You have heard that breakfast is the most important meal as it helps to provide fuel for your body and brain as your day starts out, plus it helps to get your metabolism going and helps to maintain a healthy weight. Lunch follows in suit as it continues to provide your body with nutrients to keep you moving and to feed your brain. Well what about dinner? Does it carry as much weight as the previous meals?
Dinner IS just as important! The main reason we NEED to eat healthy food is to provide our body with energy and essential nutrients so that our body can continue to do all that it does throughout the day – think, fight disease, metabolize, filter waste from our blood, breathe, move, etc.
Dinner should be, at least, your third or fourth meal of the day. (If you work night shift, you might be eating "dinner" type foods as your first meal, but you should still be eating 3-6 times per day, including healthy snacks). If you can squeeze in a snack between breakfast and lunch and another one between lunch and dinner, you will be more able to eat a lighter dinner and still feel satisfied. It’s important to keep your dinner portions small so that you do not end up storing leftover calories and feeling too full to continue your day. For more ideas, visit healthy snacks. If you find that you are physically hungry again after dinner and before bed, allow yourself a light snack, but keep in mind that it’s best to choose a healthy one, like fresh fruit or raw, crunchy veggies.
Try to eat several (5-6) small meals throughout your entire day. This helps to spread out your calories to avoid consuming too much food at any one time, which often leads to weight gain and can cause you to feel lethargic and in need of a nap. Recent blog posts have provided ideas and examples of healthy breakfasts and lunches to get you through the first half of your day, regardless of what time your day starts. This post will help you to be mindful of what a healthy dinner looks like and ways you can prepare one for you and your family. Don’t worry, a “healthy desserts” post will follow!
As any other meal in your day, dinner should be balanced and contain foods from multiple food groups. The more food groups you include, the bigger the benefit. Fruits and veggies provide essential vitamins; whole grains provide fiber for digestive and heart health; lean protein provides your body with strength; and good fats also contribute to heart health.
Healthy Dinner Ideas
1. Grilled/baked chicken breast, a steamed vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, green beans), ½ of a baked sweet potato, and a slice of whole grain bread
2. Vegetable pot pie (see recipe below)
3. Vegetarian chili (the beans provide all the protein you need!)
4. Whole wheat spaghetti with tomato sauce - add lean ground turkey and sautéed vegetables
5. Tacos using lean ground turkey, skim cheese, plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, romaine lettuce and salsa or other veggies like peppers and onions
6. Minestrone soup with whole grain bread
7. Grilled/baked salmon, wild rice, and a steamed vegetable
9. Sautéed turkey sausage, onions, and peppers on whole wheat rolls
Enjoy healthy eating and find peace and content in knowing that you are providing for your body so that it can best provide for you – good health!
Veggie Pot Pie
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large carrots, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch wide
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pie crusts
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Cook onions, mushrooms, and garlic in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in carrots, potatoes, and celery. Stir in cauliflower, green beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, soy sauce, and 1/4 cup water until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables, and cook until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
4. Roll out 1 pie crust to line an 11x7 inch baking dish. Pour the filling into the pastry lined dish. Roll out remaining pie crust, arrange over the filling, and seal and flute the edges.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust is brown. Serves 6. Enjoy!
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