Proper nutrition is a balanced diet, healthy food and a varied menu. What is the best way to create a menu for a healthy diet? How to make it interesting?
Proper nutrition: secrets
What should a proper diet be? Healthy and delicious! It is important to combine these two components.
First of all, the diet must be balanced. That is, the menu should contain 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 receive everything it needs. The products must be fresh. Don't forget about calories. You must choose a daily norm and stick to it.
Proper nutrition means reducing the consumption of sugar and salt. Therefore, instead of salt, lemon juice, spices, onions, garlic and fresh herbs should be added to dishes. As for sugar, you should use more fruits, dried fruits and berries. They can easily replace a harmful product.
You can't be hungry, because proper nutrition should be satisfying. But at the same time, overeating is prohibited. Portions should be small. You must eat little, but often. It is best to have three main meals and 2-3 snacks.
Healthy lifestyle: a 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, playing sports and having a proper daily routine. However, nutrition plays an important role in life.
How to properly create a menu? You need to take into account all the secrets of proper nutrition, while remembering your preferences. You can't cook food you don't like, even if it's healthy. It will spoil everything and delay the transition to a healthy lifestyle.
Here is an example of a healthy eating menu for the week.
1 day:
- morning: 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 dill;
- in the evening: vegetable stew (zucchini, carrot, onion, eggplant, tomato), a piece of boiled chicken, a slice of bread, kefir.
Day 2:
- breakfast: omelette with tomatoes and sweet peppers, bread, apple, black tea;
- snack: a handful of nuts;
- lunch: buckwheat soup with vegetables, beef with stewed vegetables, cranberry juice;
- afternoon snack: yogurt, four apricots;
- dinner: salad and boiled fish, fermented baked 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 dill, celery salad with sour cream, raspberry, apple and pear compote;
- afternoon snack: a handful of nuts and dried fruit;
- evening: corn porridge with stewed carrots and dill, yogurt.
Day 4:
- breakfast: oatmeal with walnuts and banana, 100 ml of yogurt, rose hip infusion;
- snack: fruit salad (kiwi, peach, melon slice);
- lunch: pickle sauce, vinaigrette, bread, carrot juice;
- afternoon snack: cheese, toast, cocoa;
- dinner: meat rolls with broccoli and sweet pepper, tea with lemon balm.
Day 5:
- in the morning: three cheesecakes, a sprig of grapes;
- snack: boiled egg, cucumber, bread;
- lunch: fish soup, two slices of boiled beef, salad of Chinese cabbage, celery and carrots, bread, grapefruit juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit and berry salad of strawberries, kiwi, pineapple;
- evening: baked fish with vegetables, kefir.
Day 6:
- breakfast: sandwich with boiled veal, sweet pepper and basil, coffee;
- snack: three cottage cheese balls with natural yogurt;
- lunch: mushroom soup, eggplant rolls with nuts and herbs, cranberry juice;
- afternoon snack: fruit;
- dinner: rice with seafood and vegetables, kefir with cinnamon.
Day 7:
- morning: rice milk porridge with apricots, fruit juice;
- snack: salad of celery stalks, fennel and herbs;
- lunch: chicken broth, beef cutlet, boiled cauliflower and beans, ginger tea;
- afternoon snack: a couple of oatmeal cookies, cocoa;
- in the evening: chicken liver pancakes, bread, tomato and cucumber salad, fermented milk.
As you can see, a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition are no reason to give up delicious dishes.
Recipes for proper nutrition
You can come up with many interesting recipes. We offer delicious recipes for every day of the week.
Here are some options for a hearty breakfast.
A healthy sandwich
A slice of rye bread, a piece of cottage cheese, a circle of tomatoes, a sprig of basil.
Oatmeal with fruit
Slice the pear, sprinkle with sugar and heat. Cook oatmeal, add pears.
Milk porridge
Cook rice in milk. At the end, add a little cinnamon and vanilla.
Here are the recipes for lunch.
Pumpkin soup
Chop 500 g of pumpkin, red onion, carrot, add water. Cook until done. Finally, add salt, add spices and blend with a blender.
Dumpling soup
Chop the carrot, onion, pepper, celery. Pour water and cook for twenty minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix 100 g of finely grated cheese, an egg and a little flour. Form dumplings. Place one at a time into the soup. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.
Chicken rolls
Cut the chicken fillet lengthwise, beat it, add salt and pepper. Put pre-cooked broccoli florets, cheese, wrap and bake.
Fennel salad
Thinly slice a fennel bulb, half a red onion, one pepper and basil. Season with vegetable oil and lemon juice.
And dinnerware.
Baked fish
Salt and pepper the fish and place it on foil. Place vegetables nearby. Cover with foil and bake for half an hour.
Hearty salad
Boil half a chicken breast, finely chop. Slice an onion, two tomatoes and a pepper. Season with salt and vegetable oil.
Dice the celery root, carrot, onion, Jerusalem artichoke and turnip. Simmer for fifteen minutes, add salt, add oregano, simmer until soft.
Other recipes will work too. You just need to use your imagination and don't forget about healthy products.
Eating right: 10 healthy breakfast recipes
Today we propose to divide humanity into those who do not eat in the morning and those who start the day with breakfast. And for those who eat anything for breakfast, and those who know a lot about a proper breakfast. With the help of tips and recipes from MedAboutMe, you can easily move from the first category to the second. And it will be right.
Why is breakfast important?
Scientists have already answered this question by studying the issue up and down.
Those who do not choose a cup of coffee on the run, but a normal, healthy, proper breakfast, control their weight better, adhere better to dietary recommendations 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 use less energy during the day, reducing physical activity.
By starting the day with breakfast, we give ourselves energy for fruitful activities in every way. Those who want to lose extra pounds should not forget about breakfast, because in the late afternoon the body will try to compensate for the lost calories. But we all remember how harmful it is to overeat at night, right?
Real breakfast: what is it?
In addition to what breakfast should be, it should also be correct, that is, it should contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the optimal ratio.
You should consume at least 25 g of protein with your morning meal. Fats and carbohydrates should also not be avoided, but the latter should be represented by so-called "complex carbohydrates" that do not cause a sudden rise in blood glucose levels. For example, a good combination would be a serving of oatmeal with fruit instead of sugar, eggs and vegetable salad. The total calorie content of breakfast should be between 400-500 calories. This will ensure 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 glass of 2% fat Greek yogurt and a handful of berries or fruit, fresh or frozen. These can be: black currants, strawberries, blueberries, cranberries or cranberries, cherries, plums; pieces of apple, pineapple or banana, melon, kiwi or papaya. By simply replacing one fruit with another, you can vary the flavor almost infinitely.
Oatmeal with cheese and vegetables
Who said you can't add grated cheese to oatmeal? That's right, no one. Therefore, add it for your health, it will enrich the taste of porridge and provide proteins that the body needs so much. 25-30 g of cheese is enough for a portion of oatmeal. You can complete this breakfast with a sliced cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes.
A cup of green tea with vegetable milk will complete your breakfast.
By the way, tea and coffee for breakfast are not prohibited at all. Just don't add sugar or a lot of heavy cream to the cup. You can also make smoothies from previously prepared 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. Don't forget about her.
Buckwheat porridge with yogurt and fruit/berries
Pour natural yogurt over buckwheat cooked in the evening, add a handful of berries or a sliced banana. A hearty and healthy breakfast is ready.
Zucchini fritters
Cooking is simple and fast. For a portion for one person, it is enough to grate one medium zucchini on a coarse grater and squeeze out the juice. Add the egg and 1-2 tablespoons of wholemeal flour (rye or wheat). The amount of flour depends on how well you squeezed out 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 with chopped herbs or cheese.
By the way, exactly the same pancakes can be made from apples. Try it, it's very tasty!
Pie with vegetables and chicken breast
The pie can be filled with whatever is in the fridge: lettuce or cabbage, cucumber cut into strips, celery, cherry or tomato. Add a couple of slices of baked or simply boiled chicken breast, two spoons of yogurt - and you will get a hearty, healthy breakfast.
Salmon toast
Take a few thin slices of whole grain bread and lightly toast them in the toaster or oven. Spread with cream cheese and put slices of smoked salmon and lettuce on top. You can add a couple of olives or black olives, just not too salty. Salmon is a source of valuable Omega-3 fatty acids.
But if you don't have salmon, you can easily replace it with canned tuna.
Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and sweet pepper
A very tasty and satisfying dish. It is simply impossible to cook.
Wash and cut into slices one medium tomato or several smaller ones. Wash, remove the seeds and cut into slices or cubes one sweet pepper. Fry the prepared vegetables on medium heat in a small amount of oil. Lightly beat two eggs with sea salt, pour them 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 cream or milk to the eggs, the dish will have a more delicate taste. With the addition of a handful of grated cheese, it will be 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 much better, because you will know exactly what is in its composition, and you will not use any preservatives, colors or flavor enhancers. This is not difficult to do. Granola prepared for the weekend will serve as an excellent addition to various breakfasts during one or two weeks.
To prepare, you will need 1 package of the most ordinary large oatmeal without any additives. Add 150-200 g of nuts, 100 g of dried berries or fruit, 2-3 spoons of natural honey and 2 spoons of butter to the flakes. They usually take olive, but it is quite possible to replace it with almond, cedar, walnuts or sesame.
The flavor of the finished product will vary depending on which dried fruits 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 banana, or gourmet almonds with dried cherries. Adding some dark chocolate and coconut flakes is also fine.
Place the well-mixed mixture on a baking sheet and bake in an oven heated to 150°C, stirring 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, where 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.
Milkshake
The range of variety is extremely large, as a blender or mixer allows you to make delicious, nutritious mixtures from a wide range of ingredients.
For example, start 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 from cottage cheese! Cheese pancakes with yogurt and berries, cottage cheese casserole, cottage cheese with grated carrots and herbs, cottage cheese spread on crackers with canned tuna and herbs, etc.
Healthy eating program for a week
In general, a balanced, healthy diet can be quite varied, so it is quite possible to come up with a menu with new dishes every day. We present you an example of a menu for a week in accordance with all the previously given recommendations:
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Dinner | Dinner |
| Monday | Oatmeal with dried fruit; 2/3 cup low-fat milk; fruits. | Vegetable salad (you can use, for example, olive oil as a dressing); a sandwich of wholemeal bread with herbs, boiled chicken breast and soft cheese; fruits. | Baked fish, vegetable salad as a side dish. |
| Tuesday | Whole grain toast; cheese; boiled egg; fruits. | Salad of bulgur, chicken breast and cherry tomatoes (can be seasoned with honey and dijon mustard); fruits. | Whole grain pasta with tomatoes and dry herbs; Herbal tea. |
| Wednesday | Fresh cheese with honey; walnuts; fresh juice. | Salmon, avocado and dill sandwich on whole grain bread; natural yogurt. | Chicken fillet with roasted vegetables. |
| Thursday | Two-egg omelette; tomato; cheese; small baked apple with honey and cinnamon. | Chicken soup with vegetables; salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, flax seeds with olive oil dressing. | Pie with lean beef, green salad, dressing - natural yogurt, garlic and dill. |
| Friday | Smoothie (banana, yogurt, vanilla); roll with salmon, avocado and cucumber. | Salad of roasted pumpkin, spinach, feta cheese and lemon and butter dressing; rye bread with lean ham; fruits. | Steak with fresh ingredients; baked apple with honey and cinnamon. |
| Saturday | Buckwheat with carrot and pepper; natural yogurt; fruits. | Couscous with carrots, onions, corn, green peas. | Roasted beets; rye bread with soft goat cheese; olives. |
| Sunday | Cheesecakes with maple syrup; natural yogurt; fruits. | Soup with croutons and boiled egg; tomato and mozzarella salad with balsamic dressing. | Peppers stuffed with brown rice and ground beef; cherry tomatoes with soft cheese and herbs to taste. |
It should be noted that when small snacks are included 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, portion sizes 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 follow a certain diet in order for the process to be most effective. Proper nutrition allows you to quickly lose excess weight, but only if you adhere to its principles. It is necessary to create the right menu, which maintains the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
What type of diet 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 them in order to ensure the daily needs. It is also important to follow other rules that make the diet correct. Therefore, fast food, processed food, carbonated drinks and other harmful foods should not be included in your diet. Limiting the amount of salt, excluding fried food, steaming or cooking, stewing or baking is also recommended. Food should be eaten at the same time every day.
How to make a menu for the week
The special feature of proper nutrition is that it does not imply adherence to a strict menu. It must 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 contain foods that contain fiber (vegetables, fruits, bran);
- if you want to eat sweets, then it should be done only in the first half of the day;
- It is important to distribute calories correctly.
Usually, people who follow a proper diet create a menu for the week in advance and then simply prepare the meals according to it.
Monday
It is assumed that the daily diet menu includes five meals. On the first day of the week, you can eat as follows:
- Prepare oatmeal for breakfast. It can be supplemented with any fruit. It is recommended to use tea or coffee as a drink.
- Another breakfast may include dried fruit and cottage cheese. You should not hunt for low-fat fermented milk products, considering that they contribute the most to weight loss. This opinion is wrong. Experts recommend eating fatty fresh cheese, because it is better absorbed.
- Lunch on Monday can consist of cabbage soup in meat broth and boiled chicken. Be sure to add fiber-rich vegetables. As a drink - compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can enjoy a fruit salad and unsweetened crackers.
- For dinner, it is suggested to prepare an omelette, vegetable salad and tea. With a proper diet, you can forget about 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 on the second day is prepared 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 recommended to cook buckwheat porridge. 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 first, and fish cutlets and mashed potatoes as the second. As a drink - dried fruit compote.
- 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 porridge for breakfast. For example, an omelet would be a good option. This is what is suggested to be eaten on the third day. In general, the menu for Wednesday can be compiled as follows:
- For breakfast, a person who is losing weight eats an omelette, toast and a vegetable salad. He chooses tea to drink.
- Another breakfast includes yogurt and toast.
- For lunch, you can prepare fish soup and boiled veal with a side dish of vegetables. We should not forget about drinks either, natural juice can also play its role.
- For an afternoon snack, you can safely eat yogurt and cottage cheese.
- For dinner, it is recommended to cook the meat and complement it with a side dish of rice. This dish should also be served with a vegetable salad. Tea can be used as a drink.
Thursday
One of the principles of proper nutrition is variety. You should not eat the same meals every day. The menu is designed in such a way that the options are not repeated. Therefore, on Thursday it is recommended to eat according to the following scheme:
- For breakfast, you can cook rice porridge and season it with dried fruit. Drink coffee as a beverage.
- Another breakfast may include a banana and kefir.
- For lunch, you can make soup with cereals. As a second course, choose baked fish, complete with a side dish of rice. Salad, for example, vinaigrette, would not be missing. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, experts recommend eating fresh cheese with sour cream and dried fruit.
- A great option for dinner is roast meat with vegetables. You can supplement it with drinking yogurt.
Friday
The diet on Fridays is not particularly different from all the previous days, because it is composed according to the same principles. To me it might look like this:
- For breakfast, a person eats oatmeal and fruit and drinks coffee.
- For the second breakfast, you can eat biscuits, washed down with juice.
- As the first dish for lunch, you can prepare vegetable soup. The second dish can be stew with a side dish of baked or boiled potatoes. Also, lunch must include vegetable salad. The drink is juice.
- For an afternoon snack, it is recommended to eat fruit in the form of salad and yogurt.
- Dinner - vegetable stew, ham, tea.
The weekend
Some people believe that on weekends they can allow themselves to deviate from their diet and eat unhealthy foods that were not present in their diet on other days. This opinion is wrong, because such an act can cancel all the advantages of the previous menu. Of course, sometimes you can afford something that is not very useful, but in small quantities. Heavy food can be consumed on holidays, but not every weekend.
The menu for Saturday in the regime of proper nutrition can look like this:
- Breakfast includes oatmeal and a baked apple. Tea without sugar should be used as a drink.
- Second breakfast – yogurt and banana.
- For lunch, you can prepare chicken soup with vegetables. Experts recommend choosing fish as a second course. Salad - vinaigrette. The drink is compote.
- For an afternoon snack, you can eat yogurt and add nuts to it. You can choose dried fruit instead.
- For dinner, a ham and vegetable stew would be an excellent option. The drink is tea.
On Sunday, you can treat yourself to a cottage cheese casserole for breakfast. It should be seasoned with honey. You can also eat toast with tea. For the second breakfast, you can choose yogurt and crackers. Lunch consists of borscht, chicken cutlet with buckwheat, compote. An excellent option for an afternoon snack, as usual, would be fresh cheese with the addition of dried fruit. For dinner, it is recommended to eat boiled veal and vegetable salad.