yogurt and cottage cheese.
- For dinner, it is recommended to cook meat and complement it with a side dish of rice. You should also serve this dish with a vegetable salad. Tea can be used as a drink.
Thursday
One of the principles of proper nutrition is variety. You don't have to eat the same dishes every day. The menu is designed in such a way that the options are not repeated. So, on Thursday it is recommended to eat according to the following scheme:
- For breakfast, you can cook rice porridge and enjoy it with dry fruits. Drink coffee as a beverage.
- The second breakfast can include bananas and kefir.
- For lunch you can make soup with cereals. As a second course, you should choose baked fish, complemented by a side dish of rice. A salad, for example, a vinaigrette, would not be amiss. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, experts recommend eating cottage cheese with sour cream and dried fruit.
- An excellent option for dinner is roast beef with vegetables. You can fill it with yogurt.
Friday
Friday's diet is not particularly different from all previous days, because it is compiled according to the same principles. The menu might look like this:
- For breakfast, a person eats oatmeal and fruit and drinks coffee.
- For the second morning, you can eat cookies, washing them down with juice.
- You can prepare vegetable soup as a first course for lunch. The second course can be goulash with a side dish of baked or boiled potatoes. Also, lunch should include a vegetable salad. The drink is liquid.
- For an afternoon snack, it is recommended to eat fruit in the form of a salad and yogurt.
- Dinner - vegetable stew, ham, tea.
weekend
Some people believe that on the weekend they can allow themselves to deviate from their diet and eat unhealthy foods that were not present in the diet on other days. This opinion is wrong, since such an action can negate all the benefits of the previous menu. Of course, sometimes you can afford something that is not very useful, but in small quantities. Heavy meals can be consumed during holidays, but not every weekend.
The menu for Saturday in the right way of eating can look like this:
- Breakfast includes oatmeal and baked apples. As a drink, you should use tea without sugar.
- Second breakfast – yogurt and banana.
- For lunch you can prepare chicken soup with vegetables. Experts recommend choosing fish as a second dish. Salad - vinaigrette. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can eat yogurt and add nuts to it. You can choose dry fruits instead.
- For dinner, a great option would be stew with bacon and vegetables. The drink is tea.
On Sunday you can treat yourself to curd casserole for breakfast. It should be passed with honey. You can also have toast with tea. For the second breakfast you can choose yogurt and crackers. Lunch consists of borscht, chicken cutlets with buckwheat, compote. An excellent option for an afternoon snack, as usual, would be cottage cheese with the addition of dried fruits. For dinner, it is recommended to eat boiled beef and vegetable salad.